ACE Credit-Accepting Institutions

The American Council on Education (ACE) is committed to expanding flexible pathways to postsecondary credentials through effective applications of credit for prior learning at colleges and universities. As part of our work, we have managed networks of institutions that support the success of adult learners through the acceptance of ACE credit recommendations for military training and occupations, workplace training, and nontraditional education experiences.

Over time, the services provided to ACE member institutions have evolved to focus on smaller, more defined, and transparent ecosystems with guaranteed credit acceptance pathways, such as the Alternative Credit Project.  As part of ACE’s new strategic framework, we will scale these efforts and leverage our historical work into thought leadership to build the capacity of our member institutions. 

ACE will continue to provide online resources and tools to help institutions develop credit for prior learning policies and enable efficient pathways for learners to utilize their credit recommendations.

Credit for Prior Learning Network

The ACE Credit for Prior Learning Network includes over 400 regionally accredited colleges and universities who have articulated policies for accepting prior learning for credit, including ACE credit recommendations.

NOTE: Each institution has the sole discretion to determine whether it will accept ACE credit recommendations based on the degree program a student applies to at the institution.

Before starting the application process, be sure to contact the institution's admissions office to ask about transfer policies. Students should also learn more about the requirements for the degree program they want to pursue and how their credit recommendations could apply.

The Alternative Credit Project

ACE established the Alternative Credit Project™ (ACP) to encourage greater acceptance of adult learners’ alternative credit and create a more flexible pathway toward degree completion.

The project began in 2014 and grew to include 53 colleges and universities that guaranteed to accept all or some of the 104 ACE credit recommended courses in the project that were offered by six participating nontraditional general education course providers. Colleges agreed to accept the courses for direct transfer credit toward a student’s degree program and share anonymized data with ACE on the ACP students’ retention, persistence, and success.

The ACP grant-funded project formally ended on March 31, 2018. However, many of the participating institutions listed below continue to guarantee acceptance of the nontraditional course provider offerings. Learners can select from the institutions listed below for updated information about the courses these institutions agree to accept. ACE is grateful to these institutions for their commitment to increasing access to quality education opportunities and postsecondary attainment.

Learners can also reference the ACE National Guide to College Credit for Workforce Training for updates on the credit recommendations for courses previously included in the ACP, as well as all ACE credit recommended courses from employers and non-traditional providers.

NOTE: Because the ACP has ended, students should contact the registrar or admissions offices at listed schools to confirm that credits articulated under the ACP are still being granted to new students.