What you need to know to earn your
online degree faster
When you enroll at CTU, you gain access to CTU Fast Track™, a program that allows you to accelerate your degree so you can graduate sooner, saving you time and money*.
At Colorado Technical University, we realize that many of our students come to us with prior knowledge gained through work, the military, a trade school, an apprenticeship or other life experience. CTU Fast Track™ is a prior learning program that allows students enrolled at CTU the opportunity to earn college credit for life experience or previous work experience. Each exam is designed to test your knowledge of key course objectives. By passing a CTU Fast Track™ exam, you receive PLA credit that allows you to skip the class, accelerating your degree and allowing you to potentially graduate sooner.
Many of CTU’s programs offer multiple eligible Fast Track exams and there are more on the way. Currently, CTU has dozens of degree programs that offer Fast Track exams. The number of Fast Track exams per degree ranges from 1 to 17.
By passing CTU Fast Track™ exams you can save up to 30% on time and tuition by earning college credit for prior knowledge*. Fast Track exams are available at no additional cost to all CTU students.
HOW FAST TRACK WORKS
1. Register for your exam
Sign up for a CTU Fast Track™ exam through your admissions advisor or success coach. You can register for the Fast Track exam at any point before the course begins.
You may register for more than one Fast Track exam at once. We recommend only taking two during any given week.
You will receive an email once you register for the exam. We recommend setting yourself a reminder for your scheduled session to take the exam.
2. Log in for your scheduled session to take the exam
Once your CTU Fast Track™ exam is open, log in and begin the exam.
You can start and stop the exam at any point while Fast Track is open.
On average each Fast Track exam takes between 3-5 hours to complete.
There is no penalty for not passing a CTU Fast Track™ exam, but you may not re-take a Fast Track exam that you have attempted and not passed.
3. Get a passing score and skip the class—saving time and money!
If you score 70% or above for undergraduate programs or 80% or higher for graduate programs, you earn proficiency credit and the course is removed from your schedule.
If you score below 70% (undergraduate) or 80% (graduate), the course remains on your schedule as regularly planned.
Your grade will be posted after your Fast Track exam open period ends.
After 24 hours, course credit is applied to your degree program.
Ready to Fast Track
your degree at CTU?
If you are interested in enrolling in a CTU Associate, Bachelor's or Master's degree program at CTU and taking Fast Track exams, fill out the form below for more information or call 855.230.0555.
ENROLL TODAYCurrently a Student?
If you are already a CTU student, contact your success coach to see if you are eligible for any Fast Track exams.
*The ability to reduce time in school and/or reduce tuition towards the full cost of a degree program depends on the number of CTU Fast Track™ exams successfully passed. Fast Track program credits are non-transferable. Not all programs are eligible for possible 30% reduction in time and money. Courses eligible are subject to change. Students should not rely on potential Fast Track savings or eligibility when making an enrollment decision.
BENEFITS OF CTU FAST TRACK™
What Students Are Saying About Their CTU Experience
I chose CTU for the fast-track program and the convenience of online studies. I work full time and would not have been able to attend in-person classes.
Monica P., Former Student 2024 Graduate, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
I chose CTU because they offered fast-track programs/classes. I didn’t have to spend too much time on topics I was already familiar with.
Kierra C., Former Student 2023 Graduate, Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice
FAQ
At Colorado Technical University, we realize that many of our students come to us with prior knowledge gained through work, the military, a trade school, an apprenticeship, or other life experience. CTU Fast Track™ is a prior learning program that allows students enrolled at CTU the opportunity to earn college credit for life experience or previous work experience. Each exam is designed to test your knowledge of key course objectives. By passing a CTU Fast Track™ exam, you receive PLA credit that allows you to skip the class, accelerating your degree and allowing you to potentially graduate sooner. You can save up to 30% on time and tuition*, and the best part is that these exams are available at no additional cost for CTU students.
Many of CTU’s programs offer Fast Track exams. Eligible degree programs have at least 1 exam available, and some as many as 17 exams available. We currently have dozens of degree programs that have Fast Track exams available, with more on the way.
Once you have enrolled as a student, the first step is to sign up for a Fast Track exam through your admissions advisor. They’ll make sure you are signed up for all of the exams that make sense for the life and work experience you have and are applicable to the program you are pursuing. Fast Track exams run weekly, and there is no additional cost.
Once the exam opens, you’ll have a set period of time to complete the exam online. On average, each Fast Track exam takes 3–5 hours to complete. If you earn a score of 70% or higher for undergraduate exams or 80% for graduate exams, you’ll receive proficiency credit for the class, the course will be removed from your schedule, and you won’t have to pay the tuition for that course. If you score below a 70% (undergraduate) or 80% (graduate), the course remains on your schedule as planned, but there is no penalty to your grade point average or academic standing.
You cannot re-take a Fast Track exam that you have attempted and not passed.
As a CTU student, you can take specific Fast Track exams that cover a variety of courses in our degree programs. Eligible programs include business, project management, information technology, and more.
Fast Track exams are available for classes like math, English, and IT — core classes which are required for many CTU degree programs.
In addition to Fast Track exams and earning credit at accredited postsecondary institutions, the following options are eligible for evaluation toward academic credit through CTU:
- Experiential Learning Portfolio (ELP): Contact the Registrar Evaluation Services Department to determine your eligibility and build an ELP that aligns with the course for which you want credit.
- Professional training/certification or military training: CTU uses ACE guidelines to evaluate eligibility for credit.
- CTU MOS Commitment: For active and veteran military students, CTU reviews MOS codes and prior education for credit.
- Standardized Assessment: Earn credit via AP, CLEP, or DSST exams.
- Transfer credit: CTU evaluates credits from other accredited schools upon receiving official transcripts.
*The ability to reduce time in school and/or reduce tuition towards the full cost of a degree program depends on the number of CTU Fast Track™ exams successfully passed. Fast Track program credits are non-transferable. Not all programs are eligible for possible 30% reduction in time and money. Courses eligible are subject to change. Students should not rely on potential Fast Track savings or eligibility when making an enrollment decision.
**Transfer credit is evaluated on an individual basis. Not all credits are eligible to transfer. See the University Catalog for transfer credit policies.