ECTS Calculator — credit points to hours converter

ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) is a European standard for measuring student workload. One ECTS credit represents approximately 25–30 hours of work, including contact hours (lectures, seminars, labs) and independent study. It was introduced to make qualifications comparable and transferable across European universities.

The standard range is 25–30 hours per ECTS credit. Most Polish universities use 25 h/ECTS in line with Ministry of Science guidelines. Some technical universities apply 30 h/ECTS. Always check your university's specific workload coefficient in the study regulations.

According to EU regulations, one full academic year equals 60 ECTS credits. A three-year bachelor's degree therefore totals 180 ECTS, a two-year master's programme totals 120 ECTS, and an integrated five-year master's (common in medicine and law) totals 300 ECTS.

Multiply the number of ECTS credits by the workload coefficient (usually 25 or 30). For example, 30 ECTS × 25 h/ECTS = 750 hours of study per semester. Select the 'ECTS → Hours' mode in the calculator, enter your ECTS count and coefficient, and the result appears instantly.

Divide the total hours by the coefficient: ECTS = hours ÷ h/ECTS. For example, 500 hours ÷ 25 h/ECTS = 20 ECTS. Use the 'Hours → ECTS' mode in the calculator. This is useful for evaluating internships, exchange programmes or independent research projects.

The number of hours behind each ECTS credit may differ slightly between institutions (25–30 h/ECTS), but the credit value itself is standardised across the European Higher Education Area (47 countries). Credits earned at one participating university are fully transferable to partner institutions via Erasmus+ and other exchange programmes.

No. Contact hours (time spent in lectures or seminars) are only part of the workload. One ECTS covers approximately 25–30 hours in total, of which typically 15–20 hours are contact hours and the rest is self-study. A 2-hour weekly lecture over 15 weeks amounts to 30 contact hours, but the subject may still carry 3–4 ECTS when independent study is factored in.

A typical semester is worth 30 ECTS (half of the 60 ECTS required per year). Most universities require students to pass a minimum percentage of credits — usually 50–70% per semester or year — to avoid being de-registered. The exact threshold is set in your university's study regulations.

Weeks are calculated assuming a 40-hour study week (5 days × 8 hours), which corresponds to a full-time workload. Working days are based on 8 hours per day. These are indicative figures — your actual daily study schedule may differ depending on lectures, part-time work and personal commitments.

The workload coefficient (h/ECTS) is the number of student work hours that count as 1 ECTS credit. It is set by each institution within the 25–30 h range and is published in the study regulations or the course catalogue (syllabus). If unsure, use 25 h/ECTS as the default — this is the most common value at Polish universities.