ECTSPunkte

ECTSPunkte, or European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System credits, are units used to quantify the workload required to complete courses and study programs in European higher education. They arose from the Bologna Process with the aim of making qualifications more comparable and easier to recognize across member states and partner institutions.

A credit represents the total student effort needed to achieve the intended learning outcomes of a course or module, including lectures, seminars, practical work, assignments, and exam preparation. The standard guideline states that one ECTS credit corresponds to about 25 to 30 hours of work. A full academic year typically amounts to around 60 credits, while bachelor’s programs commonly total 180 to 240 credits and master’s programs 60 to 120 credits.

ECTS credits are awarded after successful completion and are listed on the student’s transcript. They facilitate the transfer and accumulation of credits when studying abroad through mechanisms such as the Learning Agreement and the Transcript of Records. The system is designed to support mobility and the comparability of qualifications within participating countries.

Limitations and scope: ECTS is widely used in Europe and by many partner institutions, but it is not employed identically everywhere; workload estimates can vary between programs. ECTS is a credit system, not a grading system, and does not by itself ensure equal quality or equivalence of degrees across different contexts.