What is ECTS?

ECTS was developed by the EU Commission for Education in order to provide common procedures to guarantee academic recognition of studies abroad. It provides a means of assessment, accumulation, and comparison of learning achievements, as well as transferring these from one institution to another.


The ECTS system is based on three core elements:
  • information on study programmes and study achievements
  • mutual agreement between the partner institutions and the student
  • the use of ECTS credits to indicate student workload

 

ECTS provides participants in  LLP ERASMUS (Lifelong Learning Policy) with maximum transparency through information exchange using the following forms:

 

ECTS CREDITS

ECTS credits are a numerical value allocated to course units, taught in one or more of the Study Programmes offered to students at SUO, and are meant to describe the student's workload. They reflect the number of contact hours as well as the quantity of work each course unit requires in relation to the total quantity of work necessary to complete a full year of academic studies at the institution, i.e. lectures, practical exercises, seminars, tutorials, field work, private study - at the library or at home - and examinations or other assessment activities. ECTS credits are based on a full student workload and are not limited to contact hours only. ECTS credits are a relative rather than an absolute assessment of student workload. They indicate how much of a year's workload a course unit represents at the institution or department allocating credits. In ECTS, 60 credits represent the workload of an academic year of study and normally 30 credits for a semester. ECTS credits ensure that the programme will be reasonable in terms of workload for the period of study abroad. For more information see

ECTS European Credit Transfer System

 

WHAT ARE ECTS GRADES

The grading of a course is made by the grading-system of the relevant university. In order to make a conversion into the grading-system of the home country easier ECTS-grading system was developed, which under no circumstances replaces the national grading system.

  

SUO and ECTS grade relations

SUO Grade

ECTS Grade

A  -  Excellent (excellent performance)

A

B  -  Very Good (above the average standard but with some errors)

B

C  -  Good ( generally sound work with a number of notable errors)

C

D  -  Sufficient (sufficient work with a number of notable errors)

D

E  -  Satisfactory (satisfactory work with a number of notable errors)

E

F  -  Fail (unsatisfactory performance)

F

Passed (student achievements in some subjects are not graded only "passed", where student has obtained satisfactory level.

Credited

 

HOW DOES ECTS WORK?

Exchange students involved in one of the LLP/ERASMUS Programmes can study for a semester or an academic year at partner universities, after prior consultation with their university ECTS coordinator. Prior to the departure of the student, the two partner universities and their coordinators define in a Learning Agreement which study programme the student should attend. Ulterior changes have to be agreed by both coordinators. After returning to the home-university the academic records will be credited in a Transcript of Records.

The students participating in LLP/ERASMUS Programmes will receive credits for all academic work successfully carried out at any of the partner universities and they will be able to transfer their academic credits from one university to another as long as there is prior agreement between the universities involved.