Distance learning studies at GBU-Europe: What to Expect
You are welcome to join any of our Distance Learning programmes of study described on this website at any time in the year. As long as you satisfy the entry requirements, you will be offered a place. You will then be supplied with a set of lecture notes/books and lists of assignments and be given access to our online platform. All Distance Learning programmes involve optional assignments and mandatory exams.
You will be allocated a personal tutor who will monitor your studies. Contact can be made with the tutor through e-mail, whatsapp or, when suggested by the tutor, through skype. Regular contact between the student and tutor is encouraged but students are expected to work independently.
You will also be given the name and contact details of a dedicated student support member who will be your point of contact should you have any practical questions about your course. We promise to deliver the smoothest student experience possible. You will only have to worry about your studies.
Watch the video above for a short, simple guide to how your learning journey at GBU-Europe will look like!
Distance learning programme fees include:
- Provision of a full set of study materials, including books, lectures notes (where applicable) and assignments for each module
- Access to our state of the art Electronic Student Platform (intranet), where you will find useful information and resources: examination timetables, news and announcements, and articles, lecture presentations, and podcasts.
- Access to a personal tutor who will assist you with all academic matters during your studies as well as access to a dedicated administrative staff member who will assist you with all practical queries. We aim to respond to your enquiry within 48 hours.
- During your studies and upon completion of your programme, you will receive your academic documents portfolio, which includes: the Notification of Results; Academic Transcript; and the programme Certificate Award.
As world leaders in distance learning education, we are part of a European-wide network of institutions specialising in distance learning degrees.
We are an active member of the European Distance Education Network (EDEN), the European Association for International Education (EAIE), the International Society for Business Education (ISBE), and the European Association for Distance Learning (EADL).
HOW TO APPLY
Admission Procedure
PROSPECTUS
Download a free prospectus
Frequently Asked Questions:
Examinations are held twice a year (in January and in June) and take place either online or at an examination centre near where you live. The deadline for applying for exams is November 30 for the January exam session and April 30 for the June exam session. Students therefore need to submit their exam forms (along with proof of payment of their examination) no later than the above mentioned dates. This rule is absolute and no exception will be made.
Study materials are dispatched in accordance to the instalments received. Usually each equal instalment covers 2 subjects. Only in cases where the full payment has been sent will we dispatch all study materials. For example, if an undergraduate student pays 50% of the programme fees, then 3 (out of a total of 6 for each year) subjects will be dispatched. Equally, if you are doing an MBA course, upon paying (for example) 50% of your fee, study material for half of the courses you are taking will be sent out to you. The first package always includes the original admission letter, student ID card, welcome letter, and complimentary notebook along with the study materials.
Assignments are a means for checking your understanding of a subject and also for preparing and practising for the exams. We usually give out one assignment per subject. Such an assignment usually includes 2-4 questions, which need to be answered in essay format. Although assignments do not weigh towards your final grade (100% of your grade for each module is decided by the exam) and are therefore NOT COMPULSORY, they are an important element of the course; as such, students are advised to write and submit assignments. This ensures that you receive valuable feedback, while it also gives you the opportunity to practise your essay writing and therefore to better prepare yourself for exams. All submissions are processed through Turnitin software for similarity/plagiarism detection. If a submission receives a similarity percentage of over 20%, then it is rejected automatically and no mark or feedback is given.
In order for you to start work on your dissertation (usually once you have completed the compulsory modules and also the Research Methods module), you have to pay the dissertation fee. Once this fee is received by our office, we will send you the dissertation package, which will be your guide for writing your dissertation. If you have paid this fee upfront, then we will have already sent you your dissertation package.
We make a decision as to whom we should appoint as your supervisor based solely on your research topic. We have a large pool of specialists, meaning that we can supervise a wide range of topics. We will begin the process of assigning you with a supervisor after we received your Research Proposal Approval Form.
In gathering thoughts on prospective research topics, it is best to start exploring the areas of study which have interested you most during your studies, but also areas which are familiar to you (e.g. a business field in which you have worked professionally). Factor in also areas that are trending nowadays and reflect on how you could write a dissertation on a certain topic. You can browse through journals and newspapers to see what other people in your field are discussing and writing about for ideas.
Yes. At undergraduate level, students can pay in up to three (3) Instalments. At Postgraduate level, students can pay in up to four (4) Instalments.
Twelve (12) months from the issue date of the official Admission Letter.
The first Instalment needs to be paid within the first 6 months of the official Admission Letter issue date.
Normally, the Admission Letter will expire and you will need to re-apply. You will need to contact a member of the Student Recruitment team for help.
The first package contains the original Admission Letter, Welcome Letter with payment confirmation and information on the material being released as well as the contact information of your assigned Tutor. We will also include: your student ID card, the core textbook assigned to the subjects received, a notebook, Calendar/Agenda and USB.
Progression depends on the grade you receive on the written exam. Whatever grade you receive will be the grade awarded on the subject.
Assignments are a means for checking your understanding of a subject and also for preparing and practising for the exams. The student Platform normally has one assignment per subject. Such an assignment usually includes 2-4 questions, which need to be answered in essay format. Assignments do not weigh towards your final grade and are therefore NOT COMPULSORY however, they are an important element of the course; as such, students are advised to write and submit assignments. This ensures that you receive valuable feedback, while it also gives you the opportunity to practise your essay writing and therefore to better prepare yourself for exams. All submissions are processed through Turnitin software for similarity/plagiarism detection. If a submission receives a similarity percentage of over 20%, then it is rejected automatically and no mark or feedback is given.
Normally within six (6) months of becoming a registered student AND receiving the corresponding study material for the subject/s you wish to apply for.
No but due to the Examinations Department restrictions on exam eligibility, in most cases you need to pay and receive the study materials six (6) months before the exam session. So this means – by the end of May for January exam session and by the end of December for June exam session.
Yes. 30th of November for the January exam session and 30th of April for the June exam session. Students therefore need to submit their exam forms (along with proof of payment of their examination) no later than the above mentioned dates. This rule is absolute and no exception will be made.
You can apply to retake it during the next exam session and again until you successfully pass the subject/s.
Exams &
Notification of Results
All of our Distance-Learning courses involve close-book, written examinations, which you will take at an examination centre near you (you won’t have to travel far!) On completion of your exam preparation, you can take your exams — either in June or in January of each year. Students usually take no more than three subjects in each examination period and they usually take their first exams six months from the date of registration. Examinations will be set and marked by specialist academics and will be conducted locally at the country of your residence. This will be at one of our approved examination centres. It may be at one of our partner institutions or a British Council near you.
Examination results are distributed within 8 weeks of receiving back the exam papers from the examination centres.
