Many people in our society possess a variety of knowledge and abilities that they have acquired in the course of their lives, for which they did not obtain a study certificate. Such knowledge, skills, insight and attitudes can be recognised in higher education, thus making it possible to utilise these experiences. Such prior learning could potentially result in a competence certificate, which you could use to request exemptions for programme components (courses) within a particular educational programme.
The Antwerp University Association can recognise prior learning (RPL) and deliver a competence certificate. In order to obtain such a certificate, the candidate will enroll in a Recognition of Prior Learning-procedure at one the higher education institutions that are part of the Antwerp Association.
For your information: Recognition of Prior Qualifications are competences for which you obtained a study certificate. Please contact your university or university college if you want to use this certificate to obtain exemptions.
Below you will find all documents related to the RPL-procedure and all documents provided for the candidate and the supervisor.
The RPL-procedure in short
If you are interested in the RPL-procedure, you should contact the RPL-coordinator of the university or university college where you would like to enroll.
The RPL-coordinator can help you through the procedure.
The RPL-procedure contains several steps. The intake, the portfolio and the interview are the most important ones. There is a spring procedure and a fall procedure that determine specific deadlines and terms.
Steps of the RPL-procedure for bachelor and master:
1. Request for intake
a. in the spring procedure: before February 1st
b. in the fall procedure: before September 1st
2. Intake
3. Register
a. in the spring procedure: before March 1st
b. in the fall procedure: before October 1st
4. Submit portfolio
a. in the spring procedure: before May 1st
b. in the fall procedure: before December 1st
5. Interview
6. Decision of the RPL
a. in the spring procedure: befor June 19th
b. in the fall procedure: before February 16th
Here you find a complete schematic overview of the whole procedure for bachelor and master.
The RPL-procedure for graduate education is similar but the deadlines and terms slightly differ from the ones for bachelor and master.
Here you find a complete schematic overview of the whole procedure for graduate education in Dutch.