Related links
Credit for previous study
How to apply
Before you start, make sure you have the required information and supporting documents ready as we can't process your application if it doesn't meet our requirements.
The way you apply for credit depends on your circumstances:
Follow these steps if you're a current University of Sydney student. This includes if you've recently accepted your offer, and you're applying for credit for study completed at another institution.
If you were pre-approved for study abroad or cross-institutional study, you'll need to select one of those options instead.
1. Create the application
- Log in to Sydney Student.
- Go to 'My studies', then 'Course details'.
- Select 'Apply for credit and/or reduced volume of learning'.
- Click 'Continue'.
2. Select major(s) or specialisation(s)
Select your intended major(s), program, or specialisation(s).
- If your course does not have these, leave the drop-down field as 'No Selection'.
- If yours aren't listed, you can add them as additional information later in your application.
3. Add credit items
Add an individual credit item for every unit of study you would like to apply for.
- Select 'Credit' as the type you are applying for.
- Select your 'Credit learning type'. This will be either higher education or VET (vocational education and training) depending on the institution where you completed your previous studies.
- Complete the remaining fields and select 'Add item'.
If your institution is not on the list, it may be saved under a different name. For example, you will find UTS by typing ‘University of Technology, Sydney’. If you are unable to add your institution, or cannot locate it, select 'unknown'.
Your unit will now display in the 'Application summary'.
- 'Upload' your course/unit of study outline (outlines need to be uploaded for each credit item before you can submit your application).
- To add another unit of study, click 'Copy'.
4. Upload supporting documents
You'll need to upload a certified copy of your official academic transcript from each of the institutions you completed study at.
- Select 'Transcript' as the document type from the drop-down menu.
- Select 'Upload', find the document you want to attach and ‘Upload.’ Make sure you include your name and Student ID in the file name.
5. Review and submit your application
Once you're provided all the required information and documents, select ‘Submit’ to finalise your application.
You have the option to save your application and return to it by following the steps to apply for credit again.
Follow these steps if you're a current postgraduate University of Sydney student applying for reduced volume of learning:
1. Create the application
- Log in to Sydney Student.
- Go to 'My studies', then 'Course details'.
- Select 'Apply for credit and/or reduced volume of learning'.
- Click 'Continue'.
2. Select specialisation(s)
Select your intended specialisation(s).
- If your course does not have these, leave the drop-down field as 'No Selection'.
- If yours aren't listed, you can add them as additional information later in your application.
3. Add credit items
- Select 'Reduced Volume of Learning' as the type you are applying for.
- Select either 'Higher education' or 'Work experience' as your RVL learning type.
- Complete the remaining fields, then click 'Add item'.
Your RVL item will now display in the 'Application summary'.
4. Upload supporting documents
- Select the type of document you want to attach from the drop-down menu.
- Select 'Upload', find the document you want to attach and ‘Upload.’
- Make sure you include your name and Student ID in the file name.
You'll need to attach:
- your current CV
- your official transcript, or a certified copy of your official transcript, for any previous qualifications
- two detailed reference letters from your current or previous employers evidencing your work experience.
5. Review and submit your application
Once you're provided all the required information and documents, select ‘Submit’ to finalise your application.
You have the option to save your application and return to it by following the steps to apply for credit again.
Follow these steps if you're a current University of Sydney student applying for credit for your short-term non-exchange program.
If you were approved for an exchange program, don't complete a credit application. Find out how to provide us with your transcript.
1. Create the application
- Log in to Sydney Student.
- Go to 'My studies', then 'Course details'.
- Select 'Apply for credit and/or reduced volume of learning'.
- Click 'Continue'.
2. Select major(s) or specialisation(s)
Select your intended major(s), program, or specialisation(s).
- If your course does not have these, leave the drop-down field as 'No Selection'.
- If yours aren't listed, you can add them as additional information later in your application.
3. Add credit items
- Select 'Credit' as the type you are applying for.
- Select 'Higher education' as your credit learning type.
- Enter the name of the institution where you completed your overseas study.
- Enter 'Mobility' as your course.
- Complete the remaining fields about the unit you studied, then click 'Add item'.
Your unit will now display in the 'Application summary'.
- 'Upload' your academic approval letter to the course outline column. You don't need to provide course outlines.
- To add another unit of study, click 'Copy'.
4. Upload supporting documents
You'll need to upload a certified copy of your official academic transcript from your host institution.
- Select 'Transcript' as the document type from the drop-down menu.
- Select 'Upload', find the document you want to attach and ‘Upload.’ Make sure you include your name and Student ID in the file name.
5. Review and submit your application
Once you're provided all the required information and documents, select ‘Submit’ to finalise your application.
You have the option to save your application and return to it by following the steps to apply for credit again.
Follow these steps if you're a current University of Sydney student applying for credit for cross-institutional study (CIS):
1. Create the application
- Log in to Sydney Student.
- Go to 'My studies', then 'Course details'.
- Select 'Apply for credit and/or reduced volume of learning'.
- Click 'Continue'.
2. Select major(s) or specialisation(s)
Select your intended major(s), program, or specialisation(s).
- If your course does not have these, leave the drop-down field as 'No Selection'.
- If yours aren't listed, you can add them as additional information later in your application.
3. Add credit items
- Select 'Credit' as the type you are applying for.
- Select 'Higher education' as your credit learning type.
- Enter the name of the institution where you completed your CIS.
- Enter 'Cross-Institutional Study' as your course.
