How it works: Getting started with noncredit digital badges

Oregon State University’s noncredit digital badges recognize meaningful learning, participation and service. Whether you’re offering professional development for employees or running a continuing education course for the public, this page outlines the process for Oregon State units to participate in the badging pilot (Winter - Summer 2026) and start awarding badges. Follow these steps to get started.

Step 1: Join the venture

Colleges, divisions and units interested in issuing noncredit digital badges must do the following:

  • Complete the participation form.
  • Pay a one-time, flat fee of $1,000 to participate in the pilot (Winter - Summer 2026). This fee covers badge issuance with no set limit during the pilot. If the volume grows beyond the expected output for the pilot phase, the Division of Educational Ventures will work with the unit to reassess and determine whether adjustments are needed. 
  • Designate a primary badge issuer. NOTE: Each college or administrative unit is allowed one Credly badge issuer. Any sub-units will need to work with the college or administrative badge issuer to issue individual badges.

Step 2: Watch for confirmation

After payment is confirmed, the Director of Alternative Credentials, Devin Miles, will:

  • Confirm receipt of payment.
  • Share the noncredit badge submission form to collect details on the badge being developed.
  • Trigger an email invite from Credly (OSU’s badge platform) to your designated issuer to set up their Credly account.

Step 3: Develop your badge

Your designated unit contact will add the following information to the badge submission form:

  • Badge name and description
  • Skills and competencies aligned with the badge type
  • Earning criteria
  • Intended audience
  • Badge category (professional development, completion and participation, or service and recognition)

Step 4: Badge design

  • For the pilot phase, the Division of Educational Ventures will provide each participating unit with a badge for each noncredit program that the unit is running during this period.
  • The noncredit badge submission form has space to provide needed information for the final badge design.

Step 5: Credly platform setup

Once information is shared with the Alternative Credentials Unit, the ACU director will:

  • Upload the finalized badge image to Credly.
  • Build and publish the badge template, including the image, description, skills tags and earning criteria.
  • Assign the designated unit contact issuer access in Credly, limited to issuing badges for that unit’s badge(s).

Note: Units will not be responsible for uploading images or entering badge metadata in Credly. All final badge design and publishing will be managed centrally by the ACU to maintain quality assurance and consistency.

Step 6: Badge issuance

  • Once the badge is published and live in Credly, the unit’s assigned issuer may begin issuing the badge to recipients.
  • Issuers will only have access to the specific badge(s) their unit submitted and that have been published by the ACU director.

Step 7: Promote and track

Units are encouraged to:

  • Promote badge sharing via email, LinkedIn, portfolios and résumés.
  • Contribute real-time feedback about interest in the badge.

Ready to begin?

Start the process by submitting your participation form and connecting with the ACU.

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