Recognition of prior learning – RPL

Have you passed equivalent subjects elsewhere?

Credit | Recognised Prior Learning | Advanced Standing | Articulation Agreements

Referred to as ‘recognition of prior learning (RPL)’, ‘credit transfers’, or ‘advanced standing’, applicants who can demonstrate successful completion of equivalent subjects at a recognised institution may be eligible for credit towards study at ICMS. (Note: exemptions are only granted for subjects studied at diploma or undergraduate level.)

• Advanced standing is a form of credit for any previous learning.
• Block credit is credit granted for components or groups of subjects within a course as part of an articulation agreement or on an individual basis subject to satisfying AQF level criteria.
• Credit is the value assigned for the recognition of equivalence in content and learning outcomes between different types of learning and/or qualifications. Credit reduces the amount of learning required to achieve a qualification and may be through credit transfer, articulation, recognition of prior learning or advanced standing.
• Credit transfer is a process that provides students with agreed and consistent credit outcomes for components of a qualification based on identified equivalence in content and learning outcomes between matched qualifications.
• Recognition of prior learning (RPL) is an assessment process that involves assessment of an individual’s relevant prior learning (including formal, informal and non-formal learning) to determine the credit outcomes of an individual application for credit.
• Specified credit is credit granted towards particular or specific components of a qualification or course of study.
• Unspecified credit is granted towards elective components of a course, where an exact or near exact subject equivalence cannot be determined.

View our Advanced Standing Policy and Procedures or contact contact [email protected].

Agreements with Other Institutions

• Articulation Agreements are formal partnerships between at least two institutions of higher education. The goal is to create a seamless transfer for students. A number of articulation agreements exist between ICMS and external partner institutions whereby students completing a designated program of study at the partner institution can receive credit upon their commencement to a designated course at ICMS. Search our website to find out if an agreement exists with your current place of study. If you can’t find your institution and would like to find out if you can receive credit for prior learning, contact [email protected].

Refer to the Articulations, Agreements and Institutional Alliances Policy for more information on articulation agreements.

Don’t have the educational qualifications sufficient for an offer of admission into your chosen course, but have other relevant work and life skills and experience that make you a suitable candidate?

ICMS encourages lifelong learning and provides the opportunity to have students’ previous learning recognised for advanced standing in their course of study. The Institution is committed to ensuring fair, transparent and flexible advanced standing arrangements in order to award credit for prior learning while maintaining its commitment to ensure the integrity of learning outcomes.

ICMS recognises the following forms of prior learning:

• Informal learning is learning gained through work-related, social, family, hobby or leisure activities and experiences. Unlike ‘formal’ and ‘non-formal’ learning, ‘informal learning’ is not organised or externally structured in terms of objectives, time or learning support.
• Non-formal learning is learning that is undertaken through a structured program of learning but does not lead to a formally recognised qualification.

View the Advanced Standing Policy or contact [email protected] for further information.