What are credits and how many do I need?

Credit units, or credits for short, are used to convert student performance into numbers. This means that a predefined number - in the USA 3 time hours - corresponds to one credit unit. Credits are therefore points of achievement that one receives for courses attended. The credit hour represents the amount of time spent in the lecture hall per lecture, seminar or course.

1 US Credit corresponds to 2 ECTS Credits (European Credit Transfer System).

Important:
In order to meet your eligibility and visa requirements, you must earn 12 U.S. credits per semester, which typically equates to 4 courses of 3 credit units each.

To complete your bachelor's degree in the USA within the standard period of study (4 years), you need at least 90 US credits. Divided into eight semesters, this amounts to 15 credits per semester.

Although only 12 credit units per term are required of U.S. undergraduate students, the majority of U.S. undergraduates take 15 credits, per semester (i.e., 30 per academic year) to complete their degree as scheduled. This is referred to as a full course load.

• Related Articles

• How many times can I take the SAT?

  You can retake the SAT test as many times as you like. For each test date you book, the organizer, College Board, charges a registration fee. You can find the amount of the fee here. Hint: There are only a limited number of test dates for the SAT, so ...

• What do I need to be aware of with the new SAT and what do I need to bring to the test?

  To take the SAT, you will need the laptop you provided when registering for the test, on which you have previously installed the Bluebook software, as well as a calculator. Here you can find all information about the new digital test (since 2023). A ...

• Which visa should I request?

  You need an F-1 visa, a non-immigrant visa for students.

• What is a Sickle Cell Test?

  The NCAA requires its athletes to undergo a sickle cell test. Sickle cell anemia is not a disease, but an inherited disorder of the red blood cells. While sickle cell anemia is not a barrier to competitive sports, athletes with sickle cell anemia ...

• What costs are covered by an academic scholarship?

  The amount of academic scholarships varies from college to college and case to case. For many students, the total cost of tuition, food and housing is reduced by 40 to 60%.