FAQ

There are a limited number of places available (this differs per course and is determined by the host university). If the course is full, you will be notified by the course organizers. We work on a first come, first served basis. So, apply as early as possible.

The VEP online course is only open to selected students from partners institutions, thus you would not be able to follow it and take part in its assignment and assessments, nor receive credits. It could be that a course offered in the VEP is also made available on an online learning platform that is accessible to the general public; in this case you can follow the course as a member of the general public (not as a university student from one of the partners), and different assignments and assessment could apply.

As long as you have space in your degree, you may take multiple courses.

To study as a VEP student you can only take courses that are part of the program and have been approved for credit towards your degree. We expect to have a larger offering for future semesters.

Some courses may be published on the VEP website in advance of their opening date for application, however you can only apply as from the application date (indicated in the course details). Please only apply if you are sure that you really want to do (and can spend enough time) on the online course.

A course may appear in the list of available courses with the same course description as previously published when the course is being offered once more by the same institution.

Some institutions do not supply preview for their courses; whenever they are available, they are published.

Please always refer to the course description published on this website and not to the edX course pages. The information on the website is leading as it is tailored specifically to VEP students. The information provided on edX is for all general public participants worldwide.

Similar to an off-line exchange, the Virtual Exchange requires you to be curious, engaged and committed - to engage with the course and stay with the program, including registering and taking the final assessment. We aim to maintain high-standards of participation and completion and for you to take full advantage of the benefits, gain valuable knowledge and recognised credits for your home study program.

All course outlines from the partners indicate the level of the course and whether they have any prerequisites. Generally, the courses do not have prerequisites, though some courses are more advanced so it may be advisable to take them later in your academic career.

Yes. At this time, the VEP is only available for undergraduate students. We may add graduate opportunities at a later time after the initial pilot program is completed.

VEP courses are generally offered and assessed in English.

If successfully enrolled on a VEP course, you are also part of the partner’s institution student body and their code of conduct applies for the duration of study (even though this is a virtual exchange and students remain in their home university surroundings).

Student need to apply through their home university. There is no global application process at the moment.

TU Delft students can apply directly using the VEP online form.

Add and drop dates are determined by the host university. If you wish to drop out, please contact the host university so they can provide advice specific to your situation. Please note that not adhering to the drop deadline of the host institution may result in a failing grade. This grade would not appear on your home university transcript, but would remain on your record at the host institution should you pursue a degree or different program there in the future.

We encourage all our students to be global citizens and enhance their international exposure. The VEP is one way to bring these opportunities to students who may not otherwise have them, due to the structure of their degree or their individual circumstances. The VEP also allows partner students to participate in one of the leading education innovations of the last decade, and to be recognized for this towards their degree.

The VEP is a ground-breaking pilot developed by a group of world-class partners which commenced as a pilot in 2017. It is expected that more universities and more courses will be offered as the pilot progresses. The pilot is running until 2019. You could also take a VEP course now and another next semester/year if you have space in your study schedule.

The VEP will be run as a pilot until 2019 and many partner universities are committed to participating for the full three years.

You are not required to pay any tuition fees to the host university. If a course has additional requirements, such as a textbook, these are detailed in the course outline from the host institution. You will be responsible for those fees.

The presentation of grades for VEP courses is determined by the host institution. Results you obtain for your VEP online course will be added to your grade list or academic transcript; in case of a pass grade, credits are granted. Note that in order for the course to count towards your formal study program (and for inclusion on the diploma supplement), you need to seek approval from the programme director or Board of Examiners. We strongly advise you to start this process once you have applied for the VEP course.

Course credits in the VEP are expressed in terms of the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). The units the host institution itself uses are usually found in the course description. For more information regarding credit conversion, please contact the VEP administration.  The  Boards of Examiners at TU Delft stipulates the following guideline for credit conversion:

Australian National University: 6 units = 7.5 ECTS

University of Queensland: 2 credits = 7.5 ECTS

RICE: 0.5 credit hours: 1 ECTS

The Board of Examiners from your home university is responsible for the conversion of grades (pass/ fail result). For more information regarding pass/fail grading, please contact the VEP administration at your home university.  

You can still do the online course for credits, and the result will be registered in your grade list or academic transcript. But the course will not be included in the diploma supplement. The diploma supplement lists the formal study programme as approved by the Board of Examiners.

On course completion, as a formally registered students at the host institution, you will receive a formal transcript. You may receive the transcript via the TU Delft VEP administration or directly from the host institution. The timeframe within which the transcript will be provided depends on the individual host institution.

The course and grade can only be registered in MyTUDelft on the basis of the formal transcript of the host institution. Informal grade notifications (e.g. on edX) or emails from the teacher are not valid.

The time when the transcript will be provided depends on the Rules & Regulations of the host institution.