Provisions DUO

Are you a full-time student and do you experience study delay during your performance grant period due to a medical circumstance? You may qualify for an extension of the performance grant via DUO and/or financial support in cases of circumstances beyond one's control (FinSCO) from Utrecht University's Student Support Fund.

FinSCO (UU) 
At Utrecht University, you will have your study delay registered via a request financial support in cases of circumstances beyond one's control (FinSCO). After the end of each academic year in which you incur study delay due to circumstances beyond your control, you can submit a request for FinSCO. If you might qualify for an extension of the performance grant via DUO, the student counsellor will contact you. The student counsellor will then further explain the procedure. Please note: if you qualify for an extension of the performance grant, the first 12 months of registered study delay will be compensated via DUO; as of the 13th month, you will (only) be eligible for FinSCO support.

Apply for FinSCO here. Applying for FinSCO does not require an appointment with a student counsellor.

A request for conversion of the performance grant is possible if it is clear that you are no longer capable of ever obtaining a degree in higher education due to a permanent medical or non-medical circumstance, even within an extended diploma period.

Such a request must be supported by a doctor's statement. You cannot request a conversion of the performance grant if you decide to travel or work, or if you suffer study delay due to temporary circumstances, for example illness or the death of a family member. If the request is granted by DUO, your performance grant will be converted into a gift. If you have received a performance grant for an MBO programme in the past, nothing will change.

Discuss this with a student counsellor.

Do you become fully and permanently incapacitated for work during the diploma period and become entitled to Wajong (young disabled persons benefit)? In this case, you can ask DUO to convert your performance grant into a gift. You can submit this request without the involvement of a student counsellor or study advisor.

Suppose that it becomes clear during your studies that you will never be able to complete the programme, or that you can never work in the profession for which you are studying. In that case, and provided that you satisfy the conditions, you may have a renewed entitlement to student finance. Your previous study history will be ‘forgotten’ and you will again have all the entitlements you had when you began studying. That way you can make a fresh start on another study programme.

Discuss this with a student counsellor.