Q&A in English

On this page you will find the most frequently asked questions and answers about your study and/or work in relation to the corona virus. In all cases we follow the advice of the RIVM, GGD and WHO and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Q&A are regularly updated.

STUDENT/STUDY RELATED QUESTIONS

(for employees see below)

On March, 25, Fontys decided to only offer distance learning until June, 1 2020. This deadline was earlier until April, 6. What does that mean in concrete terms?
For Fontys this means that we do not provide education and examinations at our locations. It also means that all buildings will remain closed. Should the government's corona measures be relaxed in the interim, we will examine which forms of education, testing and research can take place on location again within the guidelines applicable at that time.

Discover Fontys online?
The open day of March, 21 is cancelled. This open day will not be scheduled at a later time. We are working on alternatives to introduce you to Fontys in a different way. If you have registered for the open day on March, 21, you will receive information about this at a later date.

Because of all the corona perils, I may not be able to enrol at Fontys before 1 May for my new study programme. Can I still start in the academic year 2020-2021?
The application deadline for students (May, 1) has been postponed to June, 1.

I'm in my final year of MBO and I can't complete a number of courses, can't I start at hbo?
We can imagine that in the final year of your mbo course you will experience a small study delay. You still don't have a diploma at the end of this school year. Sign up at Fontys anyway, you're welcome! You can start your hbo study programme and have until the end of 2020 to obtain your mbo diploma.

Will I receive a Binding Study Advice this year?
The Binding Study Advice for current first-year students will be postponed until the end of the second academic year (academic year 2020-2021). We are still investigating how we can give shape to this agreement within Fontys.

Do I have to continue paying tuition fees while there is no physical education?
Fontys will do everything possible to continue the lessons via distance education. So there is education and that means that you have to pay tuition fees.

Because of the coronavirus, I can't work alongside my studies because my secondary job has stopped. I can't pay my tuition fees. What can I do?
DUO makes every effort to help you and will take your personal situation into account. At DUO, you can make use of the loan possibilities and increase your loan. If necessary, with retroactive effect from the beginning of the academic year. In addition, you can apply for a tuition credit. You can arrange this yourself via myDUO. If this is still insufficient, please contact DUO for a customised solution.

I would graduate this year and have already enrolled in another programme (master's, university or elsewhere), what should I do if I am unable to graduate due to the coronavirus?
For the answer to this question, please contact the course for which you have enrolled.

Is it still possible to get extra guidance from a student counsellor or student psychologist?
Yes, it is. Due to the measures related to the Corona virus, all appointments take place by telephone- or via Skype conferences.
Check www.fontys.edu/fontyshelps

I am an international student, where can I go with questions that do not directly affect my studies but my well-being?
We want your stay in NL to be pleasant despite the situation and to make you feel good.Fontys' services continue, it is now also possible to make an appointment with a student coach, dean or psychologist via Skype.Other information can be found here: fontys.edu/fontyshelps.

What do I have to know when returning to the Netherlands?
Please take into consideration it’s possible that the situation caused by the Corona Covid-19 virus is going to take longer than a few weeks, potentially months and consider the consequences this can have for you; for your visa, your study or internship progress, your financial, social, and personal situation.It might not be possible or easy to return to the Netherlands, due to potential travel restrictions or other situations. This will be different for every student. Fontys would like to support you in looking for solutions as much as possible.What we do:

The Coordinators Internationalisation are well-informed. Contact them for help or any further information.
Fontys makes sure these Coordinators Internationalisation are well-informed about the policy and actions taken by the Dutch government.

What we ask you to do:

Register at the local embassy (the embassy of your own nationality)
Check if it is possible to book a return trip. Contact your travel agency, airline and insurance company.
Contact your Coordinator Internationalisation to provide an update about your situation.

Where should I report if I'm infected with the Corona virus?
We would like to ask you urgently to report by telephone to your institute's business office. Mention whether you have been in contact with fellow students or whether you live in Fontys accommodation, for example. This report is also important if you are unexpectedly delayed in studying due to the Corona virus. Of course, you must also follow the rules of the GGD.

My international study/internship will start soon, how do I know it is safe to go abroad?
Fontys currently has a travel ban on all outgoing mobility until further notice, meaning students are not allowed to travel abroad for study of internship. Fontys is monitoring the situation constantly and will share updates on the Q&A. Make sure you keep yourself informed and contact your coordinator Internationalisation to discuss the consequences of the travel ban for your studies.

