Apply for credit transfer during the study programme

During your education at DTU, you have the opportunity to get credit for courses you take at other higher education institutions either in Denmark or abroad. Here you can get an overview of which courses are eligible for credit transfer and how to apply for credit transfer.

Which courses can you get credit for?

You can only get credit for courses outside DTU if the academic level of the courses corresponds to the level of the programme you are studying at DTU:

  • For BEng programmes, transferred courses must be at the BEng level minimum, i.e. from an engineering college, a university college, or a university.
  • For BSc programmes, transferred courses must be at the university level. However, you may have as many as 10 ECTS credits at the BEng level as part of the Elective Courses in your BSc programme.
  • For MSc programmes, transferred courses must be at the MSc level. However, you may have as many as 10 ECTS credits at the BSc level as part of the Elective Courses in your MSc programme

Specific to ’general engineering courses’

For BSc and MSc progrmmes DTU distinguishes whether courses from other universities are specific engineering courses and general engineering courses.

Courses that do not have technical-scientific content but fall within the learning objectives of the study programme are categorized as general engineering courses.

General engineering courses can only be credited as a replacement for your elective courses and there is a cap on the number of ECTS credits you can take within the general engineering courses category:

  • 15 ECTS credits on the BSc programme
  • 10 ECTS credits on the MSc programme

You cannot get credit for

  • Courses that are to replace binding courses
  • Final projects. In your study programme you can find rules about your final project and the possibility of preparing the project abroad.
  • Courses taken as single subjects while you are enrolled in a regular full-time programme at DTU.
  • Language and culture courses
  • ECTS credits beyond the limit of ECTS credits in your study programme.

Please note, that to receive a diploma for a full-time study programme at DTU, you must pass a certain amount of ECTS credits at DTU:

  • BEng and BSc students must pass courses and projects at DTU corresponding to 90 ECTS credits (BEng Arctic Technology and Fisheries Technology minimum105 ECTS credits and BEng Global Business Engineering minimum 120 ECTS credits) to receive a diploma for a full-time study programme at DTU.
  • MSc students must pass courses and projects at DTU corresponding to 60 ECTS credits at minimum to receive a diploma for a full-time study programme at DTU.

This rule does not apply to pre-commencement credit transfers.

If you have passed MSc courses at your bachelor's programme

Special rules apply if, as a Master's student, you have already passed a general competence course or a technological specialization course of your Master's programme during your BSc or BEng programme?
Read how to proceed in the course registration rules.

How to apply

1. Apply for pre-approval

Before taking a course at another university, you must apply for pre-approval of credit transfer. It is your responsibility to ensure that the courses you plan to take can be included in the maximum ECTS credits allowed for your programme. 

You apply for pre-approval of credit via merit.dtu.dk

The processing of applications can take up to 8 weeks, so apply well in advance and be aware of the deadlines at the university you are applying to.

2. Apply for final credit transfer

When you have passed the courses you have been pre-approved for, you must apply for credit for them so that they are transferred to your programme. 

You apply for final credit transfer via merit.dtu.dk

Your applications must include the following:

  • Course description
  • Documentation of level
  • Documentation of workload (ECTS/credits)
  • For final credit transfer, documentation of passed and failed courses and an official description of the grading scale according to which the course is assessed.

How to insert courses taken outside DTU in your study plan

Your preapproval credit will not be visible in the Study Planner. Therefore, you must insert a self-created course for the semester in which you will take courses outside DTU.

Once you have applied for and received approval for your final credit, it will be registered in the Study Planner, and you can delete your self-created course.

How and when will you receive an answer to your credit transfer application?

You will receive a written decision on your credit transfer application. The decision will be sent to your student email and will appear on merit.dtu.dk

The credit transfer decision is not valid until the written decision is issued.

The overall processing time for credit transfer applications is approximately 8 weeks from the date DTU receives your application. The processing time may be longer if information or documentation is incomplete.

 

What will be on your diploma?

Programme elements that have been credit transferred will be recorded on your DTU diploma with the grade 'Passed'. That applies to both pre-commencement credit transfers and credit transfers during the study programme.

However, if a programme element from another Danish educational institution assessed on the 7-point scale gives credit for a specific DTU course, the credit is registered with this assessment. 

 

Appeal against decision

If you do not get your application granted, you can appeal the decision.
Read more about your options for appealing a decision

Study rules

Rules in my study programme

Go to 'My Programme Specification' to see which study rules apply to your study programme.

If you have any questions or need advice

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