Recognition of Prior Learning

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is an assessment-only pathway that enables you to have your existing skills, knowledge, and workplace experience formally recognised. Unlike training, RPL does not teach you new material—it evaluates what you already know and can do, comparing it directly against the units of competency in your chosen qualification.

It is important to understand that RPL is not a shortcut. To be successful, you must provide sufficient and verifiable evidence that you are already competent. The RPL process can result in recognition for:

Individual units of competency
Clusters of units delivered together as topics
Or, in some cases, the full qualification

RPL applies to both:

Evidence of prior training and qualifications – which may lead to either Credit Transfer (CT) or RPL, depending on whether the unit codes match exactly.
Evidence of current competence – also known as Recognition of Current Competence (RCC), based on recent work, practice, or professional activity

Once you are confident that RPL is the right pathway for you, the next step is to enrol with FIT College and prepare a strong portfolio of evidence.

ENROL WITH FIT COLLEGE

RPL with FIT College begins by enrolling in our RPL Submission Course. This course has been set up to guide you through the process of submitting all your evidence and allowing the trainer and assessor to view your submitted materials more clearly.

If you are a current student with FIT College and enrolled in a formal qualification, RPL processing is free of charge for the qualification you are already enrolled in. If you are not a current student and wish to apply for RPL, the up-front fees are $995 for one qualification review by RPL and $1495 for two qualification reviews. Suppose you require additional gap study and have not achieved full RPL for either qualification. In that case, you can choose to be enrolled in the full qualification and pay the gap fees for the remaining work or receive a Statement of Attainment for Units of Competency achieved by RPL.

You build a portfolio of evidence

The central part of your RPL application is a portfolio of evidence. This is where you demonstrate how your past learning and experience align with the competency requirements of your qualification. A well-prepared portfolio makes the assessment process faster, smoother, and more likely to succeed.

Your portfolio should include both primary evidence (documents that directly demonstrate competence) and supplementary evidence (supporting material if gaps remain). Examples include:

Primary Evidence

Primary evidence includes documents that directly show competence, such as:

Resume (CV) and detailed work history
Accredited qualifications and statements of attainment, including transcripts
Non-accredited training records, such as workshops or in-house training
Workplace documents and work samples (emails, reports, programs, assessments, consultation forms)

Supplementary Evidence

If your portfolio leaves gaps, supplementary evidence can strengthen your case, such as:

Third-party reports from supervisors, managers, or clients validating your performance
References or letters of validation
Professional registrations or memberships
Practical demonstrations of your skills, observed by an assessor
Interview or questioning responses to confirm your knowledge in specific areas

FIT College also provides a structured Evidence Checklist in the RPL course. This checklist helps you map each piece of evidence to the relevant unit or topic, ensuring nothing is overlooked. By using the checklist, you can clearly show how each document supports your application.

After your portfolio is prepared, the assessor will check its contents and apply the formal Rules of Evidence to ensure your submission is valid.

Quality, AUTHENTICITY AND CURRENCY OF EVIDENCE

For your RPL application to be successful, your evidence must meet the Rules of Evidence used across the national training system. This means every item you provide must demonstrate:

Quality – Evidence must clearly demonstrate that you have the skills and knowledge required by the units of competency. Evidence should address the outcomes expected in the workplace, not just attendance at training.
Authenticity – All evidence must be verified as your own. FIT College confirms authenticity by:
- Checking qualifications directly with the issuing RTO/university
- Contacting referees who provided third-party reports
- Confirming professional registrations with relevant bodies
- Evidence provided by family members cannot be accepted
Currency – Competence must reflect your current ability to perform. Assessors generally prefer evidence from within the last two years. Evidence older than five years is rarely accepted unless supported by proof of ongoing professional practice.

By preparing evidence that is high-quality, authentic, and current, you give the assessor confidence in your application and increase your chance of a positive RPL outcome.

THE RPL ASSESSMENT PROCESS

Step 1: Application and Preparation

Initial enquiry and discussion – A Career Advisor or staff member will explain the RPL process, eligibility, and costs/funding. You will be asked about your work history, training, and experiences.
Enrol in the FIT College RPL Course – You will receive access to the Student Platform, where you can download the RPL Kit and supporting forms.
Review the qualification requirements – Check the list of units of competency and, where relevant, clustered topics. This helps you understand what you can apply for and how evidence must be presented.
Gather your evidence – Collect documents for the Evidence Checklist, including your resume, self-assessment, and supporting materials such as qualifications, transcripts, workplace evidence, and third-party reports.
Complete the required forms – Submit the Candidate Resume, Self-Assessment, Submission Cover Sheet, and Evidence Checklist.

This preparation stage ensures that both you and your assessor have a clear picture of what evidence you are submitting and what units or topics you are applying for.

Step 2: Evidence Submission

Upload via the Student Platform – All documents must be submitted electronically. Physical submissions are no longer accepted
Match evidence to competencies – Evidence must be clearly mapped to the specific units or topics using the Evidence Checklist
Types of evidence may include:
- Accredited qualifications and transcripts
- Non-accredited training or PD records
- Work history and job descriptions
- Workplace documents and work samples
- Third-party reports from supervisors/colleagues
- References and professional registrations

At this point, your assessor will have a full package of evidence to review against the requirements of the qualification.

Step 3: Assessment of Evidence

Portfolio review – The assessor evaluates whether your evidence meets the requirements of each unit of competency
Additional assessment methods (if portfolio evidence is insufficient):
- Interview (“competency conversation”) – guided by knowledge questions, focusing on real experiences (how you did the task, not just theory)
- Practical demonstration – observed in the workplace or simulated environment, showing skills that could not be fully evidenced in documents
Assessor judgement – All evidence is assessed against the rules of evidence outlined earlier. Notes from interviews and observations are retained as part of the official record.

This stage ensures that, even if your written portfolio does not fully cover a unit, you still have the opportunity to demonstrate competence in other ways.

Step 4: Outcome and Gap Training

Possible Outcomes

Full RPL granted – If competency is demonstrated, RPL is awarded for the relevant units.
Partial RPL achieved – Where only some evidence is sufficient, the assessor records results in the RPL Assessment Result form.

Next Steps

Gap Training identified – Any missing competencies are transferred to the Gap Training Required table. You may enrol in the identified study to complete your qualification at an additional cost per Unit.
Recognition options:
- Exit with a Statement of Attainment for units achieved, or
- Continue into the qualification by completing the required Gap Training

The outcome stage ensures you leave the process with clear recognition of what you have achieved and a personalised pathway forward if further study is needed.

To Apply for RPL

If you are ready to begin the RPL process, or if you would like more information, FIT College can guide you through each step.

Phone: 1300 887 017
Email: [email protected]
Student Platform: Send a Help request to your Trainer and Assessor