Credit transfer from previous study programmes at the same level (pre-commencement credit transfer)

• Exam attempts in DTU courses
• Non-transferrable programme elements
• Programme deadlines in relation to pre-commencement credit transfer
• Decision-making authority
• Appeal against the decision

Upon admission to DTU’s BEng, BSc, and MSc programmes, you are obliged to apply for credit transfer for passed programme elements (courses, etc.) from all previous non-completed ordinary study programmes at the same level. That may, for example, be the case if you apply for admission to a BSc programme you have previously been admitted to another BEng or BSc programme without having completed the programme. 

An application for a pre-commencement credit transfer must be filed through www.merit.dtu.dk. Information on the process will be provided in the admission letter from DTU.

If you do not submit an application for credit transfer for previously passed programme elements at the same level, or submit incorrect or incomplete information thereon, DTU may retract your enrolment at the university.

If the Head of Studies deems that credit transfer for programme elements can be granted to the mandatory parts of the programme, you will be granted credit transfer.

If it is deemed that credit transfer for programme elements to a mandatory course/project can only be granted partially, it is up to you to decide whether you want the partial credit transfer. Once you has used an exam attempt in the mandatory course/project, the decision not to have the partial credit transfer is binding. The transfer is only possible if the partial credit amounts to a minimum of 5 ECTS credits and a minimum of half of the ECTS scope of the course/project.

If it is deemed that credit transfer for programme elements can be granted to the elective category of the programme, you can decide whether you want credit transfer. The optional credit transfer is registered by applying through www.merit.dtu.dk. It is entirely up to you how much of the optional credit you wish to use and when.

Once granted, a credit transfer for both mandatory and elective parts of the programme cannot be withdrawn.

If you wish to apply for credit transfer for educational elements from previously completed study programmes at the same level or passed educational elements from previously completed or uncompleted educational courses at a higher level, you can do so.

For the BEng and BSc programmes, the courses must be at least at a professional bachelor's or BEng level. For the MSc programmes, the courses must be at least at the master's level. MSc students may, however, have up to 10 ECTS credits at the bachelor's level as part of the elective courses in their programme.

BEng students who have completed an academy profession programme before admission can apply for credit transfer for parts of the programme, provided an established credit transfer agreement has been concluded. For information on currently established credit transfer agreements, please email merit@adm.dtu.dk.

When granted a pre-commencement credit transfer, students can still obtain a diploma from DTU even though credit transfer has been granted for more than half of the programme.

Exam attempts in DTU courses
Exam attempts on failed DTU courses in the previous field of study will only be transferred if such courses are mandatory in the new study programme or are not applicable to a course in the new study programme. Failed courses that can only be transferred as semi-mandatory or elective courses will not be transferred unless you wish to take these courses as part of the new study programme.

If you are admitted to DTU via quota 1 or 2 and you have used exam attempts on failed courses you have previously attended at DTU on another study programme, you will automatically be assigned three new exam attempts on the relevant courses if these courses may be included in the study programme.

Non-transferrable programme elements
You cannot be granted transfer of credits from the qualifying programme/exam.

A final project from another educational programme cannot be transferred as a substitute for the final project to a DTU study programme. The project or elements of the project can only be transferred to your programme as a substitution for other programme elements (courses), and if approved by the Head of Study.

Courses/educational elements passed more than five years before admission to DTU cannot, as a general rule, be transferred to your enrollment. However, the relevant Head of Study may make an exemption from this rule based on a specific academic assessment. Whether an exemption can be granted is assessed by the Head of Study in connection with the assessment of the readmission application. Courses that date back more than five years will only be transferred to your new study programme if you wish to do so.

Programme deadlines in relation to pre-commencement credit transfer
The maximum study duration is reduced by one semester for every 30 ECTS credits you have been granted in pre-commencement credit transfer. In the industry MSc Eng Programmes, the maximum study period will be reduced by one semester for every 15 ECTS credits you have already passed.

Suppose you has been granted pre-commencement credit transfer for courses that are included in the first-year exam. To pass the first-year exam, you are only required to pass the remaining elements.

Decision-making authority
The Board of Exemptions for the BSc and MSc programmes (CMDU) and the Board of Exemptions for the BEng programmes (DMDU) have authorized the heads of studies and the Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs (AUS) to make decisions in cases related to credit transfer. 

A decision on credit transfer is not valid until the Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs (AUS) issues a written decision to the student via email or at www.merit.dtu.dk.

Appeal against the decision
If your application is not granted, you can appeal the decision by emailing merit@adm.dtu.dk.

BSc and MSc students
If the appeal concerns the academic assessment of final credit transfer for Danish educational components (including pre-commencement credit transfer) or pre-approval of credit transfer for both Danish and foreign educational components, the appeal is processed by a Credit Transfer Appeals Board in accordance with the Executive Order on Credit Transfer Appeals Boards. The deadline for submitting an appeal is two weeks from the day the decision is communicated to the appellant.

If the appeal concerns the academic assessment of final credit transfer for foreign educational components (including pre-commencement credit transfer), the appeal is processed by the Qualifications Board. The deadline for submitting an appeal is four weeks from the day the decision is communicated to the appellant. Upon receipt of an appeal to the Qualifications Board, DTU will re-evaluate the university’s decision. If DTU upholds its decision, the appeal will be forwarded to the Qualifications Board. In doing so, DTU will attach a statement explaining why the appeal is not being granted, the case files, and relevant documentation.

If the appeal concerns legal issues (e.g., that the case was not processed in accordance with laws/executive orders or general principles of administrative law), it is processed by the Dean of Studies and Student Affairs. The deadline for submitting an appeal is two weeks from the day the decision is communicated to the appellant.

BEng students
If the appeal concerns the academic assessment, the appeal is processed by the Qualifications Board. The deadline for submitting an appeal is four weeks from the day the decision is communicated to the appellant. Upon receipt of a complaint addressed to the Qualifications Board, DTU will re-evaluate the university’s decision. If DTU upholds its decision, the complaint will be forwarded to the Qualifications Board. In doing so, DTU will include a statement of reasons for not granting the complaint, the case files, and relevant documentation.

If the complaint concerns legal issues (e.g., that the case was not handled in accordance with laws/executive orders or general principles of administrative law), it will be processed by the Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science. The deadline for submitting a complaint is two weeks from the day the decision was communicated to the complainant. Upon receipt of a complaint addressed to the Agency, DTU will re-evaluate the university’s decision. If DTU upholds its decision, it will prepare a statement regarding the decision and the complaint. This statement will be sent to the complainant, giving them the opportunity to comment on it. Finally, the complete case file will be forwarded to the Agency for processing.