U.S. Office of Personnel Management - Ensuring the Federal Government has an effective civilian workforce

Policies and Instructions

General Policies:
E. Application of Qualification Standards

1. Selecting the Appropriate Qualification Standard
2. Implementing New or Revised Standards
3. Experience Requirements
4. Educational and Training Provisions or Requirements
5. Crediting Combinations of Education and Experience
6. Using Selective Factors
7. Using Quality Ranking Factors
8. Special Inservice Placement Provisions
9. Other Requirements or Provisions
10. Supervisory Positions

5. Crediting Combinations of Education and Experience

Education and experience can be combined to meet the minimum qualification requirements, as allowed in the applicable standard. To combine education and experience, determine the applicant's total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level. Then determine the applicant's education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level. Finally, add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level. The group coverage standards contain examples of how to combine education and experience. Note that only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level can be combined with the appropriate level of experience to qualify applicants for positions at grades GS-9 and GS-11. For example, if a school's requirement for 1 year of graduate study is 18 semester hours, only graduate education beyond the first 18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours can be combined with GS-7 level experience to qualify for a GS-9 level position. Thus, 9 semester hours of graduate education and 6 months of GS-7 level experience cannot be combined to qualify for a GS-9 position.