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Applying for Credit / Exemptions

Students wishing to apply for credit / exemptions can do so on the basis of:

  • previous formal post-secondary studies taken at another educational institution or in another sector or in another course or
  • Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) in recognition of skills and knowledge gained through work experience, life experience and/or formal training.

Note: Study undertaken within the last 10 years can be considered for exemption.

Students who are registered into one of our degree courses are eligible to seek an exemption. Please fill in the exemption form and attach relevant documentation.

Students wishing to have their exemptions assessed and are not registered for the degree need to complete an exemption assessment form. Please note that there is a $50 assessment fee.

Applications will not be considered without the relevant documentary evidence and verified translations must accompany documents in languages other than English. The relevant documentary evidence includes:

  • a certified copy* of the previous academic record and
  • syllabus details / course outlines of the units already studied which are the basis of the application OR
  • details of the work experience on which the application is based.

* A certified copy is a photocopy that has been verified as a true copy of the original - signed and stamped with an official stamp - by a person in any of the following positions of authority: Minister of religion, Medical doctor, Member of the police force or Notary public. This documentation must be forwarded by mail - not faxed .

Within the context of studies through Open Universities Australia an exemption can be either:

  • A matched exemption, where a student is exempted from a particular unit
  • an unmatched exemption, where a student is given an exemption/s which is not linked to any particular unit/s (it is often given in the form of credit points or exemption from elective requirements of a course)

Note: The undergraduate degrees can contain unmatched exemptions, however, the postgraduate degrees cannot.

When an exemption in a unit is granted, the student will not be required to take that unit within a course.

To apply for credit, please send certified copies of relevant transcripts, Award certificates and unit descriptions, including the textbook used, to:

OUA Exemptions Coordinator
Swinburne University of Technology
Locked Bag 218
Lilydale Victoria Australia 3140

Please note:

  • A reference to a relevant web page is also acceptable.
  • If a degree has been commenced/completed and the degree structure is not in the format of a total of 24 units each of equal weight (12.5 credit points), please also include an overview of your degree structure.
  • Please allow up to 3 weeks for an assessment to be completed.

RPL

The Swinburne University Policy and Procedures Recognition of Prior Learning can be found at:

http://www.swinburne.edu.au/corporate/registrar/ppd/docs/RecognitionofPriorLearningHigherEducatio.pdf

A toolkit for RPL is located at http://www.lilydale.swinburne.edu.au/students/rpl.htm