Minimum number of credits

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• Who does not have to obtain the minimum number of credits (exemptions)?

  Students with proven non-temporary physical and/or mental impairments do not have to obtain the required minimum number of credits. You can take the following steps:

  1. The University of Vienna strives to enable equal opportunities during studies and to promote students’ examination activity (‘Prüfungsaktivität’). Students with an impairment have a right to  alternative modes of assessment. The Accessible Studying team provides information about different possibilities to compensate for disadvantages at the University of Vienna. It is our common objective to help you progress in your studies.
  2. If, despite these measures, you cannot obtain the minimum number of credits in time (deadline as displayed in u:space), you can apply for an exemption. You will need a medical confirmation stating that a physical or mental impairment makes/made it difficult for you to participate in your degree programme for at least six months. A diagnosis is not required. You must upload the confirmation to the Servicedesk in due time (= before the end of the fourth semester). 

  Please note: According to section 3 of the Federal Equal Opportunities for People with Disabilities Act (Bundes-Behindertengleichstellungsgesetz), a non-temporary impairment is an impairment expected to last more than 6 months.
• Who has to obtain the minimum number of credits?

  All students who are admitted to a bachelor’s or diploma programme since the winter semester of 2022/2023 have to obtain the minimum number of credits for this programme within four semesters. This applies to newly admitted students as well as to students who resume or change their bachelor’s or diploma programme at this time and to students who enrol in an additional degree programme.

  The minimum number of credits does not apply to bachelor’s or diploma programmes to which you were admitted before the winter semester of 2022/23.

  The minimum number of credits also does not apply to master’s or doctoral programmes.
  
  
• By when do I have to obtain the minimum number of credits and what are the deadlines?

  The relevant examination results and other study achievements must be obtained no later than one month after the end of the fourth semester from the start/resumption of your studies. This means you have time until 31 October or 31 March, depending on whether the fourth semester is the summer or the winter semester.

  For example:
  You start your bachelor's programme in the winter semester of 2022/2023. You neither interrupt your studies nor take a leave of absence. You must obtain the minimum number of credits by the summer semester of 2024 the latest. The deadline is on 31 October 2024.

  If you take a leave of absence, the semesters during which you are on leave do not count. After the end of your leave of absence, the semesters are counted again until you have studied for four semesters.
• Do I also have to complete the minimum number of credits when I resume my studies?

  Students of all bachelor's and diploma programmes who begin or resume their studies in the winter semester of 2022/2023 or later must obtain the minimum number of credits. The minimum number of credits must be obtained once within four semesters. If you interrupt your studies (again) during these four semesters, the ECTS credits and semesters are counted after you resume your studies. However, once the minimum number of credits has been obtained, it does not have to be obtained again for this degree programme.

  For example:
  You started your studies in the winter semester of 2022/23, studied for 2 semesters and obtained 12 ECTS credits. You interrupt your studies in the following semester. You resume your studies in the summer semester of 2024. You still have 2 semesters to obtain the missing 4 ECTS credits - i.e. until one month after the end of the fourth semester at the latest.

  If you interrupt your studies again after that, you do not have to prove again that you have obtained the minimum number of credits in this study programme again.

  For studies that you started before the winter semester of 2022/23 and have not yet interrupted, you do not have to obtain the minimum number of credits.

  Update from 29 September 2022
• How are ECTS credits counted when I resume my studies?

  If you resume your studies within the same curriculum, the counting of the ECTS credits continues after resumption.

  If you interrupt your studies and later resume your studies in a succeeding curriculum, or if you change a teaching subject in your combination, your previously obtained ECTS credits must be recognised to ensure that they count towards the minimum number of credits. If you still need ECTS credits for the minimum number of credits, you have to obtain them within the remaining time.
• What happens if I do not obtain the minimum number of credits?

  If you do not obtain the minimum number of credits (16 ECTS credits) for a degree programme within the first four semesters, your admission to the degree programme expires on 31 October or 31 March, depending on whether the fourth semester is the summer or the winter semester. You will be excluded from this programme for four semesters. Once four semesters have passed, you can apply for re-admission to the same degree programme at the University of Vienna.
• What options do I have if it becomes apparent that I will not be able to achieve the minimum number of credits?

  Option 1: Try everything you can and make use of the following offers and information:

  • Registration for courses and exams
  • Support services provided by the University of Vienna for successful studying
  • Psychological Counselling Service for students: counselling for study-related and personal issues
  • Information for students with physical/mental impairments
    
  • Student life - Who can help me with...?
    

   

  Option 2: If you can claim one of the precisely defined reasons, apply for a leave of absence. Please note the application deadlines, as well as the consequences of taking a leave of absence.

  All information about taking a leave of absence

  Option 3: You do not want to continue your studies? Close your degree programme. Before closing, inform yourself about the possible implications for re-enrolment.

  All information about closing a degree programme/withdrawing from the University of Vienna
  
• Where can I check the ECTS credits obtained for my studies?

  For each ongoing degree programme affected, you can see the number of ECTS credits already obtained for the minimum number of credits in your u:space dashboard. The data are updated automatically 4 times a day.
• I am continuing my studies (without interruption) that have been changed to a new curriculum. Do I have to obtain the minimum number of credits again?

