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The EQF is the European Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning (EQF), which aims to “improve the transparency, comparability, and transferability of qualifications.” Programs at the bachelor’s level are classified as Level 6, while those at the master’s level are classified as Level 7.

ISCED-P is the program level to which the micro-credential is assigned in the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED), which is UNESCO’s reference and classification system. In somewhat greater detail than in the EQF, a distinction is made between the“program level”(ISCED-P) and the “level of education” (ISCED-A). A program may be at ISCED-P Level 7 (i.e., at the master’s level), but if it takes less time than the standard stipulates, the person who has completed it has not yet reached educational level ISCED-A 7, but is one level below, i.e., 6. This applies to micro-credentials. This means:

If you complete an MC at ISCED-P Level 7, you may not list “Master’s” as your “highest level of education completed” (unless, of course, you have already earned a “real” Master’s degree elsewhere). The same applies to MCs at the bachelor’s level (ISCED-P Level 6, but ISCED-A Level 5).

In all courses that make up the MC, the course instructor must conduct a formal assessment of whether the learning outcomes have been achieved. This assessment is graded using the “school grading system,” similar to the courses in the degree programs. Simply acknowledging attendance in a course is not sufficient to earn an MC.

Exams can be administered as “open book” or “closed book,” as well as “online” or “on-site.”

Micro-credentials are typically worth 5–15 ECTS credits, which generally corresponds to two to five courses. Once you have successfully completed all the courses that make up the learning path, you will receive your micro-credential—in the form of a printed certificate and a digital badge.

Individual courses must have been completed within a 5-year period in order to count toward a micro-credential.

Yes, you can take as many courses—and thus earn as many micro-credentials—as you’d like. (Some courses do have enrollment limits, though.) Keep in mind: Sometimes there’s a recommended order in which to take the courses. And sometimes there’s a mandatory order.

If the MC is earned as part of a degree program, the relevant admission requirements apply. MCs offered as standalone short programs are considered “attendance in individual courses”; no formal admission requirements (e.g., completion of a qualification at a specific ISCED level) need to be met for these.

Subject-specific prerequisites (“relevant qualifications or knowledge”) may be required, and proof of fulfillment may be necessary. You can always find the prerequisites listed directly on the respective MC’s website.

During the winter semester, the various application deadlines run from August through October and vary depending on the micro-credential. You can find the latest deadline for applying to your micro-credential on the page for that specific micro-credential.