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University Registrar

University Registrar
  2. international
  3. International Credit Conversions

International Credit Conversions

Credits can vary widely between educational systems. The number of transfer credit awarded depends on both the credit system of the external institution and the determination of the evaluator at Vanderbilt.

Common Credit Conversions

  • Contact hours: Credit hours are calculated such that one year of work is equal to approximately 30 semester hours of credit.
  • Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS): One credit hour is equivalent to approximately 4-5 CATS points (e.g., 10 CATS = 2 credit hours, 15 CATS = 3 credit hours, etc.).
  • European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS): One ECTS credit is typically equivalent to 0.5 semester credit hours (e.g., 2 ECTS = 1 credit hour, 4 ECTS = 2 credit hours, etc.).

The systems mentioned above are the most common education systems. Please contact the External Education Team for information about other systems.

Additional Information