I am currently abroad for a minor or internship. What should I do?
Fontys urgently asks all students to return to the Netherlands as soon as possible. Please take into consideration it’s possible that the situation caused by the Corona Covid-19 virus is going to take longer than a few weeks, potentially months and consider the consequences this can have for you; for your visa, your study or internship progress, your financial, social, and personal situation. It might not be possible or easy to return to the Netherlands, due to potential travel restrictions or other situations. This will be different for every student. Fontys would like to support you in looking for solutions as much as possible. Please contact your coordinator Internationalisation your coordinator Internationalisation.

I am an international bachelor or master student and I want to go home. Is the situation around Corona a valid reason?
No it is not. Although Fontys is currently not providing education on campus we are currently working to provide you with online education. We do understand you might feel unsafe or worried about the Corona situation. We suggest you keep informed visiting the websites provided on www.fontys.edu/corona. If you do decide to return to your home country you need to inform your School/programme.

What are the consequences of the coronavirus for my Erasmus scholarship?
Please contact studyabroad@fontys.nl and take a look at the Erasmus+ scholarships page.

I am an international student. I can't come to Fontys right now. Will I get exemptions or will my expenses be reimbursed?
For the answer to this question, please contact the institute where you registered.

I am doing an internship in a hospital/care centre. Does this require extra attention?
We ask students to follow the instructions there. If this leads to questions about the study progress (e.g. the hospital is locked down), customisation is required

Special questions and answers for exchange students studying at Fontys.

I'm an exchange student and I want to go home. Is the situation around Corona a valid reason?
Yes it is. Please contact your Internationalisation Coordinator.

What does that mean for my rental contract?
For accommodation booked through Fontys the current corona situation has been approved as a valid reason to end your housing contract early. If you wish to leave please let your coordinator Internationalisation know as soon as possible. After that, you need to inform your housing agency. They will inform you about the necessary procedures. Fontys has made sure that your travel agency will cooperate with your early departure. Please note that rent that you have already paid will not be refunded. Your deposit will be returned according to normal procedures.For students who have booked their own accommodation please contact your housing agency directly. Fontys does not have any influence on the procedures or individual housing agencies.

What does that mean for my assurance?
Unfortunately we will not be able to refund you for the costs for your Insure to Study insurance.

What does that mean for my study progress?
Whether or not we can grant study points, ECTs, for (a part of) your exchange program depends on the exchange program you have participated in. You can contact your coordinator Internationalisation to discuss the situation. Please do note that at the moment we are still looking at the possibilities and may not have all the answers yet – please be patient.

Information for International degree students

1. Residence permit

Temporary home leave. If you go home temporarily, return to Fontys at a later stage and continue your enrollment as a student, you do not have to make any arrangements. Your residence permit will remain valid.If at some point you decide not to return to Fontys, please contact the coordinator of your study program and deregister as a student at Fontys. The study program coordinator communicates this to Team International Students and your residence permit will then be revoked.
Your study progress. If you have achieved sufficient educational progress (i.e. obtained the mandatory amount of credits needed for your residence permit) by March 13th, the temporary closure of Fontys due to the Corona virus outbreak will be taken into account. You do not have to worry about this.
Permit extension. If your residence permit needs to be extended in the coming months, you can do this digitally. You can start the extension process 3 months before your permit expires.
Terminating your studies. If you want to return to your home country and terminate your study program, please contact the coordinator of your study program and deregister as a student at Fontys. The study program coordinator will communicate this to Team International Students and your residence permit will be revoked.

2. Fontys housing:

If you go home temporarily, you are obliged to pay the rent for the remaining months (until July 31^st, 2020). This also means you can return to your room at any point. Please inform Team International Students about your plans, so they can ensure that the room will remain available to you.
If you have rented a room via Fontys, the rental contract will expire on July 31^st, 2020. You will have to vacate the room per July 31^st, 2020. If you are staying in a studio on the Lombokpad, you have a different rental contract and other conditions may apply
If you are staying in a private rental accommodation we advise you to contact your landlord.

3. Insurance through InsureToStudy

If you go home temporarily and return to Fontys at a later stage, your insurance will continue as is. You will be contacted by InsureToStudy to extend the insurance per July 31, 2020. The can be done online.
If you have insurance with a different insurance company, you must contact them to cancel or extend the insurance.

4. Registration at the municipality:

If you return home permanently, you must deregister at the Municipality
If you go back home temporarily, you do not have to deregister. Deregistering with the Municipality will then cause problems for your residence permit.

