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Credit transfer

Credit transfer is the recognition of previously completed formal training and/or qualifications.

RMIT credit transfer has been realigned with the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) National Policy and Guidelines on Credit Arrangement. RMIT students can now apply for specified credit, unspecified credit and block credit.

• Specified credit transfer
• Unspecified credit transfer
• Block credit
• Higher Education Recognition of Internal Credit Report (RIC)
• Credit limits
• Application process

Specified credit transfer

Specified credit transfer is credit granted towards core course(s) within a TAFE or Higher Education (HE) qualification.

For example if a course completed at another institution matches an RMIT course exactly then you would grant specified credit transfer for that course.

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Unspecified credit transfer

Unspecified credit is credit transfer granted towards elective course(s) within a HE qualification.

For example if a course completed at another institution does not exactly match an RMIT course but the RMIT program includes electives then you would grant unspecified credit transfer for that course.

Unspecified credit transfer codes

The following are a list of PeopleSoft codes to use for unspecified credit transfer for study undertaken outside of RMIT. Each of these codes can have a credit point value up to 96 points.

Unspecified internal credit transfer codes

If the students’ previous study was undertaken at RMIT within the same HE career, please use the codes below. Each of these codes can have a credit point value up to 96 points.

Please note that if you are granting unspecified credit for multiple courses then you can simply state one unspecified credit transfer code and change the number of credit points.

Example

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Block credit

Block credit is credit granted towards whole stages or components of a qualification. This may be the first semester of a qualification, the first year of a qualification or a minor within the qualification. Block credit can also consist of specified and unspecified credit.

In the example below the student has completed a Diploma of Marketing from Swinburne University which has been deemed equivalent to the first year of the Bachelor of Business (Marketing) at RMIT. We have granted 5 Specified credits and 3 unspecified credits. As you can see the specified credits have been listed out and the 3 unspecified credits have been grouped under one course EXTL 1049 Approved studies 1.

Note: Block credit should only be granted for whole components.

Example 2

In the example below this student has completed the following courses at another institution

Macroeconomics

Intro to Business Statistics

Accounting 1

Intro to Business Computing

Intro to Commercial Law

Marketing Principles

Looking at the RMIT program structure below we can see that the student courses that are similar to the first semester at RMIT and therefore would receive block credit for the first semester. As the student only has two courses for the second semester Commercial Law and Marketing Principles. These are not considered block credits as they do not make up whole components of the Bachelor of Business (Economics and Finance) program.

RMIT program structure
Semester 1
Macroeconomics 1
Business Statistics 1
Introductory Accounting
Business Computing 1
Semester 2
Financial Markets
Prices and Markets
Commercial Law
Marketing Principles

If however the student was also granted credit for Financial Markets and Prices and Markets then Block credit would be applied to all courses.

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Higher Education Recognition of Internal Credit Report (RIC)

If a students’ previous study was undertaken at RMIT then they may be picked up in the higher education RIC report. This report picks up course/s undertaken in the students’ first program that also appear in the students’ second program. The report does not pick up electives and is for higher education only.

The report is run after Census in each semester so it is advisable that you do not process applications which are likely to be picked up by this report. Any applications of this sort will be returned to school for additional information.

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Credit limits

TAFE

There are no minimum completion requirements for a student receiving credit transfer or RPL towards an RMIT TAFE qualification.

Higher Education

	Associate degree (2 year)	Bachelor degree(3 year)	Bachelor degree(4 year)
Diploma	50% credit (96 credit points)	33% credit (96 credit points)	25% credit (96 credit points)
Advanced Diploma	75% credit (144 credit points)	50% credit (144 credit points) 66% credit (192 credit points)	37.5% credit (144 credit points) 50% credit (192 credit points)
Associate degree	N/A	66% credit (192 credit points)	50% credit (192 credit points)

Additional credit information

Students must complete the following amount of credit points at RMIT to be awarded an RMIT qualification.

	Undergraduate (Single degree)	Undergraduate (Double degree)	Postgraduate coursework
First degree	A minimum of 96 credit points	A minimum of 96 credit points	A minimum of 50% of the credit points which comprise the award
Second or subsequent degree	A minimum of 96 credit points	A minimum of 144 credit points	A minimum of 48 credit points

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Application timing

Credit transfer applications can be submitted at any time however you should encourage students to lodge their completed form and supporting documentation prior to the relevant Census date for the semester in which they wish to be granted credit. The student should also be encouraged to drop the course they have been granted credit for prior to the relevant census date.

Application process

1. Check the form is complete

All applications need to be checked for accuracy and completion before submitting. Below is a checklist that will be used to assess if an application is complete and can be processed. If a form is lodged without one or more of these items completed it will be returned to the school unprocessed.

