Transcript of Records & credit recognition on Erasmus
The Transcript of Records is the document that turns your semester in Lithuania into credits on your home degree. Get your Learning Agreement signed before you arrive, stick to it (or formally update it), and recognition back home is meant to be automatic.
The three documents that make recognition work
Erasmus credit recognition rests on a simple chain. If any link is missing, students run into trouble.
- Learning Agreement (before mobility) — you, your home university and your Lithuanian host all agree, in writing, which courses you'll take and how many ECTS each is worth.
- Transcript of Records (after mobility) — the host university confirms what you actually completed, with grades and ECTS.
- Recognition (back home) — your home university converts those into credits and grades on your degree.
The Learning Agreement and the Transcript of Records are designed to work as a pair: the second proves you did what the first promised (Erasmus+ guidelines).
The Learning Agreement: get it right before you arrive
The Learning Agreement (usually completed in the Online Learning Agreement / OLA tool) has three parts:
- Before the Mobility — Table A lists the courses you'll take in Lithuania; Table B lists the courses they'll replace at home. Match the ECTS as closely as you can. All three parties sign digitally before you travel.
- During the Mobility — for changes (a course is cancelled, clashes, or isn't offered). You must update the agreement and get it re-signed.
- After the Mobility — this is effectively the Transcript of Records.
A full Erasmus semester is normally 30 ECTS and a full year 60 ECTS. Aim to enrol for roughly a home semester's worth so nothing is left short (OLA guidelines).
Only what's on the final agreement is guaranteed
When and how you get your Transcript of Records
Your Lithuanian host university issues the Transcript of Records once your exam results are published. Under Erasmus+ rules it should normally be sent within five weeks of your results being proclaimed (Erasmus+ guidelines).
It is issued by the international office or your faculty coordinator at the host institution. It lists:
- every course (educational component) you took,
- the ECTS credits for each,
- the grade awarded, and
- the total credits earned.
Chase it, don't wait for it
Recognition back home: it's meant to be automatic
This is the part students worry about most, but the rule is firmly in your favour. Universities holding the Erasmus Charter must give full automatic recognition of all credits gained for learning outcomes you satisfactorily achieved abroad, exactly as set out in the Learning Agreement and confirmed on the Transcript of Records (Erasmus+ guidelines).
In practice that means: you should not have to re-sit, re-submit or take extra assessments at home for courses you already passed in Lithuania. At Vilnius University, for example, study results are counted towards your degree once the international coordinator receives your Transcript of Records, provided the Learning Agreement was fulfilled (VU).
Grade conversion
Lithuania marks on a 1–10 scale (10 is highest; 5 is usually the pass mark). Your home university converts these into its own grades using the host's grade distribution. The European Commission recommends the EGRACONS tool for this, but conversion methods differ between institutions — so ask your home coordinator how it works before you assume an equivalence (OLA guidelines).
Common recognition traps — and how to dodge them
| Problem | Why it happens | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Courses not recognised | Took modules not on the signed Learning Agreement | Update the "During the Mobility" section and re-sign |
| Credit shortfall | Enrolled for fewer ECTS than your home semester needs | Aim for ~30 ECTS; check the minimum your home uni requires |
| Transcript arrives late | Lithuanian exams/results run later than your home calendar | Ask early; if you're a finalist, this can clash with graduation |
| Grade looks "low" | A Lithuanian 7 or 8 is a solid result, not a near-fail | Rely on the official conversion, not a raw number swap |
One process, whichever direction you're going
If your home university questions a course or you spot an error on the transcript, contact the issuing international office in Lithuania quickly — corrections are far easier in the weeks just after results than months later.
Frequently asked
What is a Transcript of Records?+
It's the official document your host university in Lithuania issues at the end of your exchange, listing the courses you took, the ECTS credits and the grades. Your home university uses it to recognise your studies.
Who gives me my Transcript of Records?+
Your Lithuanian host university — usually the international office or your faculty coordinator. Under Erasmus+ rules it should normally be sent within five weeks of your results being published.
Will my credits be recognised automatically?+
Yes, if you passed the courses in your approved Learning Agreement. Erasmus+ rules require home universities to give full automatic recognition of credits agreed in advance and confirmed on the Transcript of Records.
What if I changed my courses during the semester?+
Then you must update the 'During the Mobility' section of your Learning Agreement and have all three parties re-sign it. Only courses on the final, approved agreement are guaranteed recognition.
How are Lithuanian grades converted to my home grades?+
Your home university converts them using the host's grade distribution. Lithuania uses a 1–10 scale; the European Commission recommends the EGRACONS tool for fair conversion, but methods vary, so ask your home coordinator.