Prior Learning Assessment Form

What this form is for

This Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) form is a practical template to record a learner's prior certificated learning and prior experiential learning, provide structured evidence, and guide academic decision-making about credit or exemption. Use it to ensure transparency, consistency and academic rigour when recognising learning gained outside the institution.

Key components of the form

• Applicant details: name, student ID (if available), contact and programme applied for.
• Type of claim: credit transfer (certificated learning), prior certificated learning, or prior experiential learning (portfolio).
• Learning claim statement: short summary by applicant explaining the learning being claimed.
• Evidence checklist: transcripts, certificates, role descriptions, work products, references, reflective statements, and assessments.
• Mapping table: explicit mapping of claimed learning to programme learning outcomes and level descriptors.
• Assessment method: portfolio review, challenge assessment, interview, or examination, with required assessors named.
• Decision record: outcome (credit awarded, partial credit, no credit), credit value, conditions, and rationale signed by academic assessor(s).
• Appeals and record-keeping: guidance on appeals, retention of evidence and publication of outcomes.

Principles and good practice

• Base decisions on explicit alignment between evidence and stated learning outcomes, using level descriptors and credit conventions.
• Apply consistent assessment rubrics and involve suitably qualified faculty or examiners.
• Ensure transparency by publishing the PLA policy, fees (if any), time limits and appeals routes.
• Respect academic integrity: verify documentary evidence and require authenticated submissions.
• Keep records of outcomes and transcript annotations so that awarded credit is auditable and portable where possible.

Practical instructions for use

1. Provide the form to applicants with guidance notes and examples of acceptable evidence.
2. Require a mapping table where applicants reference specific learning outcomes and attach supporting documents.
3. Assign initial review to an admissions or programme officer and final credit decision to academic staff with subject expertise.
4. Record partial awards clearly (which modules or outcomes are exempted) and note any required bridging work.
5. Publish anonymised statistics of PLA outcomes to support transparency and continuous improvement.

Recordkeeping and quality assurance

Integrate PLA decisions into the institution's student records, transcript practice and quality-assurance cycle. Train assessors, moderate decisions periodically, and include PLA in internal audits and external reporting where required by your regulator or quality framework.

Template fields (concise checklist)

• Applicant name & identifier
• Programme and intended award
• Type of prior learning (certificated/experiential)
• Summary of claim
• Learning outcomes matched (table)
• List of attached evidence
• Assessment method and assessor(s)
• Decision, credits awarded, and rationale
• Appeal instructions and dates