- Complete the remaining fields about the unit you studied, then click 'Add item'.
Your unit will now display in the 'Application summary'.
- 'Upload' your approval letter to the course outline column. You don't need to provide course outlines.
- To add another unit of study, click 'Copy'.
4. Upload supporting documents
You'll need to upload a certified copy of your official academic transcript from your host institution.
- Select 'Transcript' as the document type from the drop-down menu.
- Select 'Upload', find the document you want to attach and ‘Upload.’ Make sure you include your name and Student ID in the file name.
5. Review and submit your application
Once you're provided all the required information and documents, select ‘Submit’ to finalise your application.
You have the option to save your application and return to it by following the steps to apply for credit again.
Follow these steps if you're a current University of Sydney student submitting an internal course application:
1. Create the application
- While completing your internal course application in Sydney Student, we’ll ask if you want to submit an application for credit.
- If you select yes, you'll be prompted to create your credit application once you've submitted your internal course application.
You have the option to complete your credit application later however, we won't process your course application until you've submitted your credit application.
To submit later, log in to Sydney Student, go to ‘Applications’, then ‘My application’. In the 'Actions' column of your course application, select ‘submit or cancel your application for credit'.
2. Select major(s) or specialisation(s)
Select your intended major(s), program, or specialisation(s).
- If your course does not have these, leave the drop-down field as 'No Selection'.
- If yours aren't listed, you can add them as additional information later in your application.
3. Add credit items
Add an individual credit item for every unit of study you would like to apply for.
(a) Units you completed at the University of Sydney
- Select 'Credit' as the type you are applying for.
- Select 'Higher education' as your credit learning type.
- Enter University of Sydney for the institution.
- Enter the course you completed the units under.
- Complete the remaining fields about the unit you studied, then click 'Add item'.
Your added items will display in the 'Application summary'.
You don't need to upload unit outlines or other supporting documents.
(b) Units you completed at another institution
- Select 'Credit' as the type you are applying for.
- Select your 'Credit learning type'. This will be either higher education or VET (vocational education and training) depending on the institution where you completed your previous studies.
- Complete the remaining fields and select 'Add item'.
If your institution is not on the list, it may be saved under a different name. For example, you will find UTS by typing ‘University of Technology, Sydney’. If you are unable to add your institution, or cannot locate it, select 'unknown'.
Your unit will now display in the 'Application summary'.
- 'Upload' your course/unit of study outline (outlines need to be uploaded for each credit item before you can submit your application).
- To add another unit of study, click 'Copy'.
4. Upload supporting documents
If you completed units at another institution(s) you'll need to upload a certified copy of your official academic transcript from each institution.
- Select 'Transcript' as the document type from the drop-down menu.
- Select 'Upload', find the document you want to attach and ‘Upload.’ Make sure you include your name and Student ID in the file name.
You don't need to provide transcripts for units you completed at the University of Sydney.
5. Review and submit your application
Once you're provided all the required information and documents, select ‘Submit’ to finalise your application.
You have the option to save your application and return to it by following the steps to apply for credit again.
UAC applicant
If you've applied through UAC, you'll need to wait until you've accepted an offer. Once you've done that, you'll be able to apply as a current student for credit for study completed at another institution.
Direct applicant applying for admission to the University
Follow these steps if you're in the process of applying directly to the University:
1. Create the credit application
- While completing your course application we’ll ask if you want to apply for recognition of prior learning.
- If you tick yes, you’ll receive an email with information about how to log in to Sydney Student and submit an application for credit.
You will need to:
- log in to Sydney Student
- go to ‘Applications’, then ‘My application’
- in the 'Actions' column of your course application, select ‘submit or cancel your application for credit'.
If you don't elect to apply for credit during your application, you can still apply as a current student once you've accepted your offer and enrolment has opened for your course.
You have the option to complete your credit application later however, we won't process your course application until you've submitted your credit application. To submit later, log into Sydney Student, go to ‘Applications’, then ‘My application’. In the 'Actions' column of your course application, select ‘submit or cancel your application for credit'.
2. Select major(s) or specialisation(s)
Select your intended major(s), program, or specialisation(s).
- If your course does not have these, leave the drop-down field as 'No Selection'.
- If yours aren't listed, you can add them as additional information later in your application.
3. Add credit items
Add an individual credit item for every unit of study you would like to apply for.
- Select 'Credit' as the type you are applying for.
- Select your 'Credit learning type'. This will be either higher education or VET (vocational education and training) depending on the institution where you completed your previous studies.
- Complete the remaining fields and select 'Add item'.
If your institution is not on the list, it may be saved under a different name. For example, you will find UTS by typing ‘University of Technology, Sydney’. If you are unable to add your institution, or cannot locate it, select 'unknown'.
Your unit will now display in the 'Application summary'.
- 'Upload' your course/unit of study outline (outlines need to be uploaded for each credit item before you can submit your application).
- To add another unit of study, click 'Copy'.
4. Upload supporting documents
If you completed units at another institution(s) you'll need to upload a certified copy of your official academic transcript from each institution.
- Select 'Transcript' as the document type from the drop-down menu.
- Select 'Upload', find the document you want to attach and ‘Upload.’ Make sure you include your name and Student ID in the file name.
You don't need to provide transcripts for units you completed at the University of Sydney.
5. Review and submit your application
Once you're provided all the required information and documents, select ‘Submit’ to finalise your application.
You have the option to save your application and return to it by following the steps to apply for credit again.
Last updated: 27 August 2025