Recognition of study achievements (Master's degree programme)

In certain cases academic attainments from ETH degree programmes may be recognised towards your Master’s degree studies. External attainments are not recognised.

Principles

You are expected to complete your entire Master’s degree programme at ETH Zurich.

Before submitting a request for recognition of previous ETH study achievements, please check the following points:

Credits earned at another institute of higher education (domestic or foreign) prior to enrolling at ETH Zurich, cannot be transferred to a Master’s degree programme.
Credits earned at ETH Zurich can, in general, only be transferred if they haven’t already been used for an academic degree (exceptions may apply, see "Special cases").
Credits are only transferred upon written request of the student to the Study Administration Office of the respective Master’s degree programme; there is no automatic credit transfer.
Auditors at ETH Zurich cannot earn credit points for courses attended. Courses taken as an auditor are not eligible for recognition (not applicable to special students (Fachstudierende), exchange students, and guest students).
Waiver of additional requirements: after acceptance of our admission offer the terms are non-negotiable. Requests to substitute or be freed from an additional requirement in the Master’s degree programmes are unlikely to be granted.
There is no entitlement to credit transfer.
If a request for recognition of study achievements has been submitted and approved, then all exams, including failed ones, which correspond to the study plan will be added to the maximum permitted number of exam attempts.
Special rules apply to the transfer of "GESS –Science in Perspective" credit points.

Request

When can I submit a request?

You may submit a request for recognition of previous study achievements to the Study Administration Office of the respective Master’s degree programme, once you have completed your registration and when the exam results of all relevant study achievements are available.

Attention: Your request must be submitted no later than four weeks after the start of your ETH Master’s degree programme.

Programme deadlines not affected

The deadlines for undertaking performance assessments and for completing your studies are not affected by submitting a request for recognition. Until your Study Administration Office has confirmed a change, you still have to take the courses, register for exams and sit the exams by the given deadlines.

How do I submit a request?

Submit your request in writing, together with supporting documents, to the Study Administration Office of the respective Master’s degree programme.

The Director of Studies of the respective Master’s degree programme takes the decision regarding recognition.

Only one request may be submitted per Master’s degree programme. Any further requests may not be considered.

Special cases

Dual recognition of ETH credit points

In certain special cases credits obtained for an ETH Zurich Master’s degree, or a degree of continuing education, may be used towards an additional Master’s degree. These exceptions are usually defined in the respective Master’s programme regulations. In these special cases, recognition of previous study achievements is given as a waiver, i.e. on your performance overview only the total number of transfer credits will be listed, not the individual courses and grades.

Waivers and alterations of additional requirements

Additional requirements for admission are binding. Alterations need to be confirmed in writing by the Admissions Office.
The additional requirements were laid down by the Admissions Committee and tailored to your previous education. By signing the registration form you confirm acceptance of these additional requirements. A subsequent request for an alteration or reduction of additional requirements is unlikely to be granted and needs to be well-founded.

A written request (no email) includes the following:

your name, address, MSc degree programme you have been admitted to, well-founded reasons for the request, and your signature.
a copy of your complete official transcript (original or certified copy)
if required, relevant contents of courses attended at other universities.

Requests of waivers or alterations of additional requirements may be submitted only once, and can be accepted only before accepting the admissions offer (before handing in the signed registration form). After the start of the semester you will have to meet all of the additional requirements by the deadline set out in your admission letter.

Outgoing mobility students

ETH students who plan to obtain credits within a student exchange programmes at another university are required to arrange a possible credit transfer with their ETH department prior to departure. The Admissions Office is not responsible for exchange student credit transfers.

Incoming mobility students

Students who obtained credits at ETH Zurich within a student exchange programme may submit a request for recognition of previous study achievements according to the above guidelines for Master’s degree students, as long the ETH credit points were not already used towards their degree at their home university. The request must be submitted to the Study Administration Office of the respective Master’s degree programme.

Special students at the University of Zurich

ETH Master’s students who obtain credits at the University of Zurich as special students (Fachstudierende) should contact their Study Administration Office if they wish to transfer credits. These credit transfers are not handled by the Admissions Office.