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Credit for previous study

What you'll need to apply

Required information

When you’re applying for credit or RVL, you may need to provide the following details in your application.

  • University or institution where you completed your unit of study/course.
  • Course name.
  • Unit of study name and code, for example ACCT1001 - Principles of Accounting.
  • Year of completion and language of instruction.
  • Suggested equivalent University of Sydney unit of study.
    Some faculties and schools require you to include an equivalent University of Sydney unit of study for each external unit you are applying for. However, we recommend you always try to include this regardless of the faculty or school you are applying to. Check the handbook for unit of study information.
    Faculties and schools that require equivalent units:
    • Sydney School of Health Sciences
    • Sydney Pharmacy School (Sydney School of Health Sciences)
    • Sydney Conservatorium of Music
    • Sydney College of the Arts (Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences)
    • Sydney School of Education and Social Work (Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences)
    • Sydney School of Veterinary Science (Faculty of Science)
  • Your chosen major(s) and/or minor(s). You need to include your major(s)/minor(s) in your application, as this will impact your credit outcome. If you don’t provide this information, it will result in a delay in processing your application.

Supporting documents

You need to provide supporting documents with your application, even if these have previously been provided to the University. If you don’t submit the required documents, your application could be delayed or rejected. If your application is rejected for this reason you can reapply with the appropriate documents.

If your documents are not in English, they need to be officially translated into English by your institution and include the institution's official stamp on each page. Alternatively, you can have your document translated and certified by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI).

Internal credit

To receive credit for units of study completed at the University of Sydney, you do not need to provide supporting documents.

External credit

If you’re applying for credit from another institution, you’ll need to provide the below supporting documents for each unit of study included in your application.

  • A certified copy of your official academic transcript (not a results notice or online printout) listing completed units of study and the grade received. This should also include an explanation of the grading system used at the institution. Alternatively, you can provide a pdf copy of your transcript downloaded from My eQuals.
  • A detailed unit of study outline relating to the session and year you completed it. Unit of study outlines not issued directly by the institution, or outlines that you created using a template or purchased online, will not be accepted. The outline will need to include the following information:
    • unit of study code and name
    • academic level, for example first year
    • credit point value
    • learning content, including weekly schedule of topics covered
    • method of teaching and assessment
    • number of teaching hours
    • reading list
    • prescribed and recommended texts and reference books
    • for Law units, the number of face-to-face teaching hours and the required word count for each assessment item.
  • Information on how many units of study in total were required to complete the degree you were undertaking.
  • In some cases, you may also be asked to provide a portfolio of work.

If you do not have the required unit of study outline(s), you need to contact the institution where you completed the unit.

Credit based on work experience

If you’re applying for RVL based on work experience, you need to provide:

  • your current CV
  • your official transcript, or a certified copy of your official transcript, for any previous qualifications
  • two detailed reference letters, on company letterhead, from your current or previous employers explaining your roles and responsibilities and how it relates to the credit you’re seeking.

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or +61 2 8627 1444 (outside Australia)

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Last updated: 07 September 2023

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