What Are College Credits? A Complete Guide for Students

If you are in college or planning to go, you must have wondered what these credits are mentioned with the course? What is the use of these credits? And how are they calculated?

If you don’t know “What are College Credits?”, the blog will clear all your doubts and explain everything about credits, how they work in India and abroad, and why they are important.

What are College Credits?

College Credits are simple units that are used to measure your academic progress. Credits represent the amount of work or number of hours a student puts into class or learning. Each subject or semester holds a certain number of credits that you receive after completing it. The number of credits varies depending on the course you pursue. 

For example, for a bachelor’s degree course, a minimum credit requirement is 120 credits, which means 20 credits per semester a student receives for a 3-year UG program. 

How are College Credits Calculated?

To calculate college credits, there are different methods in India and abroad. In India, credits are calculated based on the number of hours spent on the course, that is, contact hours.

Here's how it works:

• 1 credit = 1 hour of class time per week

• 2 credits = 2 hours/week, and so on

But it may vary, as if you get practical assignment/ Lab work during the week, the calculation changes.  For example 2 hours of class time + 1 practical per week= 3 credit points

Abroad, for example, European college credits are calculated based on the workload for the students, which includes lectures, assignments, and self-study.

To understand it in simple terms, 1 Indian credit is typically equal to 15 hours of workload. And 1 ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation) is around 25-30 hours of workload.

So, 1 Indian credit is equal to 0.5 or 0.6 ECTS.

In Abroad (US, Europe):

• Semester Credit Hours (SCH) or European Credit Transfer System (ECTS)
• US System: 1 credit typically represents 1 hour of class per week
• ECTS (Europe): 60 ECTS credits = 1 academic year of full-time study.
• Total credits for graduation:

Undergraduate:

• Bachelor's: 120 credits (US)
• Bachelor's: 180 credits (Australia)

Postgraduate:

• Master's: 90–120 credits (US/Canada)
• Master's: 60 ECTS credits (Europe)

Why are College Credits Important?

College Credits are really important, as they,

 

• Track your Academic Progress- as you progress in your course, credit points will be credited to the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC).
• Required to Complete Graduation- credit points are the proof that you have completed the degree; you are required to have a minimum credit points set by the university.
• Needed For Transfer- If you want to change colleges or go study abroad. You need to transfer your credits to continue from where you left off. 
• Reflects Course Requirements- credit reflects the workload or commitment you need to give in the course.
• Financial Aid- In some cases, your credits can impact your eligibility for financial aid.

Minimum Credits Required for UG and PG courses in India

The table below reflects the credit points you require in the UG and PG courses. The credit point requirement is based on the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) of India.

UG Degree	Minimum Total Credits
B.A./B.Com (General)	120 credits
B.Sc. (General)	120 credits
B.Tech / B.E.	160 credits
B.Voc (Vocational)	120–160 credits

Various PG Degrees & Minimum Credits

PG Degree	Minimum Total Credits
M.A./M.Com/M.Sc.	80–90 credits
M.Tech / M.E.	80–90 credits
MBA	90–100 credits
M.Voc (Vocational)	80–90 credits

For Online degree courses, credit points are equivalent to regular courses. According to the University Grants Commission (UGC), regular, distance, and online courses are equally valued.

How to Transfer College Credits?

You can switch colleges and can go to study abroad; for that, you need to transfer your college credits. To transfer academic credits, there are some considerations:

• The new university you’re applying to must accept external credits. And you must check both university accreditations.
• The course you are applying for must match the course you studied at the previous university.
• The university must follow a credit system such as CBCS or ECTS.

In India, you can proceed with credit transfer, as some private universities allow transfer from other indian and international universities as well.

If you are planning to go abroad, the university will evaluate your credits, and you to prepare documents such as transcripts, course syllabi, etc.

Conclusion

College credits define the academic value of the course you pursue or complete. It is important to first evaluate the university's accreditations, as only credits from accredited institutions can be transferred to different colleges. Credits can also help you get financial aid and understand the workload of the course.