Information maintained by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Updating the database of the Illinois Compiled Statutes (ILCS) is an ongoing process. Recent laws may not yet be included in the ILCS database, but they are found on this site as Public Acts soon after they become law. For information concerning the relationship between statutes and Public Acts, refer to the Guide.

Because the statute database is maintained primarily for legislative drafting purposes, statutory changes are sometimes included in the statute database before they take effect. If the source note at the end of a Section of the statutes includes a Public Act that has not yet taken effect, the version of the law that is currently in effect may have already been removed from the database and you should refer to that Public Act to see the changes made to the current law.

HIGHER EDUCATION
(110 ILCS 160/) Credit for Prior Learning Act.

110 ILCS 160/1

    (110 ILCS 160/1)
    Sec. 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Credit for Prior Learning Act.
(Source: P.A. 100-261, eff. 1-1-18.)

110 ILCS 160/5

    (110 ILCS 160/5)
    Sec. 5. Definitions. In this Act:
    "Community college" means a public community college that is included in the definition of "Community Colleges" under Section 1-2 of the Public Community College Act.
    "Credit for prior learning" means the evaluation and assessment of a student's life learning through employment, training, and experiences outside an academic environment from which skills that comprise terminal objectives are mastered to an acceptable degree of proficiency for college credit, certification, or advanced standing toward further education or training.
    "Public university" means the University of Illinois, Southern Illinois University, Chicago State University, Eastern Illinois University, Governors State University, Illinois State University, Northeastern Illinois University, Northern Illinois University, Western Illinois University, or any other public university or college, other than a community college, now or hereafter established or authorized by the General Assembly.
(Source: P.A. 100-261, eff. 1-1-18.)

110 ILCS 160/10

    (110 ILCS 160/10)
    Sec. 10. Purpose. The purpose of this Act is to accomplish all of the following:
        (1) To reduce college costs.
        (2) To speed the time to certificate and degree
    
completion consistent with this State's completion agenda.
        (3) To facilitate the transition into postsecondary
    
education for non-traditional students.
        (4) To offer opportunities for improving degree
    
attainment for underserved student populations, particularly underserved non-traditional students.
(Source: P.A. 100-261, eff. 1-1-18.)

110 ILCS 160/15

    (110 ILCS 160/15)
    Sec. 15. Policies and procedures.
    (a) Each public university shall submit its policies and procedures for students to earn credit for prior learning to the Board of Higher Education. At a minimum, these procedures shall include a listing of the types of documentation acceptable to the public university and the dates of inclusion for which prior learning is acceptable.
    (b) Each community college shall submit its policies and procedures for students to earn credit for prior learning to the Illinois Community College Board. At a minimum, these procedures shall include a listing of the types of documentation acceptable to the community college and the dates of inclusion for which prior learning is acceptable.
(Source: P.A. 100-261, eff. 1-1-18.)

110 ILCS 160/90

    (110 ILCS 160/90)
    Sec. 90. Rules.
    (a) The Board of Higher Education shall adopt rules to permit public universities to award credit for prior learning after the assessment of prior learning experiences for documented learning that demonstrates achievement of all terminal objectives for a specific course or courses.
    (b) The Illinois Community College Board shall adopt rules to permit community colleges to award credit for prior learning after the assessment of prior learning experiences for documented learning that demonstrates achievement of all terminal objectives for a specific course or courses.
(Source: P.A. 100-261, eff. 1-1-18.)