Credit transfer

Compulsory courses

If you want to transfer credits for specific courses in your main field of study or compulsory courses for your future degree, you must apply to the department coordinating the course. They will assess the application and take a decision on the credit transfer. 

Sometimes, courses in your main field of study taken at other Swedish higher education institutions may be included in your degree without needing to apply for a credit transfer. Contact a study counsellor at the department coordinating the course to find out what applies to you.

You will always need to apply for a credit transfer for previous studies abroad, non-university courses, and professional experience. Contact a study counsellor at the department coordinating the course to find out what applies to you.

Departments at Stockholm University

Optional courses

You do not need to apply for a credit transfer for completed courses from other Swedish higher education institutions that you want to include as optional courses in your Bachelor’s degree. You add these courses yourself when you apply for your degree.

If you would like to include credits from previous studies at a foreign higher education institution as optional courses in your Bachelor’s degree, you must first apply for a credit transfer. Contact your department if you are studying on a programme or the Degree Office at Student Services for more information about the application.

Compulsory courses

If you want to transfer credits for specific courses in your main field of study or other compulsory courses for your future Master's degree, you must apply to the department coordinating the course. They will assess the application and take a decision on the credit transfer.

Sometimes, courses in your main field of study taken at other Swedish higher education institutions may be included in your degree without needing to apply for a credit transfer. Contact a study counsellor at the department coordinating the course to find out what applies to you.

You will always need to apply for a credit transfer for previous studies abroad, non-university courses, and professional experience.

Departments at Stockholm University

Optional courses

You do not need to apply for a credit transfer for completed courses from other Swedish higher education institutions that you want to include as optional courses in your Master’s degree. You add these courses yourself when you apply for your degree.
If you would like to include credits from previous studies at a foreign higher education institution as optional courses in your Master’s degree, you must first apply for a credit transfer. Read more on your department’s website.

You need to apply for a credit transfer if you have taken third-cycle courses at another higher education institution or if you have previous educational or professional experience you want to include in your licentiate or doctoral degree. This also applies for courses taken at the Centre for the Advancement of University Teaching (CeUL) at Stockholm University. Submit the application to your department for assessment.

If you want to transfer credits from previous studies or have your professional experience recognised as the equivalent of a course in a professional qualification (e.g. teaching, law, psychology, or social work), you must apply for a credit transfer to the department coordinating the course. Read more about credit transfer on the department’s website.

Before you apply, you should contact the department’s study counsellor. This applies especially if you will be transferring several credits to the programme.

Departments at Stockholm University

To apply for a credit transfer, you must have been admitted to and study at Stockholm University.

The application process varies depending on the department. Find out what applies at the department where you will be applying for a credit transfer:

Departments at Stockholm University

Submit the application to Student Services via Ladok for Students.

What do I need to include with my application?

You need to attach documents proving your previous studies or previous professional experience. The application must be complete for it to be assessed.

For previous studies, please attach: 

• An Official Transcript of Records showing grades and grading scale. The certificates must be electronic originals or scanned originals. Screenshots are not accepted.
• An Official Transcript of Records from a foreign higher education institution must be submitted both in the original language and with an authorized English translation.
• A syllabus or its equivalent from the semester when the course was taken. The course structure, mode of assessment, cycle and scope must be stated. A reading list must also be submitted. You do not need to include the syllabus if the course was taken at the same department you are applying to.
• If you have taken part in an exchange programme, you only need to include the Official Transcript of Records and the Learning Agreement.

For previous professional experience:

If you are applying for recognition of professional experience, your application must contain a detailed description of the knowledge and skills acquired from your professional activities. You must justify how the knowledge and skills correspond to the intended learning outcomes in the syllabus. The descriptions, as far as possible, need to be supported by certificates, diplomas or similar. Certificates should include information about:

• place of employment and name of employer, if applicable
• length of employment
• extent of employment (full-time, part-time etc.)
• employment tasks
• personal testimonies

For both studies and professional experience, you may be asked to provide original documents and additional documentation if necessary for the processing of your application.

Processing and decision

Once your application has been received, it will be assessed to determine whether your previous qualifications correspond to courses at Stockholm University. You will receive a written decision stating whether your application has been granted in full or in part, or rejected.

Processing times can vary. It generally takes no longer than two months to process a complete application. A decision on credit transfer can be appealed.