Where can I go with my questions about the Coronavirus in relation to my study?
There is a website fontys.nl/corona and fontys.edu/corona for international students. There you will find Q&A with frequently asked questions and answers. If your question and the answer are not listed there is a central point: info@fontys.nl where you can ask your question.

FOR EMPLOYEES

Building R3 on the Rachelsmolen campus, Eindhoven is open for the use of MediaSite in lecture hall R3.
Procedure:

Employees can gain access to building R3 between 8.00 - 17.00 hrs; they gain access to the lecture hall in question with MediaSite. This facility can also be used by people who have already worked with it in another building.
Transferring the recording to MyMediasite must be done by an administrator, teachers cannot do this themselves.
To gain access, employees must register in advance with the facility managers of Rachelsmolen (Niels Kuijpers, assistant facility manager via n.kuijpers@fontys.nl and Desiree Hendrix, facility manager, via d.hendrix@fontys.nl).
For transferring the recording and substantive questions, please contact the manager Marcel Heling (ict-fhec@fontys.nl or 08850 78180).

Building P8 on campus Stappegoor, Tilburg is open for the use of the recording studio.
Procedure:

The manager of the studio in P8 is Peer van Sprang; please contact him if you want to use the recording studio via p.vansprang@fontys.nl or 08850 72489.
The studio can only be used by appointment and in the presence of the manager.
Peer van Sprang supports the use of the studio.
Peer van Sprang has access to building P8 between 8.00 -17.00 hrs to support the use of the studio; he will come to the building at the agreed time.
Peer van Sprang informs the facility managers of Stappegoor (Simon Bergmans, assistant facility manager, via s.bergmans@fontys.nl and Roderick Buikema, facility manager, via r.buikema@fontys.nl ) by whom to access P8 at what time.
Peer van Sprang is known to the facility managers of Stappegoor (Simon Bergmans and Roderick Buikema) as manager of the studio in P8.

In addition, the following is good to know:

All premises are closed to all students and all other staff members, including 1-on-1 appointments between student and lecturer.
The toilets are cleaned and soap and towels are replenished. The canteens are closed everywhere, the coffee and tea machines are cleaned and refilled.
When you start working with online education in one of the excepted premises, or are required to do so because of a business-critical process, please report to the reception desk and register your name and telephone number. You will receive additional information when you are or will be working in one of the premises.

Working from home and online opportunities?

It has been decided that MS Teams is the application used for online working and studying. Other applications or applications of your own choice are not supported and are not allowed due to security risks.
An environment has been built Fontys.nl/online with information and instruction about working and studying online. Staff and students will find manuals, instruction videos and best practices.
A training course has been developed that can be followed online about working with MS Teams. From March,17 these online training courses will be offered to Fontys employees. Employees must register for these via the form on Fontys.nl/online.
The IT service refers questions about working from home to their website. For online consultation Skype for Business is available for all employees and students. Lectures can be streamed via Mediasite.

My child is ill. What to do?
You are entitled to emergency leave (art. J-12 CAO and art. 4:1 Work and Care Act) for a short time to be calculated in fairness. This paid short form of leave is meant to arrange care for your child. If it is not possible to arrange childcare and you are the only designated person to take care of your sick child, you are entitled to short-term care leave (Article J-11 CAO and Chapter 5 of the Work and Care Act). The Fontys regulation for short-term carer's leave is a broader regulation than the statutory regulation and than that included in the collective agreement for higher professional education (cao-hbo). You can find more information about this on the portal of the P&O department.

Where should I report if I'm infected with the Corona virus?
Fontys would like to have insight into the impact (direct and indirect) of the Coronavirus at Fontys. If you are infected, you report sick according to the usual procedure. On the basis of the privacy law, you do not have to report what is wrong with you. In this case, we would like to ask you to do so. Insight into the number of infected persons is important to Fontys.
Insight into other matters (living together with the infected person, being in quarantine or being involved in a contact investigation) is also valuable. We would like to ask you to report this to your manager.

I am a teacher and will soon be going on a mission abroad. What should I do?
Fontys currently has a ban on outgoing mobility. This means that employees cannot travel abroad for work until further notice. Please contact your supervisor.

Where can I go with my questions about the Coronavirus in relation to my work?
There is a website fontys.nl/corona and fontys.edu/corona for international students. There you will find Q&A with frequently asked questions and answers. If your question and the answer are not listed there is a central point: info@fontys.nl where you can ask your question.

If your question is not listed, please ask via info@fontys.nl