Recognition of Prior Learning Procedure

1. Purpose

1.1 The Recognition of Prior Learning Procedure (the procedure) outlines UTS's requirements and processes for granting credit to students for their prior learning.

2. Scope

2.1 This procedure applies to all staff, students, applicants and/or future students (hereafter applicants) wishing to assess or gain credit for prior learning.

3. Principles

3.1 The principles outlined in the Admissions and Recognition of Prior Learning Policy apply for this procedure.

4. Procedure statements

Advice to applicants

4.1 UTS must publish current advice on timelines, types of learning assessed and application processes for students wishing for recognition of prior learning (RPL).

4.2 Eligibility to apply for RPL towards a particular course does not imply or guarantee a place in that course nor the granting of RPL.

4.3 The Director, Student Administration or UTS International will advise applicants of any implications for fees or visa requirements that may arise from having prior learning recognised or the cancellation of previously recognised learning.

4.4 Applicants will be officially notified in writing of the results of their RPL applications by the Director, Student Administration via either the Lifetime Learner Experience Unit (LLEU) or UTS International.

RPL applications process

4.5 Applicants must apply for RPL through the process published at Recognition of prior learning.

4.6 Applicants are responsible for providing all required and/or requested information (including official documentation, course outlines or structures, and translations) to UTS by the prescribed deadlines. In addition, as part of the approval process, students may be required to complete an examination or other form of assessment to test equivalency of their learning.

4.7 Normally, the following documentation is required as part of the request for RPL:

certified copies of academic transcripts or subject results, with an official explanation of the grading system
the appropriate sections from the handbook, official subject information or syllabus (including topics covered, class hours, type of assessment, textbooks) for the year in which the relevant subjects were passed; describing in detail the subjects studied at the previous institution that are being used to apply for credit recognition
official English translations of all documents submitted as part of the application by either a public notary, a UTS registered student recruitment agent or a recognised translation company in the student’s home country. The translated documents need to have the official (translation) seal and must be signed by the translator or by a translator accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI).

4.8 Documentation provided with any application for RPL may be verified by UTS in consultation with the issuing authority. Where documentation cannot be verified, or the issuing authority confirms that the documentation is fraudulent in any way, the Director, Student Administration must be notified. The Director, Student Administration may cancel RPL granted or take action under Rule 5.6 to cancel the offer of admission or enrolment.

4.9 Where an application for RPL includes non-formal learning (including work experience or other life experiences), applicants must normally provide:

a CV or position description that outlines the relevant experience
letter from the applicant’s employers (where recognition is on the basis of work experience)
a letter or reference from the relevant organisation(s)
details of how this experience addresses the course requirements (provided in the UTS Handbook), and/or
any other documentation required for the course as outlined in the UTS Handbook or the relevant faculty’s RPL website.

4.10 Timeframes for domestic and international RPL applicants may differ and should follow the advice published at Recognition of prior learning.

4.11 For all students, RPL applications made after initial enrolment will only be considered at the discretion of the authorised delegate in cases where a student's circumstances have changed. Second or late applications should be submitted:

on the authorised form (refer Recognition of prior learning), and
with a written statement, which must include full disclosure of the initial application and set out the circumstances that prevented an initial application or the changed circumstances that justify a second application.

4.12 Students cannot apply for RPL after final re-enrolment under any circumstances. Students may apply to have approved RPL cancelled up to the point of final re-enrolment.

RPL processing and management

4.13 Faculty boards, in line with the Student Rules, must approve a process for approving RPL, the limits on RPL and the standards by which RPL equivalency is determined, including but not limited to requirements for currency (normally a maximum of 5 years), knowledge requirements, alignment between learning outcomes, the volume of learning, any interview assessment processes, content of study and other learning and assessment approaches.

4.14 Faculties must ensure the integrity of RPL decisions and take appropriate steps to manage perceived or actual conflicts of interest and other related risks. Faculties may require (where appropriate or necessary) authorised delegates to assess RPL applications without identification of, or personal interaction with, the applicant.

