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Accrediting your prior learning

Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) allows students who enrol on award bearing taught programmes of study to claim ‘credit' for previous learning.  The previous learning must be relevant to the programme for which you are applying and if successful, the credit will count towards your programme of study.

APL applications can be for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.  Both home/EU and overseas applicants can apply for APL.  It is your responsibility to ensure all evidence and supporting documentation is submitted in English. Translations into English must be certified, with original documents available on request.

APL Process

All applications for APL and subsequent exemptions granted are at the discretion of the Department of Computer Science, and there are maximum APL limits depending on the course of study. These can be supplied upon request.

For all APL requests and supporting evidence, both the experiential and credit learning must have taken place not more than five years before the date of your proposed enrolment.

All applications must be made and approved before your entry on to your specified programme.

All applications must include supporting evidence which you are expected to collect and provide, demonstrating the achievement of learning outcomes to support your APL claim.  All applications will be considered in accordance with the University’s Equality and Diversity policy.

In order to be granted APL, you must be able to demonstrate sufficient evidence that your previous leaning satisfactorily fulfils the requirements of the relevant module(s). For example, this could be through a formal transcript with supporting module information.

APL applications can be made in two ways:

AP(C)L: Accreditation of Prior Certificated Learning

This is learning which has been formally assessed by a recognised institution and for which an academic transcript or equivalent formal documentation is available. 

• You must complete the relevant form: APCL (PDF , 389kb)
• All applications will be considered within four weeks, and we will contact you notifying you of our decision.
• There will be no fee charged for consideration or granting of AP(C)L.

AP(E)L: Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning

This is learning which has been acquired outside formally certified educated or training systems, such as the workplace.

• You must complete the relevant form: initial assessment APEL (PDF , 227kb) or full application APEL (PDF , 289kb)
  
• All AP(E)L requests should normally be received at least six months prior to the start of the programme.
• All initial applications will be responded to within 10 days. If a decision is made that there is grounds for APEL claim, you will be asked to provide more detail.
• There is no fee charged for complete applications. The fee for applications made with assistance from Department will be £385.

All APL enquires and applications should be made to Dawn Forrester, by email to dawn.forrester@cs.york.ac.uk, in the first instance.