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CREDIT FOR PRIOR LEARNING

 

Welcome!
Students enter college with various levels of knowledge, lived and learning experiences, and prior earned credits through traditional and non-traditional pathways. We are dedicated to supporting you in understanding the process and your options to receiving credit for your prior learning.

As you review the information below, if you have questions, please contact our Credit for Prior Learning Liason for individualized guidance!

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ADVANCED PLACEMENT CREDIT

Students enrolled at the University of Utah who received scores of 3, 4, or 5 on a high school Advanced Placement (AP) exam can earn university credit. AP scores must be sent from the College Board directly to the U.

NOTE: Exam equivalencies are subject to change without notice.

AP EXAM EQUIVALENCY GUIDES AP PLACEMENT VIDEO GUIDE

CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT

Students who have taken college level classes while in high school or before attending the University of Utah must make arrangements for official college or university transcripts to be sent to the Office of Admissions.

NOTE: Use the Transfer Equivalency Guide to identify how credits will transfer.

UTAH CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT INFOTRANSFER CREDIT EQUIVALENCY GUIDE

IB EXAM CREDIT

Students enrolled at the University of Utah who achieve a qualifying score on International Baccalaureate (IB) exams, as determined by the Utah System of Higher Education, can be awarded university credit. 

The Office of Admissions will review and post International Baccalaureate (IB) exams for matriculated students once the official scores have been received by the office. 

IB EXAM EQUIVALENCY GUIDESIB EVALUATION FORM

LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY CREDIT

The Department of World Languages & Cultures (WLC) considers a student's prior language experience when placing them in language courses. They offer virtual language placement testing for students who would like to identify the appropriate language class for a future semester or who would like to purchase lower-division language credits. Students with prior language experience are encouraged to research this option!

PURCHASING LANGUAGE CREDITsLANGUAGE PLACEMENT INFO

TRANSFER CREDIT

Students who have taken college level classes after graduating high school will transfer these credits to the University of Utah. You worked hard in your transfer classes. Be sure the credits are being used to fill as many U of U requirements as possible!

PREPARE TO TRANSFERTRANSFER CREDIT EQUIVALENCY GUIDE

JOINT SERVICE TRANSCRIPT (JST)

The University of Utah accepts credit for military training as listed on a Joint Services Transcript (JST). As JST credit is considered voluntary, students must send an official copy of their transcript and meet with an academic advisor to discuss potential credit and determine if and when they might post credits.

  1. 1. Send your JST to the Office of Admissions.
  2. 2. Admissions will evaluate your credits and prepare a JST Worksheet. This will show possible transferrable credits and any credits that may fulfill general education or baccalaureate degree requirements. An email will be sent to you once your JST Worksheet has been created. This email will include the JST Worksheet attached.
  3. 3. Review the attached JST worksheet to see your potential credits. Your JST will have been already been evaluated for General Education and Baccalaureate Degree requirements. Your JST has not yet been evaluated for potential major degree requirements.
  4. 4. Make an appointment with an advisor in your major. They will discuss how accepting this credit might affect your major requirements.
  5. 5. Schedule an  JST Credits appointment. Our advisor will help you understand the potential benefits posting credits and help you to determine a timeline for posting.
  6. 6. To post credits you and your advisors will sign your JST Worksheet.
  7. 7. Return the signed Worksheet to the Office of Admissions in the Student Services Building Rm 250S.

PORTFOLIO-BASED
ASSESSMENT 

Portfolio-based assessment of prior learning is a rigorous process by which a student earns college credit by demonstrating mastery of the learning outcomes of an existing course in the current University of Utah catalog. A portfolio is a collection of materials that provides evidence of that learning. Credit is determined by faculty and awarded for verifiable college-level learning gained and learning outcomes met through experience—not for the experience itself. 

MORE INFORMATIONEligibility Form

COLLEGE LEVEL EXAMINATION PROGRAM (CLEP) CREDIT

The College Level Examination Program allows individuals to test out of introductory college level courses. CLEP offers 34 exams in over 2,000 testing centers nationwide and available to complete virtually, too. Students enrolled at the University of Utah who receive a passing score on approved CLEP exams found in the equivalency guides below can earn 3 or more credit hours per exam. Credit is not awarded if duplicated by previous coursework or exams.


MORE INFORMATIONCLEP EXAM EQUIVALENCY GUIDES

CHALLENGE A COURSE FOR CREDIT

Challenging a university course allows you to earn college credit by demonstrating sufficient knowledge of the course material without attending the class or completing the coursework.

 

MORE INFORMATION

A and AS LEVEL EXAM CREDIT

Students who are enrolled at the University of Utah and have attained grades ranging from A-E on Advanced Subsidiary (AS) or Advanced (A) level examinations may be eligible to receive transfer credits.

MORE INFORMATION

 

Have Questions? Reach out!

As students explore how their prior learning might qualify for college credit, our team of
academic advisors are here to guide students through their options!


*August 13th - August 22nd, we are holding drop-in advising to support students in the the first week of the semester.
Submit a quest below in "ask a question", stop by the Student Services Building 450, or call our office at 801-581-8146.

ask a question    schedule an appointment

Last Updated: 9/11/25