4.15 Faculties must record RPL requirements in the Curriculum Management System (CMS). RPL requirements are published in the UTS Handbook and linked to the faculty's RPL website. Faculties must also provide LLEU with any changes to the RPL processes or parameters before the start of each admissions period.

4.16 In cases where one faculty is teaching a subject in the course of another faculty, the teaching faculty is responsible for defining the RPL criteria and process for the taught subject. Decisions regarding RPL can be made either by the teaching faculty, or the faculty that owns the course, in accordance with these RPL criteria.

4.17 Faculties cannot levy fees for assessment of RPL for Commonwealth supported students and domestic fee-paying students.

4.18 Faculties must ensure that a record of RPL precedents is maintained, either by the faculty or other organisational unit on the faculty’s behalf. Where possible, these precedents should be published on faculty websites, including:

UTS subject number, name and version
source university
source subject number, name and its version, year or similar identifier
status: approved/refused
year offered.

4.19 Country Education Profiles or the United Kingdom National Information Centre should be used for assessing equivalency of overseas study. A list of supplementary reference materials maintained by UTS International may also be used for advice to faculties as appropriate.

4.20 When an RPL application is made on the basis of formal learning, it is checked against the faculty’s current precedent records. Where a precedent exists, the application is approved or declined based on the precedent. Where no precedent exists an assessment of the equivalency for RPL is made by the authorised delegate with expertise in the relevant subject.

4.21 Where an application without precedent is assessed by the authorised delegate, the person who does the assessment must not be the same person who does the data entry into CASS (the university’s curriculum and student system).

4.22 When an application for RPL is made on the basis of non-formal learning (any learning that does not have formal or recognised certification that is recognised by a faculty board for RPL), an equivalency assessment should be made by the authorised delegate with expertise in the relevant subject or area.

4.23 When approved by faculty boards, UTS International may assess and approve international students’ RPL applications that are:

covered by an approved external arrangement captured on CASS
based on precedent data and specific faculty board directions.

4.24 UTS International will check applications for completeness and seek additional information from applicants if required.

4.25 UTS International must refer applications to the relevant authorised delegate for assessment if they fall:

outside the approved external arrangements captured on CASS, or
outside precedent data and faculty board directions, or
in any case of doubt.

4.26 For the purpose of monitoring RPL trends, LLEU or relevant faculty administration will, if requested, provide summary reports to responsible academic officers (RAOs) and course coordinators on the RPL granted by course (from the relevant student system report) at the end of each admissions round.

Articulation arrangements, pathways, international arrangements

4.27 External courses may be recognised by UTS through an articulation arrangement via written agreement with an external provider (refer Admissions and Recognition of Prior Learning Policy).

4.28 Applicants covered by articulation arrangements or pathway programs must submit all required or requested information (including certified or official documentation or translations as requested).

4.29 Where the articulation arrangement and submission procedures are governed by a written agreement between UTS and a partner institution, the applications must follow the procedures as described in the agreement.

4.30 Faculties must submit applications for, and maintain the currency of, articulation arrangements with external institutions via the CMS.

4.31 UTS International is able to receive, process and approve RPL applications for international students covered by an approved external arrangement captured on CASS.

4.32 Faculty boards may authorise UTS International to receive, process and approve RPL applications of international applicants based on precedent data and approved faculty board directions.

4.33 UTS International and LLEU will:

check applications for completeness and seek additional information from applicants if required
refer applications to the faculty-authorised delegate (refer UTS Delegations) for assessment if the applications fall outside the approved external arrangements captured on CASS, the precedent data or outside faculty board directions.

Concurrent study recognition

4.34 Students who wish to undertake concurrent study must complete the application for concurrent study form available at Concurrent study.

4.35 Students who complete subjects at another institution while enrolled at UTS, without prior approval for concurrent study, may not have RPL granted.

