Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition

Eligibility

If you have acquired skills and knowledge through your life and work experiences, you may be able to apply for PLAR credit for a SAIT course(s). 

To be eligible, you must, 

• be an accepted student or 
• a continuing student in a SAIT program. 

Process

Prior learning assessment and recognition credit will be successfully awarded if:

• 80% of your informal, non-formal, and lived experiences evident in your portfolio matches SAIT course curriculum or, 
• your pre-approved training has been assessed in the credit bank or
• you pass your challenge exam

Recognition for prior learning may be used up to a maximum of 50% of the courses required for a SAIT program. (For example, 30 credit hours out of 60 required credit hours for a diploma program.) 

Please note not all courses are available for PLAR credit.

Prior learning definitions

Key dates and deadlines

Prior learning assessment and recognition requests open approximately two months before the semester starts, except for spring and summer.

To receive a tuition refund, the PLAR request must be completed before the course add/drop date. You may still submit a request after the deadline up to the midpoint of the semester; however, you will not receive a tuition refund.

The PLAR evaluation process for your previous education can take between 4-6 weeks, so we recommend you start the process as soon as PLAR evaluation opens.

_{*If your program begins outside the above semester start dates, your add/drop deadline will differ. Please contact your academic advisor to confirm your deadline.}

If you are registered in a course being evaluated, you should continue to attend the courses until a decision has been made on your PLAR request.  

Costs

If PLAR has been identified as an option for you, you will be charged a non-refundable fee per course based on the following fee table. 

Submit your PLAR application

To begin your application, you will need to provide the following information:

• Student information – including your SAIT student ID number
• Clarity on which PLAR you are pursuing: portfolio, challenge exam, or credit bank.

Complete the online form

Get started by completing the Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) request form. All required fields must be completed.

Submit an application

After you complete the form 

Once you have submitted the form, your request will be reviewed by a transfer credit advisor.

If you are pursuing PLAR credit through a portfolio or challenge exam, you will be contacted with additional steps, including providing supporting documents for a portfolio.

If you have a credit bank with existing pre-approved training, your request will be approved with no further action required.

Once a final PLAR decision is made, a transfer credit advisor will contact you to inform you of the results of your request.

If approved, a "CR" will show on your SAIT transcript when course credit is awarded. The credited course is not calculated in your grade point average (GPA). If you’re currently registered in the SAIT course, a transfer credit advisor will drop you from the course. If you receive credit for a course for a future semester, you are responsible for dropping yourself from the course.

Related policies and procedures

• AC.3.1.1 - Grading and Progression Procedure - Credit Courses
• AC.3.18 - Recognition of Prior Learning Policy
• AC.3.18.1 - Recognition of Prior Learning - Credit Courses
• AC.3.18.1 -  Schedule A - Challenge Examination Process
• AC.3.18.1 -  Schedule C - Prior Non-Formal and Informal Learning Evaluation Rubric
• AC.3.18.3 - Articulation Policy
• AC.3.18.3 - Schedule A - Roles and Responsibilities