  No. A conversion to the successor curriculum is considered a continuation of the previous degree programme.
• I have already studied at the University of Vienna through an exchange programme (e.g. Erasmus+, Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme, Non-EU Exchange) and would now like to enrol as a regular student. Do I have to obtain the minimum number of credits?

  If you were enrolled for your exchange program in the winter semester of 2022/23 or later and now apply for admission to the the same bachelor's or diploma programme, you will need to obtain the minimum number of 16 ECTS credits within four semesters (including the semester(s) of your exchange).
• Do I also have to obtain the minimum number of credits in complementary degree programmes?

  No, you do not have to obtain the minimum number of credits in complementary degree programmes. Achievements completed in complementary degree programmes are not recognised for the minimum number of credits.
• I am enrolled in the bachelor's programme in Teacher Education. Do I have to obtain the minimum number of credits for each teaching subject separately? What happens if I change my teaching subject?

  In the bachelor’s programme in Teacher Education, you have to obtain the minimum number of credits for both teaching subjects and the pedagogical part in total. You do not have to obtain the minimum number of credits for each teaching subject separately.
  
  If one teaching subject in your combination changes, as long as one of the two teaching subjects remains the same, the semesters continue to be counted for the new combination. Both newly obtained ECTS credits and ECTS credits recognised in due time are counting towards the ECTS credits for the new combination. If you already obtained the minimum number of credits for the old combination, you do not have to obtain them for the new one again.

  If you do not obtain the minimum number of credits in due time, you will be excluded from this programme for 4 semesters. You are excluded from those teaching subjects for which you have already been admitted for 4 semesters. The combination with a teaching subject for which you have been admitted for less than 4 semesters is possible. In this case the semesters that you have already completed and the ECTS credits from the previous subject combination that can be used for the new subject combination are counted.

  Example 1: You interrupt the teacher education programme after 3 semesters and resume your studies sometime later (with at least one teaching subject remaining the same): You have 1 semester left to obtain the required 16 ECTS credits.

  Example 2: You changed one teaching subject in the 3rd semester. You were not able to obtain the minimum number of credits within 4 semesters and are excluded from the teacher education programme. You can study the teaching subject that you only studied for one semester for another 3 semesters in combination with another teaching subject to obtain the minimum number of 16 ECTS credits. ECTS credits obtained in the first semester that can also be used for the new subject combination are counted.

  Example 3: You were not able to obtain the minimum number of credits within 4 semesters and are excluded from the teacher education programme. You begin a teacher education programme with a completely different combination of teaching subjects. The counting of ECTS credits and semesters for the minimum number of credits starts at 0 again.
• I am studying a complementary teacher education programme. Do I have to obtain the minimum number of credits?

  No, you do not have to obtain the minimum number of credits in complementary degree programmes.

  If you include a teaching subject from a complementary teacher education programme in your subject combination, only the semesters from previous subject combinations of the newly combined subjects are counted.

  Example:

  You are studying a subject combination and a complementary degree programme at the same time. After 3 semesters, you exchange one of your teaching subjects with the subject of your complementary degree programme. You have to obtain the minimum number of credits within the remaining fourth semester of the combination programme. Exams completed in the complementary degree programme count, if you completed them within the first four semesters of the combination programme and if you apply for recognition in due time (see FAQ: “Are recognised achievements accepted for the minimum number of credits?”).
• Are recognised achievements accepted for the minimum number of credits?

  Whether a recognised achievement is accepted for the minimum number of credits depends on the date on which the achievement (= initial achievement) was completed. The initial achievement must have been completed within the period relevant for the minimum number of credits from the first start of a degree programme and its recognition must have been approved. Only then does the recognised achievement count towards the minimum number of credits.

  Therefore, apply for recognition at your responsible StudiesServiceCenter well in advance. Note that it might take up to two months until a decision is taken and that the complaints procedure in case of a negative decision also takes time. If you have completed a course/exam multiple times, only the date of the last examination result counts.
• I study at least one of my two teaching subjects at a university of art in Vienna. What are the requirements for my studies?

  If at least one subject in a teacher education combination is completed at a university of art in Vienna, the respective university of art is responsible for calculating the ECTS credits.

  The ECTS credits are calculated over the entire duration of the degree programme. Information about exams at the University of Vienna will be obtained if necessary.

  If students have completed less than 16 ECTS credits by the end of the fourth semester (deadline 31 October for the summer semester/31 March for the winter semester), it is up to the respective university of art to exclude the student from the degree programme after reviewing all information.

  ECTS credits obtained at the University of Vienna are displayed in u:space.
• Are there any programs that support me in my studies and in achieving the minimum number of credits?

  This is how you can progress in your studies:

  • Plan your semester.
  • Study continuously.
  • Use the study materials on Moodle.
  • Form study groups.
  • Make us of tutorials.
  • Take exams.

  Information about Semesterplanning

  Make use of the services for students to achieve your goal. The University supports you by offering:

  • In your first semester: STEOP mentoring
  • Reflect on, and adapt, your own learning approach: Learning camp
  • Improve your academic writing for paper or thesis: Writing mentoring, writing consultation
  • Helpful handouts and blog posts (german)

  As usual, we keep you informed by e-mail, on the websites and via the social media channels of the University of Vienna.