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ECTS workload calculator
Enter the course's weekly hours and activities to see the total student workload, the calculated ECTS and its difference from the course's ECTS value instantly. The rule is the same as the ECTS step in our application: total workload ÷ hours per 1 ECTS.
- Choose 25–30 hours
- Ready-made course templates
- Table you can copy to Excel
- Values stay in your browser
Course details
Weekly theory (T), practice (P) and laboratory (L) hours and the number of teaching weeks in the semester.
Activities
Each row is number × time (hours). For exams, include preparation time. The class time row is filled in automatically from the weekly hours.
| Activity | Number | Time (hours) | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total workload | 0 | |||
Guide
How is ECTS workload calculated?
- Enter the class timeThe sum of weekly theory, practice and laboratory hours × teaching weeks. A 3-hour course over 14 weeks is 42 hours.
- Add out-of-class studyPreparation, reading and revision. Enter as weekly hours × weeks; in most courses it is close to class time.
- Add assessment activitiesMidterm exam, end-of-semester exam, assignment, project, presentation. Exam preparation time also counts as workload.
- Divide the totalThe total workload is divided by your institution's hours per 1 ECTS (25–30) and rounded to the nearest whole number.
- Compare with the course's ECTSIf there is a difference, do not adjust the times to fit the target; verify the real workload with a student survey and change the ECTS or the activities with a justification.
Worked example
3-hour theoretical course, 14 weeks, 1 ECTS = 30 hours
| Activity | Number | Time (hours) | Total (hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class time (T 3 hours/week) | 14 | 3 | 42 |
| Out-of-class study (preparation, reading, revision) | 14 | 4 | 56 |
| Midterm exam (including preparation) | 1 | 12 | 12 |
| Assignment | 2 | 10 | 20 |
| End-of-semester exam (including preparation) | 1 | 20 | 20 |
| Total | 150 | ||
| 150 ÷ 30 = 5 ECTS | an average of 10.7 hours per week |
Frequently asked questions
About ECTS
What is ECTS?
ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) is a credit unit that expresses the total workload a course places on a student. A full-time academic year is 60 ECTS and a semester is 30 ECTS. 1 ECTS corresponds to 25 to 30 hours of student workload.
How many hours is 1 ECTS?
The European ECTS Users' Guide sets 1 ECTS at between 25 and 30 hours. Each higher education institution sets the exact value in its own ECTS regulations; most universities in Turkey use 25 or 30 hours.
What counts as workload?
Class time, out-of-class study such as preparation and revision, assignments, projects, presentations, laboratory work, fieldwork and exams (including preparation time). In short, all the time a student spends achieving the course's learning outcomes.
What should I do if the calculated ECTS does not match the course's ECTS value?
Adjusting the times to fit the table to the target value is not the right approach. First check whether the times are realistic; if possible, collect data from students with a workload survey. If the difference is real, change the course's ECTS value or the activity load with a justification.
What is the difference between national credit and ECTS?
National credit is based on weekly class hours, whereas ECTS is based on the student's total workload. This is why a course's ECTS value is usually higher than its national credit; a lower value suggests the workload has been underestimated. How national credit is calculated may vary with institutional regulations.
Is the calculation sent to a server?
No. The calculator runs entirely in your browser; the values you enter are not saved. To match the course's workload table with the assessment plan and include it in the course information package, you can use SixBloom Course Design Studio.
Another free tool: Learning Outcome Builder
From workload to attainment measurement, in one chain
In SixBloom Course Design Studio, the ECTS table is linked to the assessment plan, the assessment plan to learning outcomes and the outcomes to programme outcomes.