Credit for military service

Earning college credit for military training and national testing programs can help you complete your undergraduate degree even sooner.

Each of the military services has developed methods for documenting military training that the American Council on Education (ACE) has evaluated for college credit and that you may be able to apply to your undergraduate degree program at University of Phoenix.

For information about obtaining your military transcript, simply select your branch of service below:

The Army uses the Joint Services Transcript (JST/AARTS) for documenting military training.

The Navy uses the Joint Services Transcript (JST/SMART) for documenting military training.

 

Air University Associate-to-Baccalaureate Cooperative (AU-ABC) program

The Air Force uses the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) transcript for documenting all college credit-worthy training received. Air Force-enlisted personnel should complete an AF Form 2099, Request for Community College of the Air Force Transcript, at the base education office and have the transcript sent directly to their University of Phoenix® military Enrollment Representative. (Transcripts sent directly to students are unofficial copies and will be stamped “Issued to Student.”)

If you’re not located near an Air Force base, you can send a written transcript request, including your full name, Social Security number, current address including ZIP code, and your military Enrollment Representative’s address where the transcript is to be sent. The letter must include your original signature because that is the legal authorization for CCAF to release a transcript.

Because the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission of Colleges (SACSCOC) regionally accredits CCAF, the Office of Admissions will evaluate the transcript just like it would any other transfer credits. For more information, contact the CCAF at http://www.au.af.mil/au/cf/auregistrar/registrar.asp.

General Education Mobile (GEM) program

The GEM program connects CCAF students — from anywhere in the world via the Internet — with regionally accredited civilian academic institutions that offer freshman- and sophomore-level general education courses covering oral and written communication, math, social sciences and humanities. These courses fulfill the 15 semester hours of the CCAF Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree general education requirements. Learn more at phoenix.edu/colleges_divisions/military/ccaf-gem.

The Coast Guard uses the Joint Services Transcript (JST) for documenting all college credit-worthy training received. Before you can request a Coast Guard transcript, you must first complete an Application for Transcript (CGI 1561), available at http://www.uscg.mil/hr/cgi/forms/CG_Form_1561.pdf.

Additional information about military transfer options can be found in our military programs.

Associate of Arts in Professional Focus

University of Phoenix also offers servicemembers the Associate of Arts in Professional Focus (AA/PF). This online degree program is exclusive to students in our military community who wish to use their military experience and credit toward an associate degree with a professional focus. Contact an Enrollment Representative at 866.766.0766 to learn more about this program.

Personal and professional training

Do you have documented prior college-level learning or professional experience outside the military? Find out if your experience is eligible for college credit through Prior Learning Assessment (PLA). Learn more about PLA below.

Did you know that you may earn as many as half of your credits toward your associate or bachelor’s degree, at less than half of the cost per credit? University of Phoenix allows you to apply relevant non-military learning, work and life experiences toward college credits through the Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) process.

Need more information about PLA? Contact us at 866.440.4707 or plac@phoenix.edu.

Eligibility criteria for PLA credits:

  • You must be an undergraduate student who has already been accepted into University of Phoenix.
  • You must have submitted your transcripts to the University.
  • You must have remaining general education or elective credits required to earn your degree.

Application to the PLA process does not guarantee that credits will be applied, so please read the qualifications carefully. Before submitting an application, contact your Academic Advisor to discuss whether or not PLA would be beneficial to you and how credits can be applied to your degree program.*

*PLA credits cannot be applied to associate and bachelor's degree programs in Education.

Need more information about PLA? Contact us at 866.440.4707 or plac@phoenix.edu.

Get credit for your professional experience

What experience is eligible?

  • Professional training such as seminars and courses provided by the military or previous employers
  • Licenses, certificates and transcripts from colleges and institutions
  • Certain types of experience through writing an experiential essay

Maximum earned credits by degree:

  • Bachelor’s degree students: Earn up to 60 PLA credits (30 for professional training, 30 for experiential essay).
  • Associate degree students: Earn up to 30 PLA credits (15 for professional training, 15 for experiential essay).

Additional state restrictions may apply.

Need more information about PLA? Contact us at 866.440.4707 or plac@phoenix.edu.

PLA credit costs

There is a one-time submission fee and a fee per credit assessed and applied to your program. The one-time submission fee is $150, and the fee per credit assessed is $75.

Need more information about PLA? Contact us at 866.440.4707 or plac@phoenix.edu.

How to qualify for credits

Once you meet the eligibility requirements, there are two ways to qualify for PLA credits:

  1. Create a professional training portfolio.
    Your professional training portfolio describes an institutional or corporate training course you took, the completion date, number of training hours and other essential information, such as a course description. Learn more about the portfolio, including the types of training that qualify.
  2. Write an experiential essay on an approved topic.
    Experiential essays must be selected from a list of approved topics and written in the David Kolb experiential learning model.

Need more information about PLA? Contact us at 866.440.4707 or plac@phoenix.edu.

Helpful links: Credit for service

Military resources
Earn college credits for prior learning and SOC transfers.

Transfer guides
See if we have a credit transfer agreement with your previous school.

Fee policies and credit information
Learn how to pay for prior learning credits.

Rush request process
Graduating? Have your college credit request prioritized.

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