Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions are noted here.
Where can we get and pay the courses after we’ve ordered them?
During the first week of the semester you will see desks in the Agora (right in front of the toilets of blok E you can’t miss it!). There you will be able to pay your ordered courses by cash, Payconiq or Bancontact. Your orders will be marked as paid. Then you can go downstairs to our course service (*with reservation due to COVID, if the location of the course service changes, this will be communicated). At the course service you will receive your orders that are marked as “ready” and paid. It is possible that not all your orders will be ready at once.
A lot of prices are still “TBA” (To Be Announced). When will we know the actual price?
From the start of the academic year we will know all prices (except for courses that start later in the semester). You can/should already order the courses even though the prices are still unknown. This is especially important for the first year students. They should expect a price of around €300 for the whole package of courses, labgear and books. If you want optional books as well, take into account this will cost you more (prices of those are already available).
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 or not you’d buy one.
Why can’t we pay online?
For safety and economic reasons we chose not to implement a digital payment system. During the first
week you can pay by cash, Payconiq and Bancontact. From week 1 to 6 you can still be by cash and
Payconiq.
Online payments may be considered for future versions.
Why do we have to pay courses before they are in stock?
When you come and pick up one of your courses you will be expected to pay all of your orders. One reason is that the possibility to pay by Bancontact is only available during the first week of the semester. A second reason is that we want to avoid large scale cancellation of ordered products. When you order a product that is out of stock we make an order at the suppliers and have to pay this order. As we are only a student association we cannot afford a lot of cancellations.
Is it possible to cancel an order?
Yes it is. Mistakes are always possible! Just sent us an email as fast as possible (cursus@boerekot.be) and we will cancel your order. Just try to avoid ordering a bunch of stuff and then changing your mind as we try to restock as fast as possible based on your orders.
Can we return courses or books?
Yes it is. Books can be returned if there are no notes in it and the book is still in its initial state. Courses can be returned, but we will be more strict. There can absolutely be no signs of use. Contact us in advance (cursus@boerekot.be) and then bring your courses to the course service during opening hours. You will get your refund there.
Do you have a 2nd hand platform?
No. We understand that this is of course very useful, but combining selling new and second hand books becomes very complicated (we tried before trust us). If you want to buy or sell second hand books and courses we advise to contact older/younger students through the facebook groups or ask at the meter-en peteravond.
I have class during opening hours, can I get my courses at another time?
During the first week the course service will be open all day. After that opening hours will be during lunch break (11:30-13:00 or 13:00-14:30 depending on the availability of our volunteers). These are a lot of different opening hours so we think that it should be possible to get to the course service. If you find yourself unable to visit the course service during these hours, contact us and we will try to make an exception (cursus@boerekot.be).
Why do you not sell all the courses we need and where can we get those?
Not all professors choose to make use of our course service. Some courses you will have to get with the professor him/herself during designated hours. Don’t worry, usually your professor will inform you about this and tell you how you can get their course.
What are optional books?
Optional books are books that support the subject matter, but are not obligated as course material. These books are interesting if you want to know more about a course or if you have a hard time understanding the basic course material. They can give you extra insight and understanding in the subject. These books are proposed by the professors themselves.
Do you have special COVID regulations?
We will try to organize the course sale as safe as possible. Our volunteers will wear face masks and a safe distance in the waiting line will be indicated. Disinfecting gel will be available. With this online platform we try to eliminate paper and pen use. Any changes due to COVID (e.g. course selling location) will be communicated through the facebook groups, our UFORA platform and this site.
What are the advantages of a VLK membership?
Especially in your bachelor’s the membership price is less than the discount you get with it on your courses. So becoming a member is always a good idea! Don’t worry we will not contact you and this certainly doesn’t mean you are a hard core VLK member (you can be if you want of course!). Besides the discount on courses, you also get a discount at our parties, cantusses, cultural activities and so on. You will also receive a Guido basket that contains discounts at a lot of places around Ghent. For more information see the “Become a member” page.