The credit system, “högskolepoäng” (higher education credits, in short HECs or credits), is compatible with the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) credit system. Under the Swedish system, one academic year of full-time studies is equivalent to 60 higher education credits. 60 HECs equals 60 ECTS credits.

The Academic Year contains two terms: the Autumn Semester and the Spring Semester. One semester runs for 20 weeks. Each semester is divided in four periods: A, B, C and D.

Nearly all courses run full-time (100% study tempo) during one semester or part of one semester. At a full-time course students are expected to study about 40 or somewhat more than 40 hours a week (including scheduled and individual studies). The number of hours of compulsory scheduled education in taught courses varies and the total quantity of study hours a week obviously differs a lot depending on the students individual study background, techniques and aim. A 50% study tempo course indicate that the rate of study is half compared to a 100% course; i.e. a 7.5 HECs course can run full-time (100%) during one semester period (25% of one semester, about 22–23 workdays, approximately 5 weeks) or at 50% study tempo during two semester periods (half a semester). Most students study one full-time course during one period of time. Studying two full-time courses during the same period of time is not recommend; still sometimes it is doable to study one 100% course and one 50% course.

40 (old) Swedish credit points ("poäng", in short p or credits) equals 60 (new) higher education credits.