ECTS Credit Converter
The European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System measures study by student workload: a full-time academic year is 60 ECTS credits, and each credit represents roughly 25 to 30 hours of total work. This converter takes a number of ECTS credits and an hours-per-credit figure you set within that official range, then returns the total workload in hours, the fraction of a full academic year the credits represent, and an approximate US semester-credit equivalent using an editable ratio. The 60-credit year and the workload-hours definition are official; the US-credit conversion is set by each receiving institution, so it stays a clearly labeled, editable input.
ECTS conversion formula
total workload hours = ECTS credits * hours per credit
fraction of year = ECTS credits / 60
US semester credits = ECTS credits / ECTS per US credit
full-time weeks = total workload hours / 40
The 60-credit full-time year and the 25-to-30-hour-per-credit workload come from the official ECTS framework. The US-credit ratio is editable to match the receiving institution.
Notes
- One full-time academic year is 60 ECTS credits by definition.
- Hours per credit vary by country within the 25-to-30 range; set yours.
- The US semester-credit figure is an approximation, not an official equivalence.
- Receiving institutions and credential evaluators apply their own conversions.
- Full-time weeks assume a 40-hour study week and are illustrative only.
ECTS credits: frequently asked questions
What is an ECTS credit?
ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) credits measure student workload. A full academic year of full-time study is 60 ECTS credits, and the ECTS framework defines one credit as roughly 25 to 30 hours of total student workload, including classes, study, and assessment. The exact hours per credit vary by country within that range.
How many hours is one ECTS credit?
The European Commission's ECTS framework sets one credit at about 25 to 30 hours of student workload. This calculator uses an editable hours-per-credit input within that range so you can match your country's convention; many use 25, others 30.
How do ECTS credits relate to US semester credits?
There is no universal fixed ratio, but a widely used rule of thumb treats roughly 2 ECTS credits as about 1 US semester credit, since a full year is 60 ECTS or about 30 US semester credits. The calculator keeps the ratio editable because receiving institutions set their own conversion.
What does the fraction of a year mean?
Because 60 ECTS equals one full-time academic year, dividing your ECTS credits by 60 gives the fraction of a year the workload represents. For example, 30 ECTS is half a full-time year of study.
Is the ECTS-to-US conversion official?
The 60-credits-per-year and 25-to-30-hours-per-credit definitions come from the official ECTS framework. The conversion to US semester credits, however, is set by each receiving institution or credential evaluator, so treat that figure as an editable approximation and confirm with the institution.
Official sources
- European Commission: European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS).
- European Commission: Education and training.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 17 June 2026. The US-credit ratio is an editable approximation. See our methodology.