Quick answer
Terms remaining = ⌈(credits needed − credits completed) ÷ credits per term⌉. Needing 120, with 45 done and 15 per term, leaves 75 credits, which is exactly 5 terms.
Enter the credits required to graduate, the credits you have, and how many you take each term. The calculator rounds up to whole terms. It counts how many more course terms you need to finish your degree credits.
Related tools: Study Hours Calculator: Weekly study time from credits and hours per credit.
How to use the Course Credit Calculator
- Enter credits needed to graduate (above 0).
- Enter credits completed (0 or more).
- Enter credits per term (above 0).
- Press Calculate to see the result, and use Reset to start again.
| Input | What to enter | Allowed values |
|---|---|---|
| Credits needed to graduate | A number | > 0 |
| Credits completed | A number | ≥ 0 |
| Credits per term | A number | > 0 |
Formula and method
Formula
terms = ⌈(needed − completed) ÷ credits per term⌉
IEEE-754 double precision; shown to the decimals indicated.
Counts full terms of the load you enter.
Worked examples
These examples are verified: each one is an automated test case that the live calculator must reproduce exactly.
Example 1
Inputs: Credits needed to graduate = 120; Credits completed = 45; Credits per term = 15.
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Terms remaining | 5 terms |
| Credits remaining | 75 |
Example 2
Inputs: Credits needed to graduate = 60; Credits completed = 60; Credits per term = 12.
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Terms remaining | 0 terms |
| Credits remaining | 0 |
Example 3
Inputs: Credits needed to graduate = 90; Credits completed = 20; Credits per term = 13.5.
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Terms remaining | 6 terms |
| Credits remaining | 70 |
The first line is the headline result (terms remaining). Below it the course Credit Calculator lists credits remaining, which describe the same case from other angles. IEEE-754 double precision; shown to the decimals indicated.
Why the answer rounds up
You cannot enrol in a fraction of a term, so 75 ÷ 15 = 5 is exact, but 78 remaining credits would show 6 terms, with a lighter final term.
What it leaves out
It does not know prerequisites, course availability, summer sessions or credit that will not transfer. Treat the output as a lower bound on the schedule and confirm the real plan with an academic adviser.
How the result changes with credits needed to graduate
Holding every other input at the first worked example, this table changes only credits needed to graduate. It shows how sensitive the answer is to that one value; each row was produced by running this calculator.
| Credits needed to graduate | Terms remaining | Credits remaining |
|---|---|---|
| 60 | 1 terms | 15 |
| 120 | 5 terms | 75 |
| 240 | 13 terms | 195 |
| 480 | 29 terms | 435 |
What happens with invalid input
These messages are produced by the calculator itself, so you know what to fix.
- Credits needed to graduate: entering "0" shows "Credits needed to graduate must be greater than 0." beside that field and no result.
- Credits per term: entering "0" shows "Credits per term must be greater than 0." beside that field and no result.
Choosing between the Course Credit Calculator and similar calculators
Each row shows what a related calculator on this site asks for and what it returns, so you can pick the one that matches your question.
| Calculator | You enter | It returns |
|---|---|---|
| [Study Hours Calculator](/education/study-hours-calculator/) | credits this term and study hours per credit per week | Study time |
| [Food Waste Percentage Calculator](/cooking/food-waste-percentage-calculator/) | food wasted and total food | Food waste |
| [Portion Size Calculator](/cooking/portion-size-calculator/) | total amount of food and people | Per person |
| [Budget Calculator](/finance/budget-calculator/) | monthly income, housing and food | Left over each month |
| [College Cost Calculator](/finance/college-cost-calculator/) | annual cost today, years until study starts and annual cost increase | Projected total cost |
Assumptions and limitations
- Zero if already complete
If a required value is empty, not a number, or outside its allowed range, the form marks that field with a message and shows no result instead of a misleading number. The automated checks deliberately try invalid entries for credits needed to graduate and credits per term to confirm this.
Frequently asked questions
How many credits is a bachelor's degree?
Many US programs require about 120, but programs differ; use your degree audit.
Can I include summer terms?
Yes: treat each summer term as a term and use its credit load, or run the calculation with the credits per regular term and adjust.
What if the result is fractional?
It is rounded up to whole terms because you cannot attend a partial term.
What does the Course Credit Calculator calculate?
Terms left to graduate from credits needed and taken per term. It returns Terms remaining and Credits remaining.
What formula does the Course Credit Calculator use?
terms = ⌈(needed − completed) ÷ credits per term⌉. Counts full terms of the load you enter.
What do I need to enter in the course Credit Calculator?
You enter Credits needed to graduate, Credits completed and Credits per term.
How is the result rounded or limited?
IEEE-754 double precision; shown to the decimals indicated. Zero if already complete.
What is an example of a course Credit result?
With credits needed to graduate 120, credits completed 45 and credits per term 15, the terms remaining is 5 terms.
Related calculators
- Study Hours Calculator — Weekly study time from credits and hours per credit.
- Event Capacity Calculator — Guests that fit in a space at a space-per-person allowance you choose.
Sources
- OpenStax, Prealgebra 2e (Rice University): fractions, decimals, percents, ratios and rounding
- NIST Special Publication 811, Guide for the Use of the International System of Units (SI)
Content last reviewed 2026-11-04. Formulas and worked examples are checked by automated tests against independently computed values.