Academic Credit System in Australia

Credit points refer to the value attached to each subject undertaken as part of a degree or a course in Australia and helps keep track of student academic progress, set tuition fees and facilitate student transfers to other higher education institutions. Credit points are also a guide to the number of hours per week of study required for the subject.

The academic credit system in Australia is designed to structure and measure students’ progress in higher education. It helps institutions standardize coursework, assess learning outcomes, and facilitate credit transfers. Here’s an overview of the system:

Students gain academic credit either by successfully completing a study module or individual study course, depending on university policies. Students can graduate once they complete the required credit points for their courses, and awards such as degrees are offered only after receiving a fixed number of credits. For example, say to graduate with a Master degree, if 48 credit points are needed, students need to successfully complete 8 course specific subjects with 6 credit points for each.

Australian universities don’t have a unified credit system. Each university calculates the credits according to workload and number of study hours per each course.

The following forms of education may provide Academic credit in Australia:

• Higher Education
• Vocational Education and Training
• Work experience
• Professional development
• Professional licensing and examinations,
• Work-based education and training.

Key Considerations

• One credit point often corresponds to 1-2 hours of study per week, including lectures, tutorials, and independent study.
• Full-time study generally requires about 36–48 hours of study per week, combining all enrolled units.
• Undergraduate degrees (e.g., Bachelor’s) often require 140 credit points upwards (depending on the duration, which is typically 3–4 years).
• Postgraduate coursework (e.g., Master’s) typically require 48–96 credit points, depending on whether the course spans 1 or 2 years.
• Doctoral degrees (Ph.D.) Usually focus on research and don’t follow a strict credit system, but progress is measured through milestones and thesis completion.

AQF Alignment

The credit system aligns with the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF), which provides a national standard for qualifications across levels, from Certificate I to Ph.D. This ensures consistency and comparability across institutions.

Credit Transfer and Exemptions

Many institutions have articulation agreements with other universities or colleges, allowing students to transfer credits seamlessly between institutions.

Students may transfer credits between institutions or from previous studies through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) or credit transfer.

Students having previous tertiary studies or professional experience that is relevant to the academic program applied for, can request to receive course credit or an exemption. Universities in Australia have different rules regarding independent study and transfer credit. All universities detail the process on their website and students should enquire about what amount of study credits can be transferred and converted. Sometimes it is possible that only part of previously acquired credits will be transferred or in some cases, students may be asked enroll in a foundation course, before their credits can be transferred.

Common scenarios include:

• Transferring between universities.
• Credits for completed vocational training or diplomas.
• International qualifications evaluated for equivalency.

Credit Transfer

Credit transfer acknowledges that you have previously completed a unit of your course through VET or higher education.

To obtain a credit transfer for a unit, you must provide formal evidence that you have previously completed the unit or a unit with matching content and outcomes. Formal evidence can include a qualification certificate or transcript, a statement of attainment, or your USI transcript. Once credit is recognized, you do not need to repeat the training or assessment for that unit.

Domestic Credit Transfer

All accredited Australian educational qualifications are based on the Australian Qualifications framework allowing students to transfer credits from a previous study or work experience towards the course being applied for. Credit transfer is available for both undergraduate and postgraduate programs.

International credit Transfer

Most Australian higher education institutions recognise certain qualifications from overseas. Students will need to include the subject syllabus from the home institution to enable Australian universities to compare those subjects to their subjects and assess whether or not credits from the subjects already studied can be transferred across.

Recognition of Prior Learning

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is an assessment of the skills and knowledge you’ve gained through previous training, work, or life experiences that are relevant to your course. RPL allows your provider to evaluate your existing competencies against the course requirements. You can be granted part or all of a unit of competency through RPL.

You can apply for RPL after enrolling. To do so, you need to provide evidence to demonstrate your skills and knowledge. This evidence can include:

• Records of completed training
• Assessment items
• Assessment records
• Declarations from your employer

Your training provider will assess the evidence to determine if further training or assessment is necessary.

Many Australian universities and vocational education providers offer RPL for international students

Your training provider must offer you the opportunity to apply for credit transfer and RPL unless restricted by course rules or licensing requirements.

Exemptions

In certain cases educational institutions may grant an exemption for certain courses if the student demonstrates that they have already learned the content of that course through previous study or work experience. An exemption means that students are excused from attending a unit or subject. Course exemptions are usually only granted for compulsory courses and those which form a prerequisite for other courses.

Receiving a course exemption would mean that no unit value is assigned. This means that the exemption does not count towards the total credit or course requirements for a program. Students in these cases might have to take another unit or subject to earn credits and contribute to the overall qualification.