PLAR FAQs

For program selection advice prior to undertaking PLAR, please contact AU Counselling Services.

For assistance with planning your program, please contact Athabasca University academic advisors.

Transfer credit is different from PLAR. Transferring your previously-earned credit from another accredited institution is done through the Registrar's Office.

If you completed course work at an accredited post-secondary institution, it may count as credit toward your AU program. To transfer credit from other institutions, transcripts must be submitted for evaluation. Your transcripts cannot be officially evaluated unless you are enrolled in a program at Athabasca University. PLAR is a separate process from the transfer credit process.

Centre for Learning Accreditation does not receive or review transcripts for transfer credit consideration. Official transcripts are sent to AU, Enrolment Services, Office of the Registrar and are subject to a processing time for evaluation completion. Questions regarding transcript submission can be emailed to enrol@athabascau.ca.

Assessment of prior learning is a two-step process in your case. The first step involves the Registrar's Office evaluating transfer credit (see question 4). The second step is portfolio assessment. If you do not receive transfer credit for some courses, you may address learning that is beyond course content in your portfolio.

You most likely require specific course credits at a senior level and the results of a portfolio assessment would not likely provide you with the credits you require. A program advisor can help you with this decision.

Apply to the program and request the evaluation of your transcripts. Have an official copy of your transcript forwarded from your college to the Registrar's Office at Athabasca University. AU's Admissions Unit will determine your admissibility and indicate the amount of transfer credit that you will receive.

You may also qualify to earn additional credits through prior learning assessment once you are enrolled in your program.

The informal learning that you bring forward in your PLAR portfolio must relate to your program of study.  Additionally, you must not have already received credit for similar learning in courses taken at AU or transferred to AU from other institutions. CLA staff can help you make this determination.

The maximum number of PLAR credits available to you depends on your program. (If a program is not listed, PLAR credits are not available.)

Centre for Learning Accreditation is your first stop. Our mentors will support you through developing your PLAR portfolio. In preparation, consult our written guidelines and visit the sample student e-Portfolios on this site.

Before you can begin PLAR, you will need to be assigned to a mentor. This will take time as there is a wait list. Once in the wait list, many factors impact our capacity to, and timing for, assigning interested PLAR learners to a mentor.

Yes. Feedback and resources provided by your PLAR mentor are required to guide your portfolio presentation. Portfolios developed without mentor support will not be distributed for assessment.

PLAR is an extensive process that takes time and much thought to work through. The amount of time it takes to prepare a PLAR portfolio depends on how much time and effort you can devote to it.

Once received by AU, assessment of your portfolio will take between three and four months.

No, just add academic references within your resume if they demonstrate you have specific knowledge toward a learning goal. Short samples within your published articles may be showcased as support upon consultation with your mentor.

Supporting documentation included within a portfolio must support claims of your learning that is relevant to your program. References, awards and letters of support are not encouraged, as they do not provide the level of support that is required.

Please refer to Step 2 and Step 6 in the PLAR Handbook for broader insight about supporting documentation.

CLA arranges for assessors to review your portfolios independently. Read more about the assessment process.

Yes. A program advisor can help you choose courses that are "safe" for you to take while your PLAR evaluation is being completed.

A resume captures what you have done in your career. A portfolio must demonstrate what you have learned from your life/career experiences. That learning will be directed to your program at AU.

See testimonials from students who have participated in PLAR.

Generally, PLAR credits are not available for students in graduate programs. If you have further questions about a graduate program, please contact the program office directly.

When considering graduate studies, contact that program directly to determine their stance on the PLAR credits contained within your undergraduate degree. Credits successfully awarded through PLAR do not receive a letter grade and do not contribute to your grade point average (GPA). PLAR credits may not be accepted by some programs or may be accepted with some conditions. When you enquire, be sure to receive their response in writing. Institutions will deal with PLAR credits in different ways from program to program and may also change their policies over time.

If you change undergraduate programs or move to a different calendar year of your original program, after PLAR credit is on record, the awarded credit will be evaluated to determine placement / fit within the new program regulations. An evaluation of all previously granted credit (AU, transfer, challenge, and PLAR) is completed when students change programs.

When considering transferring to a different institution, contact that institution directly to determine their stance on PLAR awarded credit. Credits successfully awarded through PLAR do not receive a letter grade and do not contribute to your grade point average (GPA). PLAR credits may not be accepted by some programs or institutions or may be accepted with some conditions. When you enquire, be sure to receive their response in writing. Institutions will deal with PLAR credits in different ways from program to program and may also change their policies over time.