Exemptions from study requirements (for registered students)

To avoid duplication of individual study effort and to acknowledge previous academic or professional experience, students enrolled in a Bachelor or Master programme at the University of Luxembourg can receive recognition for prior experience of relevance to their programme.

The following experiences may be considered as part of a request for recognition:

Prior studies in formal educational programmes at higher education institutions (at level 5 or above of the European/Luxembourg Qualifications Framework), e.g. courses taken as part of a different study programme at the University of Luxembourg or a similar study programme at a different university, courses completed as part of a previous version of the study programme at the University of Luxembourg after an interruption of studies, qualifications obtained in professional or technical education and training programmes.
Professional experience acquired as an employee or free-lancer, while self-employed or working as a volunteer, for a cumulative duration of at least three full-time equivalent years (see also “Access studies with professional experience“).

To be considered for recognition, the experience must be related to the curriculum of the study programme.

Forms of recognition of prior experience

The University can recognise your prior experience in the form of transfer credits or waivers or a combination of the two. As a result of the exemptions granted, you can also be placed in a higher study semester.

1

Transfer credits

If your experience corresponds to the learning outcomes of a given course or module of your study programme, you can be awarded transfer credits. This may be the case, for example, if you have completed an equivalent course at another higher education institution. You may be transferred ungraded ECTS credits for individual courses, modules or entire study semesters that are part of the programme study plan. These credits count towards the minimum credit requirement for completion of the study programme.

To receive a diploma from the University, students need to have obtained at least 60 ECTS credits by completing courses taken at the University. This condition remains applicable regardless of the number of credits transferred.

2

Waivers without credit

If your eligible experience is equivalent to part of the learning outcomes or study requirements of a specific component of the study programme, it will not qualify for transfer credits, but this component can nevertheless be waived. No credits are awarded in this case. This may apply in the case of a mobility period or internship module which provided you with study experience abroad or professional experience, but in a different field.

A waiver exempts you from the respective study requirements. Since no ECTS credits are awarded for waived courses or modules, waivers do not affect the minimum credit requirements for completion of a study programme. The Director of your study programme will propose a series of for-credit study activities through which you can acquire the credit needed to complete the programme. Waivers never affect more than 30 ECTS credits in total.

3

Advanced standing (placement in a higher study semester)

If you have been granted a sufficient number of transfer credits the University can decide to place you in a higher study semester or year (advance your standing in the programme). Please note that this does not, however, exempt you from completing courses in lower study semesters for which you have not received transfer credits or a waiver.

Receipt of transfer credits and placement in a higher study semester may reduce the maximum duration available to you for completion of the programme. Your Study Programme Administrator will inform you accordingly.

How to apply

To check whether your prior experience qualifies for recognition, please see the module plan and course listing for your chosen study programme. This information is published on the study programme web page.

If you wish to request the recognition of prior experience, you must download, complete, sign and submit the form provided below by email to the Study Programme Administrator of the study programme in which you are enrolled.

Any requests for recognition of prior experience concerning the winter semester must be sent by 30 June, and any requests for recognition of prior experience concerning the summer semester must be sent by 30 January. The University cannot guarantee that requests submitted after these deadlines will be decided on before the start of the semester.

On the form, you are asked to provide suitable evidence of your experience (see below). The academic committee in charge of assessing your experience may request further documentation or invite you to an (online) interview. If you are requesting recognition of professional experience, the University of Luxembourg Competence Centre can offer guidance on how to document this experience. To ask for assistance, please send a short description of your request to vaeprofessionnelle@competence.lu.

Please note that the University does not accept requests submitted by students in their final semester of studies.

Incoming mobility students cannot request recognition of prior experience unless they have applied for admission (as a regular student) to a study programme of the University.

If at any moment during the recognition process you decide that you no longer wish to pursue your request, please notify the Study Programme Administrator.

How to provide additional evidence for prior experience

You must provide suitable documentation attesting to your prior experience. This should be:

Related to studies you have undertaken as part of official educational programmes or to professional activities involving knowledge and skills at level 5 or above of the European/Luxembourg Qualifications Framework;
Authentic and certified as far as possible (e.g. copies of original documents bearing an official stamp or signature, original study plans and syllabi, original written work/assignments, original job descriptions or work samples);
Relevant to the study requirements of your study programme, as defined by the learning outcomes for the programme and its courses. If you acquired the experience in a formal educational programme, please submit documentation detailing the curriculum (study/module plans, course descriptions) together with a copy of your transcript of records.

If you are asked to provide references, they should come from referees who had a direct role in your education or work (e.g. former teachers, supervisors, co-workers).

You may indicate the courses or modules in the study programme which you believe are covered by your prior experience. Please do not submit documentation of experience obtained at secondary school or at lower qualification levels or exclusively involving knowledge and skills outside the disciplines/fields of the study programme.

How is my prior experience assessed?

Once you have compiled all the relevant documents, they will be reviewed by the Director of the study programme to which you are applying/in which you are enrolled and assessed by an academic committee. The committee assesses whether the submitted evidence is authentic and eligible (pertinent to the request). It then establishes the extent to which your prior experience is equivalent to the learning outcomes and study requirements of the given study programme.

The Study Programme Administrator will inform you of the decision and, if applicable, the courses or modules for which you receive transfer credit or a waiver as well as the study semester in which you have been placed.

Please note that the recognition process can take several weeks. You will be notified if the University needs any further information from you during the process.

What if I am called for an interview

The committee in charge of recognition may decide to invite you for an (online) interview in order to further clarify the nature and extent of your experience. You will receive an invitation with the time and details of the interview by email. If the committee has specific questions, these may be communicated to you in advance of the interview. Please be ready to answer these and other questions related to the documentation you have submitted.