Transfer of credits
Courses taken at a foreign university normally qualify for credit towards a degree at Uppsala University. Students who have studied at another higher education institution in Sweden can generally count these studies towards a degree without any special transfer of credits.
The Higher Education Ordinance sets out rules on the right to transfer credit for previous studies. For an assessment to be made, you must have been admitted to the University and be currently studying. A decision to grant a credit transfer is valid at the university/other higher education institution where this decision has been made.
Who decides on credit transfers?
As decided by the Vice-Chancellor on 22 November 2022, revised 21 March 2023, at Uppsala University the following local regulations apply to the transfer of credits for academic study.
Professional degrees
- If you want to transfer credit for a course as part of a course, the decision is made by the head of department, who may delegate the decision. In this case, you apply directly to your subject department.
- Decisions on credit transfers for Swedish courses as equivalent to a whole course are made by the faculty board concerned (or equivalent body). The power to make such decisions may be delegated.
- Decisions on credit transfers for foreign courses are made by the Student Affairs and Academic Registry Division, by delegation from the Vice-Chancellor.
General degrees
- Decisions on credit transfers for courses as part of a course are made by the teacher who is the examiner for the course. In this case, you apply directly to your subject department.
- Decisions on credit transfers for courses as part of a general degree (a whole course) are made by the Student Affairs and Academic Registry Division, by delegation from the Vice-Chancellor. You apply directly to the Student Registry Unit at the Student Affairs and Academic Registry Division.
Exceptions
Transfer of credits as part of a course is done by the examiner of the course at the department. Contact the department.
What is tried in an application?
The main points assessed when processing an application for a credit transfer are
- whether the course is equivalent to Swedish university level
- the scope of the studies
- their level and contents, and
- whether the course overlaps with previous studies.
What should the application contain?
Applications must contain:
- An official transcript of grades in the original, showing the name and scope of the course and the grade awarded.
- Course descriptions/course syllabuses specifying the contents, intended learning outcomes, mode of examination and, if relevant, the level and admission requirements. In some cases, the reading list for the course is also required for assessment.
- If the documents are in a language other than Swedish or English, an authorised translation is needed.
The higher education institution/university where the studies have been conducted must be recognised by the country’s education authority or an equivalent organisation. The studies for which a credit transfer is sought must have been assessed and the student must have obtained a pass grade.
Any oral or written information about a transfer of credits given in advance, before the grades achieved are known and an assessment has been made, is not legally binding and therefore not subject to appeal.
The University is not able to give advance decisions on credit transfers. However, the Student Registry Unit can provide information on how many foreign credits correspond to Swedish credits.
Applications can take up to three months to process. You should therefore apply in good time before planning to use the credit transfer.
Decisions and appeals
The credit transfer decision specifies how many credits the foreign courses are assessed to correspond to. If necessary for the degree, the decision specifies the subject and/or level of the courses included. For professional degrees, the decision specifies which parts of the programme the courses taken replace. Grades are not converted to the grading scales employed at Uppsala University. The foreign grade is not stated. If there is any overlap, this is indicated.
Credit transfer decisions are issued in writing. Save the decision. If the decision is favourable, it is proof that a credit transfer has been granted for the courses.
If you are not satisfied with the decision, you can appeal to the Higher Education Appeals Board. Submit your appeal to the Higher Education Appeals Board via the Registrar at Uppsala University.
Advice for outgoing exchange students from Uppsala University
- Try to choose courses that you judge to be at Swedish university level if you want to be able to transfer credit for the courses.
- Obtain the documents that are needed for a transfer of credits during your stay abroad: an official transcript of records in the original, course descriptions or syllabuses, and, if relevant, reading lists. It can be more difficult and take considerably longer to get hold of these documents afterwards.
- Be in touch with your department at Uppsala University if you choose courses other than those you originally planned to take. Find out whether any agreements on credit transfer that you may have received will be affected if you choose other courses.