The ECTS 鈫?US credits converter pair. Both directions, three methods each, quarter credits on every readout, and a degree-equivalence read that tells you whether the total is enough 鈥?not just what it is.
Convert ECTS to semester and quarter credit hours, then see where your total lands against US bachelor's requirements.
Open the converter US 鈫?EuropeanTurn US semester or quarter hours into ECTS, and find out which European qualification level your total matches.
Open the converterThe two systems count different things. That is the whole reason a conversion factor exists, and it is why every honest converter returns an approximation rather than an exact figure.
per credit, measuring total student workload 鈥?lectures, labs, assignments, independent study and exam preparation. A full-time year is 60 ECTS, or roughly 1,500鈥?,800 hours.
per credit, built from classroom contact time 鈥?about 15 contact hours plus an expected 30 hours of outside work. A full-time year is about 30 semester credits.
Divide the two full-time years into each other and you get the familiar 2:1 ratio: 60 ECTS a year against 30 semester credits a year. Compare raw workload hours instead and the ratio lands somewhere between 1.5:1 and 1.8:1. All three figures are defensible, which is exactly why a conversion cannot be exact 鈥?but 2:1 is the one evaluators and admissions offices actually apply.
| Qualification | ECTS | Semester cr | Quarter cr | Full-time yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One semester abroad | 30 | 15 | 22.5 | 0.5 |
| One full academic year | 60 | 30 | 45 | 1.0 |
| European bachelor's, 3 years | 180 | 90 | 135 | 3.0 |
| European bachelor's, 4 years | 240 | 120 | 180 | 4.0 |
| European master's, 1 year | 60 | 30 | 45 | 1.0 |
| European master's, 2 years | 120 | 60 | 90 | 2.0 |
| US bachelor's requirement | 240 鈥?260 | 120 鈥?130 | 180 鈥?195 | 4.0 |
Quarter credits are derived by converting to semester credits first, then multiplying by 1.5. One semester credit equals 1.5 quarter credits.
Figures last verified July 2026 路 Conversion ratios are approximations, not official standards