Credit for Prior Learning Explained

Imagine paying for a college course in project management after ten years of managing projects, or a course in basic accounting after years of keeping a small business's books. Many adult students find themselves in exactly this position: asked to learn what they already know. Credit for prior learning, sometimes called prior learning assessment, exists to fix that.

It lets colleges award credit for college-level knowledge gained outside the classroom, saving time and money. But the system is uneven, the rules are fussy and the best methods differ by college. This guide explains how it works and how to use it well.

Policies differ widely by institution and country, and change over time. This guide uses no figures and is general information. Always get the details from the college and the policy in writing.

What it is

Credit for prior learning means that a college recognizes that you have learned something at college level, through work, training, military service, volunteering, self-study or other experience, and awards credit toward a degree. The key points are:

• Credit is awarded for learning, not for experience alone. You must show what you know and can do, not just how long you have done it.
• It must match college-level outcomes. The knowledge needs to correspond to what a course teaches.
• It is awarded by the college, following its own policies and standards.
• It applies to your degree, within limits.

It is not a gift, but it can be a major shortcut for people with real expertise.

The main routes

Not every college offers every route. Our guide to transferring credits into an online degree explains how credits from earlier college study are evaluated, which is a related but different process.

Portfolio assessment

A portfolio is a collection of documents and writing that shows what you have learned.

A typical portfolio includes:

• A description of the course or learning outcomes you are claiming credit for.
• A narrative that explains how you gained the knowledge and what you can do.
• Evidence, such as work samples, reports, certificates, performance reviews and letters from employers.
• A resume and, sometimes, a description of relevant training.

Assessors, often faculty in the subject, decide whether it demonstrates college-level learning. Portfolios can take significant time to prepare, so ask whether the college offers a course or workshop on portfolio development, and what the fees are.

Tips:

• Be specific. Describe actual projects, decisions and results.
• Match the outcomes. Read the course description, and show how your learning meets each point.
• Include evidence, not just claims.
• Ask for examples of successful portfolios, if available.
• Start early, since assessment takes time.

Challenge exams

A challenge exam lets you earn credit by demonstrating knowledge directly.

• Ask which courses allow it. Some departments do, others do not.
• Find out what the exam covers, and get a study guide or syllabus.
• Check fees and deadlines, and how many attempts are allowed.
• Prepare properly, even if you know the subject, since the exam may include theory and terminology you have not used.

If you pass, the course is marked as completed, and you move on to the next one.

Standardized exams

Many colleges accept results from recognized subject exams, which cover areas such as math, science, languages, business and humanities.

• Check which exams your college accepts, and what scores are needed.
• Check which courses they replace.
• Compare costs. Exam fees are often much lower than tuition for the course.
• Check testing locations, schedules and formats, including online options.

These exams can be useful when you have studied a subject on your own, or when a class would repeat what you know.

Evaluated training

Many organizations run training that has been formally evaluated for college credit.

• Employer training programs may have been reviewed by evaluation services.
• Military training and experience may be recognized for credit. Our guide to using the GI Bill describes education benefits for service members in the US, and military credit is a separate but related topic.
• Professional certifications may count toward some degrees.

Ask your HR department or training provider whether their courses have been evaluated, and ask the college whether it accepts that evaluation. Bring certificates and course descriptions.

Finding out what your college offers

1. Search the college website for "prior learning," "experiential learning," "credit by exam" and "military credit."
2. Ask an adviser, especially one who works with adult students.
3. Ask about limits, fees and deadlines.
4. Ask for the policy in writing.
5. Ask how credit appears on your transcript.
6. Ask whether credit is accepted by other colleges, if you may transfer.

Policies vary a lot. A college that offers extensive options may be a better fit for a mature student with substantial experience.

Limits and rules

• Caps: most colleges limit the number of credits earned this way, and may require a minimum number of credits through study with them.
• Eligibility: you may need to be enrolled or admitted before applying.
• Application to your degree: credits may count as general electives or toward specific requirements.
• Fees: many colleges charge assessment fees, though these are often lower than tuition.
• Transferability: credit earned this way may not be accepted at other colleges, so check if you may move.
• Financial aid: aid rules for credit earned through prior learning vary. Ask the aid office.
• Quality: the credit must meet the college's standards, and not every experience qualifies.

Cost and savings

Prior learning credit can save substantial time and money, but costs and savings depend on your situation.

• Compare the fee for assessment with the tuition for the course.
• Count the time saved, which may let you graduate sooner and return to full earning.
• Count the effort, since a portfolio can take many hours.
• Check the risk: if the assessment does not award credit, will you be refunded or will you still have to take the course?

When it is worth it

It tends to be worth pursuing when:

• You have substantial, well-documented expertise that matches college courses.
• The courses are costly or time-consuming.
• The college has a clear process.
• The credit will count toward your degree, not only as electives.

It may be less useful when:

• Your experience is broad but shallow.
• The credit would only count as general electives you do not need.
• The assessment fee is close to the cost of the course.
• You plan to transfer to a college that will not accept it.

Mistakes to avoid

• Assuming experience equals credit.
• Applying without checking the policy.
• Leaving it until late in your degree. Many colleges require you to complete it early or before a certain point.
• Paying for outside exams without checking acceptance.
• Submitting vague portfolios.
• Not keeping records of training and work.
• Assuming other colleges will accept it.

A worked example

Imagine a woman who has managed a team of twelve in a logistics firm for eight years and wants a degree in business. She asks an adviser about prior learning and learns that her college offers portfolio assessment for several management courses. She attends a short workshop on portfolios, collects performance reviews, project reports and training certificates and writes a narrative linked to each course's outcomes. Assessors award credit for two courses. She also takes a standardized exam for a math requirement, and passes.

By checking the options early, she shortened her degree by several terms.

Common questions

Will it appear on my transcript? Usually, often marked as credit by assessment. Check how it is shown.

Can I use it for any course? Not usually. Colleges select which courses can be assessed.

Can it replace my entire degree? No. Colleges require a significant portion to be completed through study with them.

A quick checklist

• Have I asked my college about prior learning options and limits?
• Do I have documents to prove my experience and training?
• Do I know the fees and deadlines?
• Have I compared the cost and effort with taking the course?
• Do I know how the credit will count toward my degree?

Final thoughts

Credit for prior learning rewards people who have learned the hard way. It is not automatic, and it takes preparation, but it can save months or years. Ask early, gather evidence and compare the costs. Used well, it turns years of work into progress toward the qualification you want.