European Credit Transfer System
E.C.T.S., the European Credit Transfer System, was developed by the Commission of the European Union in order to provide common procedures to guarantee academic recognition of studies abroad. It provides a way of measuring and comparing learning achievements, and of transferring them from one institution to another.
E.C.T.S. is based on mutual confidence between the participating institutions of higher education. Here are the 5 rules to be abided by in order to take part in E.C.T.S.:
Writing and circulating an information package about the institution, its curriculum, etc. Every institution taking part in E.C.T.S. will describe the courses it offers and mention the number of credits assigned to each course unit.
- An application form
- learning agreement, to be signed by the home institution, the host institution and the student
- The awarding of credits (indicative of student workload)
- A transcript of records
E.C.T.S. credits
E.C.T.S. credits are allocated to course units: they represent the workload required to complete them. They reflect the quantity of work each course requires in relation to the total quantity of work required to complete a full year of academic study at the institution. This includes lectures, example classes, laboratory work, seminars, individual work - in the library or at home - and examinations or other assessment activities. E.C.T.S. credits express a relative value.
In E.C.T.S., 60 credits represent the normal workload and study load in a year, i.e. 30 credits for each semester. It is important that no special courses be set up specifically for E.C.T.S. purposes, but that all E.C.T.S. courses be regular courses of the participating institutions, as followed by home students under normal regulations.
It is incumbent on the participating institutions to subdivide credits for different courses. Practical placements and optional courses that are an integral part of the curriculum receive academic credit. Practical placements and optional courses that are not an integral part of the curriculum do not receive academic credit. Non-credit courses may, however, be mentioned in the transcript of records.
Credits are awarded only when the course has been completed and all required examinations have been passed.
E.C.T.S. students
Students participating in an exchange programme under E.C.T.S. will receive full credit for all academic work carried out successfully at any E.C.T.S. partner institution. These students will be allowed to transfer their academic credits from one participating institution to another on the basis of a written agreement signed by themselves and the institutions involved. The agreement will contain a list of the courses which the student will be required to take. Any changes from the original agreement will be agreed upon by all parties.
Most E.C.T.S. students will go to a single host institution in one European Union member state, study there for a limited period of time, and then return to their home institution. Some may decide to stay at the host institution, possibly to obtain a degree. Some may also decide to proceed to a third institution to continue their studies. In each of these three cases, students will be required to comply with the legal and institutional regulations of the country and institution where they will take their degree.
When the student has successfully completed the study programme previously agreed to between the home and the host institutions, and returns to the home institution, credit transfer will take place, so that the student will continue his studies at the home institution without any loss of time or credit. If, on the other hand, the student decides to stay at the host institution and to take a degree there, he or she may have to adapt his/her study course relative to the legal, institutional and departmental rules in the host country, institution and department.
Students selected by each institution to participate in E.C.T.S. may be awarded a student mobility grant on the condition that they fullfil the general conditions of eligibility for an ERASMUS grant.
These conditions are the following:
- Students must be citizens of one of the EU member states or citizens of one of the EFTA (European Free Trade Association) countries (or recognised by one member state or one EFTA country as having an official status of refugee or stateless person or permanent resident).
- As to EFTA nationals, students will be eligible provided that they are moving within the framework of ERASMUS from the EFTA home country to an EU member state. EFTA nationals registered as students in E.C.T.S. participating institutions in other EFTA countries or in EU member states.
Students will not be required to pay tuition fees at the host institution. However, they may be required to continue to pay their normal tuition fees to the home institution during the study period abroad
N.B.: the national grant/loan to which a student may be entitled for studying at his/her home institution will not be discontinued, interrupted or reduced while he/she is studying in another member state as an ERASMUS student.
Contact : internationalmobility [at] centrale-marseille [dot] fr (Student Mobility), phone +33 4 91 05 45 56
Les étudiants hors programmes d’échanges
L’inscription directe
L’étudiant étranger, niveau baccalauréat +2 (études scientifiques), peut demander son inscription directement auprès de Centrale Marseille, entre février et avril. L’établissement lui fera connaître ses conditions propres d’admission en particulier s’agissant des dispenses qui peuvent lui être accordées.
Contact : internationalmobility [at] centrale-marseille [dot] fr (International Office)
Emmy ARTS, Téléphone +33 (0)4 91 05 45 56