Credit transfer in first and second-cycle education

Shortcuts

• Credit transfer – for whom, what, and why?
• Processing of credit transfer applications
• Credit transfer in Ladok
• Assessment of qualifications prior to credit transfer
• Transfer credit to what?
• Decision-making
• Grading
• Registration of documents
• Appeals

Credit transfer – for whom what, and why?

A student at Lund University, that is someone enrolled and conducting their studies at the higher education institution, can apply for a credit transfer. This also includes entering exchange students.

The purpose of a credit transfer is to ensure that a student does not have to study and be examined on knowledge they already possess. This might apply to formal qualifications (courses within higher education) as well as non-formal and informal qualifications (prior learning). Each application for credit transfer must be assessed and decided upon according to that individual case.

It is important to be generous in your assessment. An application for credit transfer is to be approved if no significant differences exist between the qualifications being cited and the object of the credit transfer application.

Credit transfer is regulated by the Higher Education Ordinance, Chapter 6. Sections 6-8.

Read the Higher Education Ordinance on the Swedish Parliament’s website (in Swedish).

The local rules applicable to credit transfer are dealt with by Lund University.

Read the local regulations in the guidelines for credit transfer in and first and second education at Lund University (PDF 55 kB, new tab) (in Swedish).

Processing of credit transfer applications

Each faculty provides information about where an application form for credit transfer is to be found, who the student should contact in credit transfer cases and who makes decisions about them.

Note that the University is obliged to process applications for credit transfer. The case is to be dealt with without delay and the processing time should not normally exceed two months when an application is complete.

The process for credit transfer of formal qualifications is set out below.

• The student applies for credit transfer at the department for the subject. The application form for credit transfer is provided by the department where applicable.
• The application is date-stamped and registered.
• Is the application complete? Request any necessary supplementary information.
• Decision-makers consider the application and make a decision (by delegation).
• The student is informed of the decision in writing.
• The decision is registered by the department.
• Approval and partial approval are entered in Ladok.
• The case is completed in the document registration system and archived.
• If an appeal is lodged – see the instructions for appealing credit transfer decisions.

Please note that this process does not apply to optional courses whose credits are transferred in conjunction with the issuance of degree certificates, nor for credit transfer of prior learning. 

More information about credit transfer processes on Lund University’s website.

Credit transfer in Ladok

An approved credit transfer is to be documented in Ladok. The student’s prior knowledge and skills are named as the basis. A single basis can count towards different outcomes: a specific course at LU, parts of a specific course at LU or another specification (e.g. optional courses).

Instructions for how credit transfer is to be documented in Ladok can be found in the manual for credit transfer in LU Box (login required). It is important that anything documented in Ladok is correct, since it may later form part of the student’s transcript of records and feature on the student’s degree certificate (the degree certificate shows credit transfer of entire courses). Inaccuracies may ultimately mean a longer wait for the student to receive their degree certificate.

Read the manual for credit transfer in LU Box (login required)

If the credit transfer applies to a whole course, the student in not to be registered on the course they are not required to study. If it applies to part of a course, the student is to be registered on the course in which the credit transfer will apply.

Assessment of qualifications prior to credit transfer

Checklist for assessment of qualifications:

• Do the stated qualifications match the attached documentation?
• Are the qualifications genuine? Original documents may be requested.
• Is the higher education institution the qualifications come from recognised?
• What subject do the qualifications pertain to?
• What depth of study are the qualifications equivalent to?
• How many credits are the qualifications equivalent to?
• Are the majority of the learning outcomes that the credit transfer is intended to be equivalent to fulfilled?

Transfer credit to what?

A student can transfer credits based on knowledge and skills equivalent to a specific course, or part of a specific course, at the higher education institution. The student’s knowledge and skills are to be measured against the learning outcomes stated in the course or programme syllabus. Before the credit transfer, the student is to submit documents that provide evidence of the qualifications. These could include transcripts and certificates, syllabi and reading lists.