This page describes ECTS-credits. For information about the ECTS grading system go to ECTS grading scale.

European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) is a standard for comparing the study attainment and performance of students of higher education across the European Union and other collaborating European countries. For successfully completed studies, ECTS credits are awarded. One academic year corresponds to 60 ECTS-credits that are equivalent to 1500–1800 hours of study in all countries irrespective of standard or qualification type and is used to facilitate transfer and progression throughout the Union.

The ECTS will be complemented by the European credit transfer system for vocational education and training (ECVET) which the ministers responsible for vocational training in 32 European countries agreed to develop in the Maastricht Communiqué of 14 December 2004.

ECTS also includes a standard ECTS grading scale, intended to be shown in addition to local (i.e. national) standard grades ^[1]:

List of credits given in one year in European countries

Country	CP/a	h/CP	Credit point name
Education in Europe	60		ECTS-credits
Austria	60		ECTS (also ECTS-Punkte, ECTS credits)
Belgium	60		ECTS (also studiepunten, ECTS)
Bosnia and Herzegovina	60		ECTS bodova
Bulgaria	60		кредити
Croatia	60		ECTS-bodovi (agreement with dual/paucal: ECTS-boda, agreement with plural: ECTS-bodova)
Czech Republic	60		kredit
Denmark	60		ECTS-point
England, Wales and Northern Ireland	120	~10	credits (Open University – points)
Estonia	60	26	ainepunkt (EAP)
Finland	60		opintopiste (op)
France	60		crédits
Germany	60		ECTS, Leistungspunkte (LP), Kreditpunkte (KP), Credit Points (CP) or Credits
Greece	60		ECTS, Leistungspunkte (LP), Kreditpunkte (KP), Credit Points (CP), Μονάδες Φόρτου Εργασίας (Δ.Μ) or Credits
Hungary	60		kredit(pont)
Iceland	60		einingar
Italy	60		crediti formativi universitari (CFU)
Latvia	40		kredītpunkts (KP)
Republic of Ireland	?		ECTS
Republic of Macedonia	60		кредити (ECTS)
Malta	60		ECTS-credits
The Netherlands	60		studiepunten (ECTS)
Norway	60		studiepoeng
Poland	60		punkty ECTS
Portugal	60		créditos
Romania	60		credite
Scotland	120		credits
Serbia	60		ЕСПБ бодова
Slovakia	60		kredit
Slovenia	60		kreditne točke
Spain	72		créditos
Sweden	60		högskolepoäng (Used from July 2007)
Switzerland	60	30	ECTS-credits

Obsolete systems:

List of credits previously given in one year in European countries

Country	CP/a	Abbreviation (unit)
Austria (old system)	~40	Semesterwochenstunden (SSt)
Denmark	1	Studenter årsværk (STÅ) (slowly phased out in Danish legislation since 2000)
Finland (old system)	40	opintoviikko
Germany (old system)	~40	Semesterwochenstunden (SWS)
The Netherlands	42	studiepunten
Norway	20	vekttall
Sweden	40	poäng (used until July 2007)
Sweden	2	betyg (used until late 1960s/early 1970s)

[edit] See also

• Bologna process
• ECTS grading scale
• Carnegie Unit and Student Hour
• Course Description Metadata
• European Higher Education Area
• Erasmus programme

[edit] External links

• European Commission ECTS information
• Erasmus
• European Commission ECVET information
• ECTS/DS - Users' Guide and forms

[edit] References