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Semester To Quarter Credit Converter

Convert college credits between semester and quarter systems with the standard 1 semester = 1.5 quarter unit ratio.

About this tool

Semester To Quarter Credit Converter

Convert college credits between semester and quarter systems with the standard 1 semester = 1.5 quarter unit ratio.

The Semester To Quarter Credit Converter translates college credits between the semester and quarter systems using the standard US registrar ratio of 1 semester credit = 1.5 quarter credits, which follows from the ~15-week semester versus ~10-week quarter term length. It works in both directions and shows what share of a typical bachelor's degree (120 semester or 180 quarter credits) your credits represent. It is built for transfer students moving between quarter-system schools (like many UC and Washington campuses) and semester-system schools.

How to use Semester To Quarter Credit Converter

  1. 1

    Open Semester To Quarter Credit Converter on AltFTool — it loads instantly in your browser.

  2. 2

    Type the figure into 'Credits to convert' — the field steps in 0.5 — and set Direction to 'Semester → quarter' or 'Quarter → semester'.

  3. 3

    Press 'Swap direction' to flip the conversion and carry the converted number back into the input as the new starting figure.

  4. 4

    The equivalent credits appear immediately with 'Ratio used' (1 semester credit = 1.5 quarter credits) and 'Share of a typical US bachelor's', above a 'Common equivalents' table; Copy result copies the conversion.

Why use Semester To Quarter Credit Converter

  • Standard registrar ratio

    Uses the 1 : 1.5 semester-to-quarter conversion published by university transfer offices.

  • Both directions

    Semester to quarter and quarter to semester, with a one-tap swap.

  • Degree context

    Shows your credits as a percentage of a typical 120/180-credit bachelor's.

Common use cases

  • A community-college student on semesters checking how 60 semester credits land at a quarter-system university (90 quarter credits)
  • A UC transfer applicant converting 90 quarter credits back to the 60 semester credits an out-of-state school expects
  • A degree auditor verifying that a mixed transcript still totals the 120-semester-credit graduation requirement

Frequently asked questions

How do I convert semester credits to quarter credits?

Multiply by 1.5 — so a 3-semester-credit course equals 4.5 quarter credits, and 60 semester credits equal 90 quarter credits. The ratio comes from term length: a semester runs about 15 weeks against a quarter's 10, so each semester credit represents 1.5 times the instructional weeks.

How many quarter credits equal a bachelor's degree?

About 180 quarter credits, which is the same workload as the 120 semester credits required at semester-system schools. Both represent roughly four years at 15 credits per term in the respective system.

Do I lose credits transferring from a quarter to a semester school?

The arithmetic itself loses nothing — 90 quarter credits convert to exactly 60 semester credits. Losses happen at the course level: a 4-quarter-credit course becomes 2.67 semester credits, which may fall short of a 3-credit requirement, and the receiving school decides how fractional credits and course equivalencies are treated.

Which US universities use the quarter system?

A minority and shrinking group, including most University of California undergraduate campuses (except Berkeley and Merced), the University of Washington, Oregon State, Stanford and many Washington/Oregon community colleges. The large majority of US institutions run semesters, which is why this conversion appears in almost every transfer evaluation.

Embed this tool on your site

Add the Semester To Quarter Credit Converter widget to your blog or website — free, responsive, no signup. Just keep the “Widget by AltFTool” credit link visible.

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