Accreditation of prior experiential learning (APEL)

Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) is a process that enables people of all ages, backgrounds and attitudes to receive formal recognition for skills and knowledge they already possess. This can be:

• Organised prior-learning where the learning has been assessed and where certificates are awarded on completion


• Learning gained through unstructured experiences and short courses, arising through leisure pursuits, family experiences and work

A person's learning and experience can be formally recognised and taken into account to:

• Gain entry to further or higher education courses


• Give exemption from certain parts of a new course of study


• qualify for an award in an appropriate subject in further or higher education.

Code 01 'Module taken through APEL' is to be used where the student took the module through APEL, where the module can be undertaken through APEL or other means. Assessment could be via a portfolio of evidence, taking the assessment associated with the module, or completion of assignments designed to test the achievement of the required learning outcomes.

Code 02 'APEL module' is to be used where the module that the student is studying is only available through APEL. Where any module has an associated ModuleInstance.APEL code of 02, all ModuleInstances associated with that module should also be coded 02 in this field.

Code 03 'Module not taken/available through APEL' is to be used where the student was not assessed through APEL or the module was not available through APEL.