Transferring credits

As a Chalmers student who has studied at a Swedish or foreign institution, you can apply to have some of your education credited towards your degree. Non-higher education, plus knowledge and skills acquired professionally may also be considered. This page provides more information about transferring credits for all or part of a course and about foreign qualifications, prior learning and the possibility of appeal.

Once you apply for a credit transfer, your knowledge and skills will be assessed objectively in relation to the learning outcomes of the course or programme stated in your application. Only students at Chalmers can be considered for a credit transfer at Chalmers. To be considered a Chalmers student, you must be pursuing higher education at Chalmers. It is not sufficient to have been admitted to a programme if you did not then commence your studies.

Transferring credits for an entire course

A credit transfer for an entire course means that an entire course from another education provider, (corresponding to a certain course in your programme), may be applied to a Chalmers degree. The director of studies for your programme will decide on credit transfers of entire courses.

Students who have studied at a Swedish or foreign higher education institution can apply for a credit transfer of part of their programme. Non-higher education and knowledge and skills acquired from professional activities may also be considered. When applying for a credit transfer based on knowledge acquired by means other than higher education studies, relevant documentation (such as a certificate of professional status) must be attached. More information on validation and prior learning can be found on this page, under the heading Transfer of credits based on validation and prior learning.

Transfer of foreign qualifications

When you apply for a credit transfer of foreign qualifications, you must attach documents describing how many credits correspond to one year of full-time studies in Sweden (60 credits/högskolepoäng). It must state when the academic year begins and ends, how many semesters it is divided into and how many weeks make up each semester.

For courses being used in a credit transfer application, you must also enter the number of credits that the course covers, converted from local units to credits. In Europe, 1 ECTS = 1 credit/högskolepoäng. 1.5 ECTS credits correspond to one week of full-time study.

Foreign documents should be submitted in the original language with a copy translated into Swedish or English by an authorised translator (not required for documents in Norwegian, Danish or English). Chalmers will pay for the translation of course syllabuses for students going to universities which have an exchange agreement with Chalmers. Free Mover students must pay for the translation themselves.

If there is a statement from the Swedish Council for Higher Education (UHR) or other authority, this must also be attached.

Transfer of credits for part of a course

Credit transfer of part of a course means that a student need not take a module in a Chalmers course if they have acquired the corresponding knowledge/skills in a course from another education provider or by other means, such as courses outside the university or professional activities.

Transfer of credits based on validation and prior learning

Credit can be given for all or part of a course through skills acquired by means other than higher education studies. The decision-maker for a credit transfer is the same, regardless of whether a credit transfer is based on higher education studies or skills obtained by other means. This means that decisions on credits for a whole course are taken by the director of studies of the relevant programme and decisions on credits for part of a course are taken by the examiner of the relevant course. The decision-maker is responsible for processing the case.

Review, complaints and appeals

Chalmers students who consider themselves to have been disadvantaged or treated unfairly may, in the first instance, request that the decision be reconsidered. Following reconsideration, students may complain about the credit transfer decision relating to a course or course element.

The appeal must be in writing and must reach the university Records Manager no later than three weeks after the decision has been notified. The complaint must be addressed to the President.

A decision on the complaint will be made by the Board specified in the Rules of Discipline for Students at Chalmers University of Technology.