4.36 Once concurrent study has been approved by the authorised delegate, the student is issued with a concurrent study notification by LLEU, which includes the name of the host institution, the subject(s) to be attempted at the host institution and the UTS subject(s) or unspecified credit that will be granted.

4.37 Students on concurrent study at another institution (including exchange arrangements) must comply with all rules and regulations of the host institution and comply with UTS's Student Declaration.

4.38 On successful completion of the subjects at the host institution, students should submit the necessary documentation to the Student Centre (refer Recognition of prior learning) so that the credit can be transferred to the UTS student record.

4.39 Subjects successfully completed are added to the UTS student record as a subject exemption. No mark is recorded and the subjects do not contribute to the calculation of level of award or the grade point average.

Course transfer

4.40 If a student transfers between UTS courses or has completed previous studies at UTS (including UTS microcredentials), they may be entitled to have subjects automatically credited to their current course.

4.41 If RPL is not automatically applied, the student will be required to go through the process outlined at Recognition of prior learning.

Unavailable documentation

4.42 Refugees and applicants applying under the humanitarian access support package, who cannot provide documentation of previous educational qualifications, must provide a statutory declaration and any supplementary assessments as required under the provisions of the scheme (refer Admissions Procedure).

Cancellation of RPL

4.43 Students who wish to cancel their RPL for academic or other reasons may apply in writing following the process at Recognition of prior learning. The Director, Student Administration will refer the application for consideration and decision by the RAO in accordance with Rule 6.3.2.

4.44 Under Rule 5.6 previously recognised learning may be cancelled or action may be taken if false or misleading documentation is submitted. An offer of admission or enrolment may be cancelled.

Records management

4.45 All original documents (for example, processed application forms and supporting documentation) must be sent to LLEU and managed in line with the Records Management Policy.

5. Roles and responsibilities

5.1 Procedure owner: The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education and Students) is responsible for approval and enforcement of this procedure under the Admissions and Recognition of Prior Learning Policy.

5.2 Procedure contact: The Director, Student Administration, the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Global Partnerships), deans and/or faculty board chairs are responsible for the implementation of this procedure and act as primary points of contact for advice on implementing its provisions.

5.3 Implementation and governance roles:

Authorised delegates are responsible for approving or rejecting applications for RPL in accordance with this procedure, the Admissions and Recognition of Prior Learning Policy and the Delegations.

Faculty boards are responsible for setting specific RPL requirements, ensuring that a systematic approach to assuring the quality of RPL processes and decisions is established and for monitoring the broad trends related to RPL.

6. Definitions

The definitions outlined in the Admissions and Recognition of Prior Learning Policy and Schedule 1, Student Rules apply for this procedure. Definitions in the singular include the plural meaning of the word.

Curriculum Management System (CMS) is defined in the Course Approval Policy.

Approval information

Procedure contacts	Director, Student Administration Director, UTS International
Approval authority	Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education and Students)
Review date	2025
File number	UR19/1203
Superseded documents	Credit Recognition Procedures 2011 (UR10/990)

Version history

Version	Approved by	Approval date	Effective date	Sections modified
1.0	Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education and Students)	11/04/2019	16/05/2019	New procedures.
1.1	Director, Governance Support Unit	22/05/2020	27/05/2020	Addition of the RPL process for international students and transfer between courses to reflect current practice.
1.2	Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education and Students)	05/10/2021	27/10/2021	Updates and corrections to the RPL process, course transfer and articulation arrangements.
1.3	Deputy Director, Corporate Governance (Delegation 3.14.2)	05/04/2023	19/04/2023	Amendments to reflect new position of Director, Student Administration in the Lifetime Learner Experience Unit.
1.4	Director, Governance Support Unit (Delegation 3.14.1)	21/11/2024	01/12/2024	Changes to refer to new Course Approval Policy and Course Approval and Publication Procedure and associated Curriculum Management System (CMS) references.