- a fairer appreciation of student effort,
- the opportunity to participate in the preparation of their study plan,
- the possibility of choosing an individual pace of study,
- support student mobility,
- more information about learning opportunities,
- guarantee of recognition of a study completed outside the parent institution.
All student activities related to the subject course the one is enrolled (not only direct participation in lectures, but also self-study, preparation of papers, semester papers, etc.) is evaluated by credits. The total student burden during one academic year is set to 60 credits. Credits accredited for the successful completion of the subject are collected by the student (accumulation of credits). One of the precondition for completing a three-year baccalaureate study is to obtain at least 180 credits from the subjects prescribed by the study program. For example, a two-year master's study, requires to obtain at least 120 credits, meaning the student will at the end earn at least 300 credits.
Each study program prescribes the student to complete a certain number of subjects in compulsory, voluntarily and selective courses. On this basis, the student draws up its individual study plan for each year of study or with the help of a counselor/tutor.
The study order establishes the so-called control stages at the end of which the student must obtain a specified number of credits. Within such a stage, the one can tailor the pace of its study to its needs and apply for the number of subjects the one suits at each semester.
The possibility of performing part of a study at another university abroad or in the Slovak Republic is enshrined in the Act No. 131/2002 Coll. on Higher Education Institutions and on Amendments to Certain Laws as amended. The credit system contributes to student mobility in a dual way. Since each college involved in ECTS is required to disclose information about learning opportunities (information package, course catalog), students get a better insight into where they can enroll for the courses they are interested in. The second significant contribution is the learning agreement concluded by the sending school, the receiving school and the student. The student has a guarantee that after completing part of his/her studies at another institution, his/her alma mater will recognize his or her courses and count the credits earned (credit transfer). (Decree of the Ministry of Education 614/2002).
