Credit load and exams
The European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) defines a full study load for one year as 60 ECTS credits. For one semester, we recommend that students take courses for 30 ECTS credits.
However, it is possible for students to take more or less than 30 ECTS credits per semester.
EU/EEA/Swiss citizens
UCPH does not set a minimum course load; however, guest students typically take at least 22.5 ECTS per semester.
Non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizens
Citizens of countries outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland are required to study full-time in order to meet the requirements in their residence permits. A typical full-time study load is 30 ECTS per semester. To be considered as studying full-time, the minimum course load is 22.5 ECTS per semester.
In general, you will automatically be registered for the exam when you register for a course. However, some faculties/departments may still require exam registration.
For further details, see our information on course and exam registration.
If in doubt, please contact the department(s) where you are studying to ask about how and when to register for exams.
Note that the procedure and deadline for course/exam registration may vary depending on the department.
At the University of Copenhagen, students are assessed after taking one of the following types of examinations: hand-in paper, written examination, oral examination, and/or active participation.
In addition, some courses may require the successful completion of written, oral, or practical assignments during the semester.
Information on assessment and exam form is included in all course descriptions
To make sure that you are able to transfer the credits earned at the University of Copenhagen, it is important that your home institution approves your intended study programme.
In this respect, it is important to mention that your work may be assessed according to the Danish 7-point scale or as pass/fail. Pass/fail grades cannot be changed to a numeric grade or vice versa. We therefore recommend that you check the assessment when considering a course. Contact the international/exchange office at your home university for advice regarding your credit transfer based on pass/fail assessment.