Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL)

The scheme is designed for mature professionals who:

1. Do not have accredited qualifications which can be directly matched with our qualifications.

2. Existing members who wish to progress through our qualifications more quickly than stated in the entry requirements.

3. Have qualifications (such as Licentiate or Fellowship) with another teaching organisation and who wish to take an equivalent qualification with the Society. 

In our commitment to ensuring that all prospective dance teachers can access our teaching qualifications at an appropriate level, We have two routes for assessing Prior Learning:

1.  Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) - exemptions for Level 4 Diploma in Dance Education.

2. Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) for Level 6 Diploma in Dance Pedagogy (DDP), Licentiate and Fellowship 

Applications for APEL can be submitted at any point in the year.  Those meeting the application guidelines will be considered as follows:

• Applications received by 30 April will be processed by 31 July
• Applications received by 31 October will be processed by 31 January

Applications will be considered by an interview panel and submitted to the Qualifications Development Panel for final approval. Applicants will be informed of the final decision writing and, if successful, this letter will serve as proof of exemption from the entry requirements to take the named examination. A successful candidate will have three years from receipt of letter to complete their examination. After three years the candidate would need to reapply through this process. 

This process is free for members and £130 for non-members. This is required to be paid when submitting the APEL application. Candidates will also be required to provide references to support their application.

To Apply

For applications and queries, please email the Education & Training Department at higherqualifications@istd.org