Course credit can help shorten your study time. Subjects you’ve studied or areas you’ve worked in could be counted as part of the course you’re applying for if they’ve helped you develop relevant knowledge and skills.
Course credit might also be referred to as:
- Credit transfer
- Exemption
- Articulation arrangement
- Advanced standing
How does it work?
Course credit value depends on the kind of study you want to do, the study you've already done and the qualifications and experience you already have.
TAFE and Registered Training Organisations (RTOs)
A national qualification from a TAFE or RTO will be recognised at any other TAFE or RTO in Australia.
VE&T subjects can give you credit points to some TAFE and uni courses.
Check out the Way to Go VE&T website for more info (new window).
Pre-apprenticeship courses
Pre-apprenticeship courses go for eight to 16 weeks and teach you the basic skills of your trade. Doing a pre-apprenticeship course can cut down your apprenticeship time by three to 12 months in some industries.
To find out more about apprenticeships check out our Apprenticeships & traineeships section.
Pre-enrolment courses
Pre-enrolment courses can introduce you to a particular area of study (e.g. nursing) and give you a head start on the skills you’ll learn in the actual course.
For example, if you do a diploma at TAFE it could count for one year of full-time study in a similar degree at university.
To find out whether the TAFE course that you are doing (or have done) can count towards another TAFE course or a university course, contact the administrators at the uni or TAFE you're interested in. Contact details for Victorian universities can be found at the EdNA website (new window). Contact details for Victorian TAFEs can be found at the online TAFE courses directory (new window)
Pathways programs
Pathways programs (sometimes called "foundation programs") are offered by universities or associated private training providers to help students get accepted into their chosen uni degree.
This is a good option if you didn’t get the marks you needed for entry to a course. Some pathways programs will give you credit towards the course you want to do and others are qualifications in their own right.
Contact the university you want to enrol in to find out if they offer pathways programs.
Changing area of study
If you transfer from one course to another at the same uni or TAFE you can receive credit points for relevant subjects. You should discuss your options with your course coordinator before applying.
Changing place of study
Universities and TAFEs will give you credit for study you’ve completed at other institutions if the topics you’ve covered are similar. For info on how to apply you’ll need to check with the coordinator of the course you’re planning to enrol in.
For some case studies of successful credit transfer between different universities, check out the Flinders University website (new window).
Overseas study
Some universities will allow overseas study to count towards your degree. For example, if you enrol in a four-week intensive language class in Shanghai this could equal a year’s worth of Chinese classes at uni in Melbourne.
Talk to your course coordinator to find out what opportunities are available to you. You can also check out the Studying overseas page in our Travel & Transport section.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
If you haven’t completed the formal education or training required for entry to a course, you might be able to get recognition of your prior learning. This means other learning that you might have done at school or as part of a job you've had in the past.
RPL is also known as Recognition of Current Competency (RCC). It can be combined with other forms of course credit. For more details on how RPL works check out the info provided on the Box Hill Institute website (new window).
