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Recognition of Academic Achievements Completed Abroad

Students filling out questionaires

The recognition of academic credentials gained abroad is an essential part of studying abroad. Ensuring this recognition requires regulated recognition procedures and transparent structures, which are explained in more detail below.

Please note that this information refers exclusively to the recognition of achievements earned at an institution abroad while you were enrolled at the University of Potsdam. This applies, for example, to achievements in the context of a semester abroad, an internship abroad, a summer school or an online course as part of EDUC.

Recognition of your Achievements - A Step-by-Step Guide

Please also check the websites of your faculty or department/ institute to find out whether there is any additional information on the procedure and/ or administrative responsibilities.

Before going abroad

Online Learning Agreement for Erasmus+: 
You will receive further information on the Online Learning Agreement (OLA) from the Erasmus+ Outgoing Team during the process of preparing for your stay abroad. Instructions for completing the OLA are available in the Erasmus+ Download Center.

Other Learning Agreement:
You can find a general Learning Agreement template here.

Plan, check, organize: Before embarking on your stay abroad or earning credits abroad, you should prepare beforehand and check that these will be recognized. This not only gives you planning security, but also simplifies the recognition procedure following your stay abroad.

Learning Agreement:
The first step towards recognition is a fully completed and signed (Online) Learning Agreement. Talk to your exchange coordinator or Examining Board about your choice of courses before going abroad. Get all the necessary signatures (digital and scanned signatures are sufficient)!Online Learning Agreement 

    Online Learning Agreement for Erasmus+: 
    You will receive further information on the Online Learning Agreement (OLA) from the Erasmus+ Outgoing Team during the process of preparing for your stay abroad. Instructions for completing the OLA are available in the Erasmus+ Download Center.

    Other Learning Agreement:
    You can find a general Learning Agreement template here.

    During your Stay Abroad

    Updating the Learning Agreement:

    You should record any changes to the first Learning Agreement in the Learning Agreement and have it signed by all parties. In the Erasmus+ Online Learning Agreement, you can make changes under "Apply Changes". In other Learning Agreement templates, this section may be called "Changes" or "During the Mobility".

    If nothing has changed in the first Learning Agreement, you do not need to enter any changes.

    At the End of your Stay Abroad

    Transcript of Records:

    You will receive a Transcript of Records from your host institution listing the courses you have attended and the work you have completed. Some institutions will send it to you directly, others will send it to the exchange coordinators or to the International Office. As soon as we receive transcripts, you will be informed by e-mail.

    After your Stay Abroad

    Application for Recognition in PULS

    Further information on the recognition procedure

    Recommendation of the International Office for the conversion of grades

    List of Examining Boards (by degree)

    Application for Recognition:

    1. Your achievements will not be recognized automatically. You must apply for recognition. You can find the Application for Recognition in PULS.
      Further information is available here: https://www.uni-potsdam.de/en/studium/studying/organizing-your-exams/recognition-of-previous-academic-credentials 
    2. In the "Titel von Modul/Lehrveranstaltung" ("Title of module/course") column, first search for the module in your degree program for which you would like recognition according to the Learning Agreement. Then enter the relevant course at the host institution that you would like to have recognized in the "Titel der Lehrveranstaltung" ("Title of course") column. Enter A in the column "Auslandsaufenthalt (A)/ Berufliche Qualifikation (B)" ("Stay abroad (A)/ Professional qualification (B)"). Leave the Evaluation  column blank.
    3. The Examining Board will convert the grades from the host institution. You will find a recommendation from the International Office on converting grades in the Intranet.
    4. The Examining Board for your subject is responsible for recognition (NOT the Central Examination Office!). You can find out who that is here: https://www.uni-potsdam.de/en/studium/studying/organizing-your-exams/examining-board-directors 
    5. It is advisable to submit the Learning Agreement (and, if applicable, the "Changes"), a current PULS Transcript of Records and a course description (with translation if necessary) in addition to the Transcript of Records.
    6. You will receive the checked and signed application for recognition back from the Examining Board. If you do not agree with the recognition, you have one month to lodge an objection.
    7. Please upload the application signed by the Examining Board to PULS so that the credits can be recorded in PULS by the Central Examination Office. To do so, please use the "Document upload" option in your PULS account.
    8. Only for Erasmus+ students: As soon as the credits have been recorded, upload an updated transcript of records as proof of recognition in the International Office's Erasmus+ portal.

    Application for Recognition in PULS

    Further information on the recognition procedure

    Recommendation of the International Office for the conversion of grades

    List of Examining Boards (by degree)

    Grade Conversion*

    You can find the International Office's suggestions for converting grades in the Intranet

    *These suggestions for converting grades only apply to students who have completed a semester abroad as part of their degree at the University of Potsdam, and who wish to have the academic achievements they have gained abroad recognized.