KU Leuven: Nearly 5000 participants for the first session of calibration tests
On Monday 4 July, the first session of the calibration tests will take place on the Flemish university campuses, going from Bruges to Diepenbeek. 4,960 participants registered for one of the 17 calibration tests, which belong to 22 courses. That is an increase of almost 30% compared to the first session of last year.
By participating in a calibration test, prospective students take conscious steps in the study choice process and they become acquainted with the program and with the reality of a university campus. They can test their skills and knowledge against the expected starting competences of the bachelor’s program of their choice and receive feedback on the result. A good result can confirm the choice. If the result is less good, it is useful to prepare well before the start of the academic year. For this purpose, prospective students can appeal to the remedial services offered by the universities and discuss them with a study choice counselor or learning path counsellor. Participation can also provide the necessary information to reconsider the choice.
Participation in a calibration test is this year for the first time a condition for enrollment in the bachelor’s programs in bio-engineering sciences, mathematics, physics and pharmaceutical sciences. Participation has been compulsory for some time for the bachelor’s degree programs in engineering sciences, engineering sciences: architecture, veterinary medicine and for the bachelor’s degree programs leading to a degree in industrial engineering.
As expected, the universities are noticing sharp increases in registrations for the calibration tests that are mandatory for the first time. For bio-engineering, 98% more participants registered for the first session compared to last year, for mathematics and physics 2.5 times as many and for pharmacy even three times as many. The number of registrations also increased for the calibration tests for which participation was already compulsory (civil engineer architect +6%, civil engineer +6%, veterinary medicine: +15%, industrial engineer +17%).