Students may have acquired part of the knowledge and skills required for the degree already before starting their studies or during their studies through some other channel than their studies in the university of applied sciences. 

Recognition of prior learning (RPL) is a procedure where students can make use of the skills and knowledge they have acquired either in working life or in their previous studies by including those into their degree.  Students can also acquire skills during their studies by taking other trainings or through working life experiences and can apply for recognition based on those. In addition to working life experiences and other higher education studies, students may have acquired the skills and knowledge also through their hobbies or through voluntary work. 

It is always the student who has the initiative to launch the RPL process: students will reflect their own knowledge and skills on the learning objectives of the course and initiate the RPL process according to the instructions. 

A student can apply for credit transfer on previously completed studies. However, if the completed studies are prerequisite for UAS study, they do not qualify for credit transfer. Further information about credit transfers of previously completed studies is available from the Student affairs office or from your tutor teacher. 

The student can also apply for RPL (AHOT in Finnish) procedure (Recognition of prior learning) which means that other than formal education can also qualify as credit transfer. This can be knowledge acquired through work, hobbies, positions of trust etc. For more information on AHOT, please contact the teacher of the specific subject.