The European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) is a standardized framework designed to enhance the transparency of higher education across Europe and facilitate student mobility. It allows students to transfer their academic achievements from one institution to another, ensuring that their period of study abroad is recognized and counted toward their degree without additional tuition fees.

ECTS credits are allocated based on the workload required to achieve specific learning outcomes during a course of study. Typically, an academic year corresponds to 1,500 to 1,800 hours of work, with each credit representing 25–30 hours. This system enables the design of clear and consistent curricula and helps institutions maintain quality assurance.

Universities using ECTS provide detailed online course catalogues, including information about study programmes, learning units, regulations, and available services. These catalogues specify learning outcomes (what students are expected to know or accomplish) and the workload needed to achieve them. ECTS also employs key documents, such as learning agreements, transcripts of records, and Diploma Supplements, to streamline credit transfer and accumulation.

While ECTS facilitates the recognition of academic studies across borders, final decisions about credit acceptance rest with individual institutions or relevant authorities, such as professors, admissions officers, recognition centres, or government officials.

ECTS is integral to broader European efforts to modernize higher education, particularly through the Bologna Process, which seeks to harmonize national education systems. To support excellence, the European Commission has established Recognition Experts and introduced labels for institutions that apply ECTS effectively.