Credit for Prior Learning Act

Key Points

• The bill lets colleges count up to $2,000 per year in fees for prior learning assessments as part of a student's official cost of attendance, the figure used to determine financial aid eligibility.
• To count, an assessment must measure actual knowledge or skill gained outside a classroom, not simply time spent working or in the military, and must be based on standards set by subject matter experts.
• Colleges must award academic credit for passing these assessments without requiring the student to take additional coursework, and accrediting agencies must confirm schools have public, expert-based standards for evaluating prior learning.
• Schools must publicly report how many students receive credit for prior learning and how many credits they earn, broken down by race, income, and Pell Grant status, to track fairness in access.
• These changes would not begin until July 1, 2027, giving the Department of Education and colleges time to update financial aid systems and reporting tools.