1. I would like to get a VLK membership, but I cannot pay online because my bank card doesn’t have a CVC code. Is there still a way for me to get a membership?

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Yes, this is definitely possible. You can come to the course service to pay for your membership in person. Make sure you have an account on our website beforehand — otherwise, this won’t work. Once your payment is processed, we’ll activate your membership, and you can place your order with the member discount applied automatically.

 

Important: Pay for your membership first and make sure a Praesidium member activates it on the website before placing your order. If you place your order before your membership is active, we cannot apply the discount afterward.

 

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2. How can I pay for my courses?

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You can pay for your courses online through our course service. We accept credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, UnionPay, JCB, Diners Club, Discover, Visa Electron, and Maestro), as well as Apple Pay and Google Pay.

 

If you prefer to pay in person, this is also possible. During the first two weeks of the semester, payment desks will be set up in the Agora (right in front of the Block E restrooms, you can’t miss them!). There, you can pay for your ordered courses by cash or Bancontact.

 

After the first two weeks, payments can only be made in cash at the course service downstairs.

 

 

3. When and where can I pick up the courses?

 

Courses can only be picked up once payment has been completed. You can collect them at the course service in the basement of Block E, Campus Coupure.

 

During the first week of the semester, the course service is open every weekday (see Cursus for more details). After that, it is open daily from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM until week 7.

 

 

4. What happens if a course is out of stock?

 

If your course is out of stock, click the “Notify Me When Available” button and enter your email. This ensures the course is still being ordered for you. Keep an eye on your inbox - we’ll notify you as soon as the course/material is back in stock so you can place your order immediately. Once your order is complete, you can come and pick it up.

 

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5. I’m having trouble ordering my courses on my phone. What should I do?

 

Unfortunately, our website doesn’t work as smoothly on mobile devices. There’s not much we can do about this at the moment. For more complex tasks, like ordering your courses, we recommend using a computer or laptop - the experience is much smoother and user-friendly this way.

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

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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!

 

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

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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.

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

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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.

 

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9. What are the advantages of a VLK membership?​

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With a VLK membership, you receive a 10% discount on all courses and materials, as well as discounts on VLK events such as parties, cantusses, and cultural activities. You’ll also get a Guido bag filled with discounts around Ghent. With your membership, you can also enjoy the benefits of a card from an FK Gent-affiliated association. Check out the extra discounts you get here.

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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! 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!

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

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10. What are optional books?

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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.

 

 

11. What is a “tuyaux”?

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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.

 

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12. Do you have a second-hand platform?

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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.

 

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

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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.

 

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

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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.

 

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

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If this happens, first send an email to cursus@boerekot.be to check that nothing went wrong. They will review this 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.