Learning agreement

Before going on exchange, you must complete a learning agreement outlining your intended programme of study at your host institution.

What is a learning agreement?

A learning agreement is an official agreement between you, your academic subject area(s) at Edinburgh and your host university regarding the courses you will take at your host institution during your exchange period.  It sets out your planned programme of study and must be approved by the Exchange Coordinator in your subject area. It ensures we are aware of what you are studying whilst abroad and that you will gain credit toward your UoE degree during your time away.

Completing a learning agreement is a compulsory requirement for going on an exchange and must be completed at least one month before the start of your exchange. It is advisable to make a start on this document as early as possible.

For your Exchange Coordinator to sign the document and confirm your intended plan of study is approved by your School, the courses you select must:

  • meet your UoE degree requirements
  • match the appropriate number of courses/credits expected by a student at your host institution
  • be at an appropriate level

Any changes to your learning agreement, before or during your exchange, must also be approved by your Exchange Coordinator. Joint honours students should note that they must receive approval from the Exchange Coordinators in both subject areas.

Your course selections should be relevant to your subject area and in most instances, you should select the equivalent of 3rd year honours courses. You should NOT take pass/fail or attendance-only courses - all courses should be graded.

To know whether the level and content are appropriate to meet the academic requirements of your Edinburgh degree, you should consult your Exchange Coordinator/s who will be able to advise. For some subjects, you may have compulsory courses for which you may need to find equivalents at your host institution.​

Remember also to keep an eye on prerequisites that you may need for certain courses, particularly in Science and Engineering.

You can only take courses taught in a foreign language if you have been pre-approved by the University of Edinburgh as having B2 level according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). 

If your host institution does not yet offer an up-to-date course catalogue, we recommend that you look at the course catalogue from the previous academic year and make an educated guess on the courses you intend to take. You should then be able to alter these should any not be available in the new academic year.

Ensure you choose some backup courses in case some are not available - access to specific courses is not guaranteed and course catalogues sometimes change.  If you think there may be a problem with course availability, let your Exchange Coordinator know as soon as possible.  Please don't wait until you have arrived to find out there aren't enough suitable courses for you!


You are normally expected to undertake and pass the equivalent of 120 Edinburgh credits for the year (60 per semester) in order to progress to your final year at the University of Edinburgh.  

Although requirements may vary slightly depending on your degree programme (and you should always check with your Exchange Coordinator), in general you should normally take whatever constitutes a full academic credit or course load at your host university.  Your course selections should be relevant to your subject area.  

European Languages students should liaise with their School for information about their credit and course requirements. You can find more information here:

In order to calculate how many courses constitute a full course load at your host institution, you may need to be aware of the credit system your host university uses.

International exchanges

Credit systems will vary from institution to institution. To find out the required credit/course load requirements for your host institution, please use the sheet linked below. 

If your host institution has a term/quarter system rather than a semester system, you will be able to see how many credits you should take per term/quarter.

European exchanges

Most European institutions use the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS), awarding credit which is comparable and equivalent throughout Europe. A standard annual course load at most institutions is 60 ECTS credits - this equates to 120 Edinburgh credits.

Please notice that MEL students will have different credit loads and should refer to the LLC SharePoint in the first instance:


Your Exchange Coordinator/s can provide advice and support on credit requirements for your degree, guidance on course selection and alternatives to any compulsory courses.  They are also responsible for signing and approving any changes to your Learning Agreement.

Find your Exchange Coordinator

Your host institution can provide course information, advise on course availability and, for European institutions only, are responsible for countersigning your Learning Agreement.

Your exchanges team at SWAY can guide you if you are having trouble using Mobility Online to add course information/download / upload the Learning Agreement. We cannot provide academic advice about suitable courses to select.  


If you know that you have failed an exam it is important to notify the relevant SWAY team and your Exchange Coordinator as soon as possible so we can look into the impact this may have, and advise on your next steps.

The implications of failing a course may vary depending on factors such as your degree programme or the course failed - get in touch for advice as soon as you know you have failed a course.


Academic requirements

Before completing your learning agreement, you should familiarise yourself with your host institution's course catalogue (usually found on their website) and the course and credit requirements of your degree programme.


For more information, see the FAQs below:

How do I complete my learning agreement on Mobility Online? 

The Learning Agreement is completed via Mobility Online, the system we use for managing all stages of student exchanges.  You will be guided through the process and we will advise all students when you need to do this. Please note, that there is no template document - your learning agreement can only be created through the Mobility Online system.

Read our Learning Agreement guidance:

When you arrive at your host institution you may find you are no longer able to take one or more of the courses you listed in your learning agreement.  In fact, this is quite common - it could be that a course is full by the time you go to sign up, the language of instruction has changed, there is a timetable clash or it has been cancelled altogether. 

If you need to make changes to your learning agreement, you must complete an 'Amended learning agreement'. This is to ensure that any new courses you plan on taking are suitable for your degree programme and will allow you to meet your academic requirements and progress upon your return to Edinburgh. 

Important note - if you plan to change courses at your host institution, please ensure you complete and submit an 'Amended learning agreement' in advance of signing up for new courses, to give your Exchange Coordinator enough time to provide feedback on your course changes/selection. It may be the case that the courses you propose are not suitable for your Edinburgh degree programme. Do not assume that your alternative selections are suitable.

To complete an amended learning agreement, please read the guidance below:

In general:

  • We will contact you to remind you to submit an amended learning agreement twice per academic year whilst on exchange.
  • We would expect you to complete and submit an amended learning agreement once at the start of semester 1 and once at the start of semester 2. We do not expect you to make course changes mid-way through your semester of studies.
  • You do not need to submit an amended learning agreement if you do not make any course changes whilst on exchange.

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