1. Where do I pay and pick up my courses if I chose to pay offline?​

​

You can only pick up your courses once they have been paid for. During the first two weeks of the semester, desks will be set up in the Agora (right in front of the toilets of Block E - you can’t miss them!). There, you can pay for your ordered courses by Bancontact (only the first 3 weeks) or by cash. After that, you can go downstairs to our course service to pick up your order. If you can only pay after the first two weeks of the semester, payment can be made in cash only at the course service in the basement.

 

​

2. What happens if I pre-order a course? Can I pick it up right away?

​

Pre-ordering a course means it is currently out of stock, but it is still being ordered for you. Keep an eye on your email - we’ll notify you when your ordered materials arrive and are ready for collection. This means it’s possible that you can pick up your order, but not all items may be ready at the same time.

 

​

3. In some cases, a product shows as out of stock because the price has not yet been determined. When will the price be published?

​

If a product shows the message “The price for this course book is not yet available”, it means the price has not been announced yet. By clicking the “Notify When Available” button, you can leave your email address and you’ll automatically be informed as soon as the price is published. From that moment on, you’ll also be able to place your order. Keep an eye on your inbox - we do our best to make all prices available as quickly as possible!

 

​

4. Is it possible to cancel or edit an order?

​

Yes, it is - mistakes happen! Just email us as soon as possible (cursus@boerekot.be) and we’ll cancel or edit your order. Try to avoid ordering a bunch of items and then changing your mind, as we do our best to restock quickly based on your orders.

​

 

5. Why don’t you sell all the courses we need, and where can we get them?

​

Not all professors choose to use our course service. For some courses, you’ll need to get them directly from the professor during designated hours. Usually, your professor will clearly explain where to get the course for their class - this could be through us, directly from them, or via another provider.

 

​

6. What are the advantages of a VLK membership?

​

With a VLK membership, you get discounts on your courses as well as on VLK events like parties, cantusses, and cultural activities. You’ll even receive a Guido bag with discounts at lots of places around Ghent.

For bachelor students, this is especially handy: the membership fee is usually less than the discount you’ll get on your courses - so joining is always a smart move!

Signing up doesn’t mean you’ll get unnecessary emails, and it doesn’t come with any obligations - it simply gives you access to the discounts.

Becoming a “schacht” or commilitone member is a completely separate part of the VLK. Want to know what this specific part of the VLK is all about? Check out the ‘Info eerstejaars’ page!

Interested in a VLK membership? Take a look at the ‘VLK Membership’ page!

 

​

7. Why do we have to pay for courses before they are in stock?

​

We want to avoid large-scale cancellations of ordered products. When you order an out-of-stock product, we place an order with the suppliers and have to pay for it. As a student association, we cannot afford a high number of cancellations.​​

 

​

8. What are optional books?

​

Optional books are books that support the course material but aren’t required. They’re useful if you want to dive deeper into a topic or if you find the basic material challenging. These books can give you extra insight and help you better understand the subject. They’re suggested by the professors themselves.

 

 

9. What is a “tuyaux”?

​

A tuyaux is a collection of old exam questions from over the years. It is a helpful tool to study for your exam, as it can show you what the professor finds important and what kind of questions he/she will ask. We are very proud of our tuyaux and this has proven many times to be very handy to prepare for exams. Don’t hesitate to come take a look at a tuyaux if you are not sure whether you’d buy one.

 

​

10. Do you have a second-hand platform?

​

No, we don’t. We know this would be super useful, but combining new and second-hand sales gets really complicated (we’ve tried before, trust us!). If you want to buy or sell second-hand books or courses, we recommend reaching out to older or younger students through the Facebook groups or asking at the meter-en peteravond.

 

​

11. I have class during opening hours - can I pick up my courses at another time?

​

During the first week, the course service will be open all day. After that, opening hours are during lunch break (11:30–13:00). With these options, we hope it should be possible for everyone to stop by. If you really can’t make it during these times, contact us at cursus@boerekot.be and we’ll try to make an exception.

 

​

12.  What if I need a course after week 7, when the course service is already closed?

​

We’re sorry, but after week 7 you’ll need to find your own solution. The course service is specially available for all students every day during the first seven weeks of the semester to order and pick up your courses. We expect that orders are placed within this timeframe, as we cannot process any additional course orders after this period ends.

 

​

13. What if I pre-ordered a course but it still hasn’t arrived by week 7, when the course service is closed?

​

If this happens, first email cursus@boerekot.be to check that nothing went wrong. They will review your order and let you know when you can expect your course. You can then still stop by the villa to ask a praesidium member, or schedule a specific appointment with the course team to pick up your ordered materials.