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Credit transfer

If you have previously studied at a Swedish or foreign higher education institution, you can apply to have all or part of the education in your degree accredited.

To get your credit transfer reviewed, you must be a student at MDU.

The University will arrange a credit transfer for previous studies, on the condition that there are no major differences between this and the education you wish to have your studies accredited towards.

  • MDU will not give advance notice of a credit transfer.
  • A credit transfer during ongoing studies will affect how many higher education credits you should study and may affect your right to student finance. For example, if you were admitted to 30 credits in the current semester and will get a credit transfer of 10 credits from a previous education, then you will just need to study 20 credits this semester. As a student, you are responsible for notifying CSN (The Swedish Board of Student Finance) of any changes in your study situation.

    For more information about student finance and credit transfer please contact CSN. External link.

  • If you get a credit transfer for part of your education, such as a course or module, you are not entitled to participate in that part of the education. This means that you cannot attend lectures, participate in exercises or do examinations linked to the course or module for which you have received a credit transfer.
  • No grade will be applied on accreditation as no new examination has taken place. If you get a credit transfer for parts of a course, it may affect your chances of obtaining a higher grade (for example a pass with credit) on the entire course.
  • An approved credit transfer decision cannot be withdrawn, removed or appealed.
  • Courses and study programmes which lead to the same qualification often have different set-ups at other higher education institutions. The fact that you have studied semesters 1 to 3 of a programme at a previous university does not mean that you automatically can start in semester 4 at MDU.
  • You cannot include courses that you have taken and what these courses have been accredited for in the same degree. For example, if you apply for a credit transfer for previously completed courses 1, 2, 3 to be accredited as MDU’s courses A, B, C you may not include all six courses in your degree.

  • If you have previously studied at a Swedish or foreign higher education institution, you can apply to have all or parts of the education in your degree accredited.
  • You can also apply to get a credit transfer for an unfinished course towards another whole or part of a course.
  • In addition, credit transfers may be given on other an education or professional activities. Previous professional or vocational experience, i.e. your actual expertise can in some cases be accredited, for instance the placement module (VFU) in the teacher education.
  • Please note that exchanges and studies abroad should always be accredited.


When you not need to apply for credit transfer

A formal credit transfer may not always have to be conducted. If the course is already registered in Ladok at another higher education institution and will not be credited as a compulsory course at MDU. Compulsory courses are part of the Nursing or Teacher Education programmes for example.

An application for a credit transfer at Bachelor’s and Master’s level is done in Ladok for students.

Log into Ladok for students External link. and follow the instructions.


Please note that you can only apply for one credit transfer per course per application.

Application about credit transfer at third-cycle level

Follow the directions on this page and apply via the provided form.


Upload your documents as a PDF when you do your application in Ladok for students.

Attach for a credit transfer regarding all or part of a course

  • Transcripts of records or course certificate of studies at another higher education institution than MDU for which you want to be accredited (if this is not stated in Ladok).
  • Course syllabuses and a list of references for the relevant courses from the semester when the course was taken.

Attach for a credit transfer regarding exchanges or studies abroad

  • Official Transcript of Records and a degree certificate from the foreign higher education institution.
  • Course syllabuses and a list of references for the relevant courses.
  • A programme syllabus for degree programme students.
    Your own description of the courses if there is no course syllabus.
  • Documentation of the education and the breakdown of semesters as well as the credit and grading system.
  • Learning Agreement (exchange).


All original documents must be attached in their original language and in English if you have studied courses abroad.

Attach for a credit transfer regarding professional activities

A detailed account of knowledge and skills gained by you through professional activities if the application relates to professional activities.

  • A certificate of employment.
  • A self-assessment form.

Translations of documents may be requested if documents are issued in a language other than the Nordic languages or English.

The processing time for credit transfers varies from case to case. Normally, the processing time for complete applications is up to 8 weeks, but you will usually receive your decision sooner than that. Remember to apply in good time and that the processing time starts when your application is complete.

If you have applied for credit transfer for a course that is about to start, the processing of your application will be prioritized. If you have not received a decision at the start of the course, you are recommended to start and read the course while waiting for the decision.

It is important that your application is complete. If the University requests supplementary documents, the supplementary qualification must be attached as a PDF in the email and sent back.

If the supplementary qualification does not arrive within the specified time, MDU will decide based on the existing documents, which may result in a rejection of the application. Original documents may have to be presented on request.


A decision on the rejection of an application for credit transfer may be appealed to the Higher Education Appeals Board (Överklagandenämnden för högskolan - ÖNH).

The rules for credit transfer can be found in MDU's local credit transfer regulations for first-cycle (Bachelor’s) courses and study programmes, second-cycle (Master’s) and third-cycle education.

There may be overlapping content between previous qualifications and what can be accredited. Both courses cannot be included in the degree. If there is overlapping content, deductions will be made with corresponding higher education credits.

Contact

If you have any questions about applying The Student Centre
will help you to get in touch with a study counsellor.
Email: studenttorget@mdu.se