"Credit" as measurement unit

At universities, every course has a value in “credits”. This word refers to the number of hours per class that each academic subject is scheduled per week and the type of hours (practice or theory hours).

For instance, an academic subject with 3 theory hours per week is equivalent to 3 credits but one with 3 theory hours and 2 practice hours per week is equivalent to 4 credits because practice hours equate half a credit. Therefore, when a student is enrolled in 18 credits, theory and practice hours per week are considered.

At PUCP, students take 2 semesters per year. Each semester lasts 17 weeks. A shorter summer semester is also available. During a semester, a student enrolls in different academic subjects and each one has a value in credits. According to the number of credits, the payment per semester is determined.

After the first semester of studies, every student decides the number of courses (credits) he/she will enroll in.

Only during the first semester of studies, the student is enrolled in a fix number of academic subjects (credits). Then, the student shall decide the number of courses to enroll in according to the specific regulations on the maximum and minimum number of credits the university establishes.

Credit value and enrollment fees: tuition fees category

PUCP offers a Tuition Fees System to give access to students with different socioeconomic categories for more than 40 years. Since 2017, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú has had 9 different categories of payment.

Categories 1 to 8 have a certain percentage of University subsidy; categories 1, 2 and 3 have an exceptional and temporary status, reserved to students with lower incomes.

On the other hand, the tuition payment in category 9 is covered in full (without PUCP subsidy) by the parents or the people responsible for the student’s education.

Category	Credit value	Enrollment fee	20 credits Payment fee*
9	S/ 1 008.20	S/ 391.20	S/ 4 110
8	S/ 928.20	S/ 360.70	S/ 3 790
7	S/ 832.90	S/ 324.50	S/ 3 400
6	S/ 729.20	S/ 285.10	S/ 2 980
5	S/ 623.20	S/ 244.80	S/ 2 550
4	S/ 520.20	S/ 205.70	S/ 2 120
3	S/ 424.40	S/ 169.30	S/ 1 730
2	S/ 338.30	S/ 136.50	S/ 1 380
1	S/ 263.80	S/ 108.30	S/ 1 080

(*) Referential amounts calculated based on 20 credits in an academic semester and with values applied in the year 2019.

It should be noted that at PUCP there are not different costs per academic program.