For years, the University of Utah has recognized various forms of prior learning as eligible for academic credit. On April 23, 2025, President Taylor Randall announced that the U would broaden the range of experiences that count towards a degree. Military service, religious missions, humanitarian aid and others can all contribute to a student’s required credits.
Students can earn up to 12 credit hours, which is the equivalent of one semester at the U. According to the university, the credits reflect the amount of work completed through prior experience.
“I am very excited that we are now able to recognize the sacrifice people have made serving their country and communities,” Randall said in the U’s statement.
Missionaries
Church missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are now included in the prior learning credit area.
Elder Clark G. Gilbert, commissioner of the Church Educational System, explained that LDS missions provide young adults with vital lessons that can be easily implemented into college life.
“Our young adults who serve missions come home more mature and capable and are ready to continue investing and contributing to their communities,” Gilbert said to the U.
Previously, the U only offered opportunities for students who learned a foreign language while participating in religious or humanitarian service. Now, the U’s program no longer requires the language component regarding varying forms of service.
Application
This type of credit will be reviewed by the university on a case-by-case basis, depending on the nature and duration of a student’s experience.
Students will pay a $50 fee for each of their prior learning petitions, which are reviewed by a committee of university faculty. For example, the prior learning credits can go toward both general coursework and specific major requirements.
U students can start submitting their prior learning credit portfolios and petitions in fall 2025. Applications are not limited to first-year students. Current students are eligible as well.
The new opportunity aligns with the 2024 Utah State Legislature’s One Utah Service Fellowship, a statewide program that supports college students participating in service through scholarship or a stipend.
The specifics for this new program are currently still in the works.
