Enter the credits your degree needs, the credits you have earned and the credits you take each term. The calculator shows how many are left, how far through you are, and how many terms and years remain. Pick your country so the wording matches your system.
Pick your country and enter your credits
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Your answer
Your answer shows up here once you fill in the numbers.
What to enter
- Credits your degree needs
- The total in your degree audit, course handbook or program rules. It is set by your own school, not by the country.
- Credits you have earned
- Credits you have passed. Leave out anything you failed or withdrew from.
- Credits you are taking now
- Credits in the term you are in. They count as done only if you pass them.
- Credits you take each term
- Your normal load. A term here means a semester, trimester or whatever term your school uses.
- Terms you study each year
- Two for most semester systems. Use three if you study in all three terms of a year.
Worked examples
A US student with 62 of 120 credit hours
A student needs 120 credit hours, has earned 62, is taking 15 now, and takes 15 a term. These numbers are made up to show the sums.
- Take what you have earned from what the degree needs: 120 – 62 = 58 credit hours left now.
- Take off what you are taking now, if you pass it: 58 – 15 = 43.
- Divide by your term load and round up: 43 ÷ 15 = 2.87, so 3 terms after this one.
- At 2 terms a year, that is 1.5 years.
They are 51.7% through, with 58 credit hours left and 43 credit hours left after this term. That is 3 more terms, about 1.5 years.
A UK honours degree
A student on a 360-credit honours degree has 240 credits, is taking 60 now, and takes 60 a term.
- Take what you have earned from what the degree needs: 360 – 240 = 120 credits left now.
- Take off what you are taking now, if you pass it: 120 – 60 = 60.
- Divide by your term load and round up: 60 ÷ 60 = 1, so 1 term after this one.
- At 2 terms a year, that is 0.5 years.
After this term, 60 credits remain, which is 1 more terms. In a two-term year that is 0.5 year.
An Australian degree with three terms a year
A student on a 144 credit-point degree has 60 points and takes 24 a term, studying all three terms of the year.
- Take what you have earned from what the degree needs: 144 – 60 = 84 credit points left now.
- Divide by your term load and round up: 84 ÷ 24 = 3.5, so 4 terms after this one.
- At 3 terms a year, that is 1.3 years.
With 84 credit points left, they need 4 more terms, which is 1.3 years at three terms a year.
Finishing in the current term
A student needs 120 credits, has 108 and is taking 12.
- Take what you have earned from what the degree needs: 120 – 108 = 12 credits left now.
- Take off what you are taking now, if you pass it: 12 – 12 = 0.
Done after this term. This term’s credits would complete the number your degree needs, if you pass them. Check your degree audit for required courses.
What a credit means in each country
The sums are the same everywhere, but a credit is not. In the US a credit hour is an amount of work that reasonably approximates one hour of instruction and at least two hours of out-of-class work a week for about fifteen weeks. In England, one credit is typically 10 notional hours of learning, and an honours degree is normally 360 credits. Scotland uses SCQF credit points, with at least 480 for an honours degree. Australia and Canada have no national credit system, so each university sets its own.
What this planner cannot see
Credits are not the only rule. Most degrees also need specific courses, a minimum number at upper levels, and a minimum average. A student can have enough credits and still miss the degree. Use this page to count terms, and use your degree audit to check requirements.
How it is calculated
- Take the credits you have earned from the credits the degree needs. That is what is left now.
- If you are taking credits this term, take them off too. They count only if you pass.
- Divide what remains by the credits you take each term and round up. That is the number of terms after this one.
- Divide the terms by the terms in your year to get years.
Credits left = credits needed – credits earned
Terms left = (credits left – credits now) ÷ credits per term, rounded up
Assumptions to keep in mind
- You pass everything you are taking now and take the same load each term.
- Every credit counts toward the degree. Required courses and level limits are not checked.
- The final term may be lighter than your usual load, because the last credits are rounded up to a whole term.
- Summer and winter terms count only if you put them in the terms per year box.
- Part-time study works the same way. Enter your actual load.
Mistakes that give the wrong answer
Counting failed or withdrawn credits as earned
Earned means passed. If you retake a course, count it once.
Mixing units
Use the same unit in every box. If your school counts full courses, convert them all to credits first, or enter everything in courses.
Assuming 120 or 360 fits your degree
Those are typical totals, not rules. Take the number from your own degree audit or handbook.
Forgetting required courses
Enough credits do not guarantee graduation. Check that the courses you need are scheduled in the terms you plan.
Questions students ask
How many credits do I need to graduate?
It depends on your school and degree. Many US bachelor’s degrees need about 120 credit hours. An honours degree in England is normally 360 credits, and in Scotland at least 480. Australia and Canada have no national total, so use your own course rules.
How do I work out how many terms I have left?
Take your earned credits from the credits needed, take off any credits you are passing now, and divide what remains by your term load, rounding up.
What is the US credit hour?
The federal definition is an amount of work that reasonably approximates one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out-of-class work each week for approximately fifteen weeks, for a semester or trimester hour.
How many credits is a full-time year in Australia?
Universities set their own credit points. UWA says a standard full-time load is 48 credit points a year, which is 24 a semester, and UNE builds its degrees on the same 48, so 144 for three years. Check your own course rules.
Does this tell me if I will graduate on time?
It tells you how many terms your credits take at your load. It cannot see required courses, prerequisites or minimum grades, so check your degree audit too.
What if I take summer courses?
Put the number of terms you will study each year in the terms box. If you study three terms a year, enter 3.
