A student’s time in residence may be shortened through Transfer Credit, Standardized Testing, Challenge Exams, or through Credit for Life Experience. The maximum amount of advanced standing credit, regardless of source cannot exceed 62.5% of the total program length.

Academic credit that is awarded through one of the following methods is not calculated in the student’s cumulative grade point average but is factored into the determination of the maximum time in which a program must be completed.

Transfer Credit
Students with earned college credit from another regionally or nationally accredited institution may apply to have those credits transferred into their program. Students seeking transfer credit must have an official transcript of their prior work mailed directly to the registrar.

Order Official Transcripts
To order an official transcript to be sent to the Institute of Interior Design, please complete the Transcript Request Form and mail it to the institution that you are expecting to receive transfer credit from. Complete one form for each institution that you previously attended. We encourage you to inquire with the college you are requesting the transcript about any fees associated prior to submitting your request so that you can mail both the form and payment together to expedite the process.

Official transcripts are due prior to the end of your first full term of enrollment. If your transcript has not been received, you will be scheduled into those classes according to the sequencing of your program. Transfer credit will not be awarded if the official transcript arrives after the end of the first full term. It is the student’s responsibility to verify with the Registrar if official transcripts have arrived.

Download Transcript Request Form

Standardized Testing
The College awards credit for the successful completion of College Level Examination Program (CLEP), ACT-PEP or DANTES subject testing as well as for other professional certification examinations that are recognized by the American Council of Education. Official test scores must be sent to the Registrar.

Challenge Exams
Challenge Exams are intended to give students with advanced knowledge and/or skills the opportunity to demonstrate their competency and receive academic credit. The College recommends that Challenge Exams be taken shortly after acceptance to help avoid scheduling conflicts. The College will allow up to 24 credit hours earned through Challenge Exams.

Students wanting to take a Challenge Exam must first meet with a Financial Aid Officer to satisfy all financial requirements and then meet with the College Librarian to schedule the examination. A specific Challenge Exam may be attempted only one time and a final score of 70% or higher is needed to earn academic credit for the course. Challenge Exams cannot be substituted for a course previously taken or for one in which the student is currently enrolled.

Credit for Life Experience
Earn college credit for life experience with The Institute of Interior Design’s Prior Learning Assessment. Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) provides adult learners with an opportunity to receive college credit through demonstration of prior college-level learning.

The program provides a standardized process for awarding academic credit for prior college-level learning through Proficiency Examinations such as CLEP or Challenge Exams, Placement Assessment, Transcript Evaluation, Certifications and Training, and the Prior Learning Portfolio.

The PLA process helps to determine if academic credit can be awarded for the learning associated with life experiences. Such learning experiences may be associated with work, military service, professional training, hobbies, recreational activities, and other meaningful activities.

These learning experiences are evaluated for their equivalency to specific courses and/or ability to satisfy institutional and degree requirements. The amount of credit which may be earned depends upon the scope and depth of the learning in each specific area. The Prior Learning Assessment Program is course-based, which means that credit may be earned for specific courses as identified in the degree plan.