Transfering credits from previous courses

Make sure to submit your application for credit transfer in good time before applying for your qualification. You may have to wait for your application to be processed, especially if you want to transfer credits you have earned abroad. You apply for credit transfer in Ladok Student. At the bottom of this page, you will find information on the supporting documents you must submit together with your application.

The processing time may vary during the year depending on workload and the nature of the application. The processing time is approximately 6-8 weeks. The processing time starts when the application is complete, therefore it is important to submit your application early.

The decision on credit transfer is sent to the email address you have registered in Ladok. Make sure your contact details in Ladok are updated. Note: Credited courses or parts of a course do not receive a grade, since no new examination has taken place.

The right to transfer credits from previous courses and programmes is regulated in the Higher Education Ordinance, Chap 6, Section 6–8. You must be admitted to and studying at SLU to apply for credit transfer. A decision on credit transfer is only valid at the university where you apply for a transfer.

This is assessed when you apply for credit transfer

Transfer of credits is usually made towards a degree. You can also transfer credits from previous courses that correspond to a specific course, or part of a course.

When you apply to transfer credits from a previous course, the following is assessed: if the studies are at a level equivalent to higher education in Sweden, the scope (number of credits), level (undergraduate or Master’s) and content, as well as any overlap with courses you have taken previously. The university where you took the course(s) must be approved by the educational authority or corresponding organisation in the country in question. To transfer credits for a course, you must have achieved a pass grade in the examination.

Credit transfer for professional qualifications

Courses that are not part of the programme you are taking must be credited if you want to include them in a professional qualification. This applies both to courses you have taken at other universities (including abroad) and at SLU (courses that are not part of your programme).

Both compulsory and elective courses can be assessed for credit transfer. If you apply for credit transfer for elective courses towards a professional qualification, we will assess how relevand the course is to that qualification.

To transfer credits towards a professional degree, you apply via Ladok Student.

Credit transfer for general qualifications (undergraduate/1-year or 2-year Master’s)

If you want to include courses you have taken at other Swedish universities in a general qualification, you do not need to apply for credit transfer.

When you apply for a qualification through Ladok Student, simply select the courses you want to include in your qualification, in addition to the courses you have taken at SLU.

For courses you have taken at universities abroad, you must always apply for credit transfer.

To transfer credits from studies abroad towards a general qualification, you apply via Ladok Student.

Some important points

• You must apply for credit transfer, it is not done automatically. Make sure to submit your application for credit transfer in good time before applying for your qualification. You may have to wait for your application to be processed, especially if you want to transfer credits you have earned abroad.
  
  
• When you apply for credit transfer, you must always enclose syllabuses for the courses concerned. The course syllabus must be from the semester you took the course. If you study abroad, we recommend that you get copies of these on site during your exchange asit may be difficult to get hold of them later.
  
  
• When you apply for credit transfer from courses you have taken at a university abroad, you must always enclose an official transcript of records. If you have been on exchange abroad, your host university will normally send you a transcript of records showing the credits awarded. This provides the basis for transferring credits earned abroad. If your host university does not send this certificate automatically, you must order it yourself.
  
  
• During your exchange, you may decide to take other courses than those you planned to take initially. If that happens, it is important to keep in touch with your programme director of studies/department to make sure that your advance notice/learning agreement, if you have one, is still valid. This is particularly important if you want the courses you take during your exchange to count towards your main subject or a professional programme. Please note that SLU cannot issue advance notices.
  
  
• An advance notice is not a decision on credit transfer and is not legally binding. Even if you have received an advance notice from your department or programme director of studies, you must apply for credit transfer once you have passed the course.

Application for credit transfer for part of a course taken at SLU

If you want to claim credits from part of a course at SLU, the learning outcomes for this course will be assessed. The examiner/department providing the course submits an opinion before an administrative officer decides on credit transfer for part of a course.

You apply for credit transfer for part of a course taken at SLU via Ladok Student.

Annexes to the application for credit transfer

Transcript of records: If you have studied at a university abroad, you must enclose an official transcript of records with your application. The transcript must state course titles, grades, grade dates and scope (credits, hours, etc.). You must be able to supply original documents if this is requested.

Course syllabuses: Must specify course content, any entry requirements and the level. The course syllabus must be from the semester you took the course. In some cases, further documentation may be needed such as reading lists, assignments etc.

Study plan if applicable, learning agreement and/or advance notice: If applicable, you must submit an individual study plan (a list of courses you plan to include in your degree), a learning agreement (sometimes used for exchange studies) and/or an advance notice of credit transfer (from e.g. the programme director of studies or department).

Description of the educational system if outside the EU/EEA: This is not required if you want to transfer credits from a higher education institution with which SLU has an exchange agreement. Educational systems vary both between and within countries. For this reason, you must enclose a description of how studies are organised, what constitutes full-time study, how many semesters make up an academic year etc.

Authorised translation: An authorised translation is required if your supporting documents are in a language other than Swedish, English, Danish or Norwegian.

Original documents and any other documentation: If the university requests the original documents as part of processing your application, you must submit them.

The following applies to all scanned documents:

• Only scan originals.
• Scan both sides of a document.
• Scan all pages of the original document, including pages with only informative text.
• Documents in colour must be scanned in colour.
• Scanned documents must be legible.
• Scanned files must be in pdf format.