Get up to 50 percent of your degree credited

Up to 50 percent of a degree program is possible, so up to 90 ECTS in a 180-ECTS bachelor or up to 60 ECTS in a 120-ECTS master. The KMK recommendation from 2002 and 2008 sets this 50-percent limit for competencies acquired outside higher education. For higher-education prior learning (previous study credits, CAS, university certificates), there's no hard cap, what matters is the substantial difference test. In practice I see credit transfers between 30 and 90 ECTS, depending on professional profile and university.

The Lisbon Convention of 1997 is a Council of Europe and UNESCO treaty on the recognition of qualifications in higher education. It obligates contracting states to recognize foreign higher-education qualifications and study credits unless a substantial difference from the home program is demonstrated. Germany, Austria, and Switzerland are contracting states. For you this means: prior learning must be credited unless the university can justify why not. The default assumption is recognition, not refusal.

The university, not you. The Lisbon Convention contains the principle of reverse burden of proof: whoever wants to deny recognition must prove the substantial difference. Previously the opposite applied, the student had to prove equivalence. In practice you of course submit documents (certificates, module descriptions, work proof), that's a duty to cooperate. But the substantive equivalence assessment and the justification of a refusal lies with the university, in writing and traceable.

Standard credit transfer applies to standardized advancement qualifications with clearly regulated levels, such as IHK master craftsman, certified business administrator IHK, or state-certified technician. Universities assess these once and define how many ECTS are credited flat-rate without case-by-case review. Individual credit transfer is the assessment of your specific work experience, continuing education, or non-university modules. Here you compare module by module against the curriculum and submit work proof. Both procedures combine well, that's often the fastest path to the 50-percent ceiling.

Creditable is work experience at the level of the degree program, documented and subject-related. Classic examples: five years of accounting plus financial reporting in mid-sized business for a business module in accounting, four years of Java development with architecture responsibility for software engineering, three years of leadership with budget authority for leadership modules. Pure activity without an increase in responsibility or complexity usually doesn't suffice, what's required is higher-education level plus duration. In the initial consultation I show you which activities in your CV are realistically ECTS-eligible.

The range is typically between 60 and 90 ECTS, depending on degree program and university. For an IHK industry specialist I often see 55 to 65 ECTS, for a certified IHK business administrator 75 to 90 ECTS, for an industry master 60 to 80 ECTS toward a technical or business bachelor. AKAD, Diploma, Wilhelm Büchner, and several FHs have published flat-rate tables for this. Other universities credit individually and often arrive at comparable values. The exact number depends on curriculum mapping and the university's credit transfer practice, both I check in advance for you.

Yes, this is one of the most common credit transfer cases. Modules from a dropped bachelor or master are credited toward a new degree if content and ECTS level match. You submit the module descriptions, transcripts, and academic record from the old university, the new university reviews module by module. Realistic outcomes are 30 to 90 ECTS credit, in individual cases more. The closer the programs are, the higher the rate. With a business dropout after three semesters and switch to business informatics, 30 to 50 ECTS can be realistic.

When a substantial difference is proven. Per the Lisbon Convention, that's the only valid justification, and it must be in writing, traceable, and tied to the specific module. Blanket refusals like not academic or not current enough are not permitted without detailed reasoning. If the reasoning is thin, an objection is worthwhile and, in case of doubt, escalation to the university's ombudsperson. In my consulting I clarify in advance whether your credit transfer chances are realistic, and which universities have a track record of lenient assessment.

Most universities have a formal credit transfer application (often online) where you list your prior learning against each target module. Required documents: certificate or qualification, detailed module or activity description, ECTS specification if available, transcript of records. For work experience, additionally a qualified employment reference and ideally an activity description from the employer. The application is processed by the examination committee, processing time typically 4 to 12 weeks. It makes sense to apply before enrollment, then you have the credit transfer commitment in writing.

From my consulting practice, lenient: Hochschule Burgenland, FH of BFI Vienna, Wilhelm Büchner University, Euro-FH Hamburg, DHAW Potsdam, and Brand University Hamburg. These providers see credit transfer as a service element and work with transparent flat-rate tables. More restrictive in my experience are some state universities and parts of IU and FOM, where credit transfer is formally possible but practically slow. The comparison table on this page lists seven universities with lenience ratings. In the initial consultation I place your profile concretely where it best fits for credit transfer.

Indirectly yes. Tuition fees are deductible in DE as work-related expenses or special expenses (first degree 6,000 euros per year, second degree fully). Those who save semesters through credit transfer pay less tuition and thus less is deductible, but the net savings remain significantly higher. In Austria similar via training and continuing education costs. In Switzerland professional expense allowance plus specific deduction up to 12,000 CHF (federal). Credit transfer itself costs a processing fee of 50 to 200 euros per application at some universities, that's also deductible. The tax calculation I don't do with you, that's your tax advisor's job.

Three stages. First, request written justification if not enclosed. The university must explain the substantial difference traceably. Second, file an objection with the examination committee within the deadline (typically one month), with your own technical argument and proof. Third stage university ombudsperson or in hardship cases administrative court. In practice most cases resolve in stage one or two, because universities often don't want to litigate. Whoever has identified a truly defensible substantial difference accepts the refusal. If the reasoning is thin, an objection almost always pays off.