Credit Transfer Form Checklist Section 1 & 2 – Student and Program Information all student information details all program information details completed student signature. Section 3 - Credit Transfer all prior studies information RMIT subject and catalogue codes – course name, credit points or contact hours, credit type (EX or BX) school authorisation signature and school stamp transcript or Statement of Attainment (Not required if prior studies at RMIT). Section 5 – Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) basis for credit indicated RMIT course name, subject and catalogue codes school authorisation signature and school stamp.

The sections in the above checklist refer to the relevant sections in the application form.

2. Send the form to the Hub

All approved applications need to be sent directly to the Hub closest to you either by Internal Mail, courier drop or in person. The Hub will then batch the form into DTS and send it through to Data Management Services (DMS) for processing.

Credit transfer issues that have been returned to schools as ‘Returned not Processed’ should also be returned via the Hubs for rebatching once the issue is resolved and the form is ready to be processed.

3. Incomplete applications

If DMS receive an application that can not be processed due to missing information or inaccurate data the issue will be logged onto the DTS system. The issue will then be escalated to the Credit Transfer Coordinator who will be your liaison point for all issues.

4. Processed forms

Once the application form has been processed the form will be returned to the relevant School Administrative Office for filing.

Urgent Applications

If you have an application that needs to be processed urgently you can email a scanned copy of the application through to DMS@rmit.edu.au. Please note that this is for urgent applications only. All other applications must be sent through via internal mail.

Credit transfer service standards

Once received at the Hub, credit transfer and HE RPL applications will be processed within seven days. Urgent applications sent via DMS@rmit.edu.au will be processed within two days.

Fee liability

If a student submits an application after a census date and is enrolled in the course for which they are seeking credit then that student will be liable for the fees for that course regardless of whether credit was granted or not.

Supporting documentation

Students whose previous study was undertaken outside of RMIT must submit documentation supporting their application. This documentation includes:

• a certified copy of an academic transcript with final grades for Higher Education studies
• a Statement of Attainment for any completed TAFE studies
• course outlines showing learning outcomes
• grading structure if not shown on transcript

All applications must be complete when forwarded to DMS for processing. This means that all supporting documentation used to assess the application must be forwarded to DMS. This is important as DMS gather some information from the supporting documentation when entering into PeopleSoft. Applications sent to DMS without supporting documentation will be sent back to the school unprocessed.

TAFE Credit transfer within the same qualification is not generally allowed except in the case where a student has courses appearing as ‘Courses Not Applied’. If you receive an application of this sort you must attach a TAFE Student Qualification Report before submitting the application to the Hub. Any applications without the TAFE Student Qualification Report will not be processed until the report has been received.

Assessment notes

Completion of all fields

It is important that all fields are completed and correct prior to the application being submitted. It is the responsibility of the Assessor to check the form for its accuracy prior to sending the document through to DMS for processing. Please note that incomplete forms will not be processed and will be sent back to the school.

Onshore International students

If a student indicates that they are an onshore international you must assess whether their credit application will reduce the duration of their study. If this is the case then International Services must be contacted so that they can update the student’s eCoE (visa documentation) which is a requirement of the ESOS Act 2000.

Students enrolled in courses they are seeking credit for

If a student indicates that they are currently enrolled in the course(s) they are seeking credit for it is advisable that you let them know that unless they withdraw from the course before the relevant census date they will be liable for the course fees. It is the students’ responsibility to ensure that they are withdrawn from the course prior to the relevant Census date.

Student signature

To ensure compliance with potential audits the form must be signed by the student. It is not sufficient for the assessor or another member of staff to sign on the students behalf. If this occurs the form will not be processed and will be sent back to the school.

Previous study

It is important to ensure that the student is only granted credit for courses they have successfully completed. This can easily be checked by viewing the academic transcript. If the grading system for the previous institution is not clear then you can either search for the grading structure on the institutions’ website or alternatively ask the student to provide it. If the course has not been successfully completed then the student is not eligible for credit.

Relevancy

To receive credit for a previously completed course that course must be equivalent in content, learning outcomes and assessment requirements to the RMIT course they wish to receive credit for. Students should submit a course outline for their previous study. If the student has not submitted a course outline you can choose to look the course up on the previous institutions’ website or contact the student for more information.

Equivalency

Credit can be granted from TAFE to an Undergraduate program (i.e. Bachelors degree) and from one Undergraduate program to another Undergraduate program or from an Undergraduate program to a TAFE program. However credit can generally not be granted from Undergraduate programs to Postgraduate programs (i.e. Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma or Masters).

The only time when Credit transfer within the same qualification will be accepted is when a TAFE student has courses appearing as ‘Courses Not Applied’. Any other applications for credit within the same program will not be accepted.

Currency

The RMIT credit policy states that applications for credit based solely on formal qualifications must be within a timeframe such that the content of the qualification is current. Applications in those disciplines where the body of knowledge and practice has changed significantly and the applicant has not maintained sustained practice within the field of study may be rejected by the Credit Assessor.

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