---
title: "20 Assign learners to a program or certification"
slug: "assign-learners-to-a-program-or-certification"
tags: ["Content Creator", "How-to", "Totara Learn"]
updated: 2025-07-22T10:52:18Z
published: 2025-07-22T11:18:43Z
canonical: "totara.help/assign-learners-to-a-program-or-certification"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://totara.help/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Assign learners to a program or certification

Once you've [created a program](/19/docs/create-a-program) or [certification](/19/docs/create-a-certification) and [added content](/19/docs/adding-program-content) you can start assigning the learners who will need to complete the program/certification. You can do this using the **Assignments** tab. Users can be assigned by organisation, position, audience, management hierarchy, and/or individually.

Once learners are assigned to a program/certification, they will be provided access to enrol in each selected course.

When adding learners to a program, open the **Assignments** tab in the relevant program and follow the below steps.

We strongly recommend that you check the [program or certification's notifications](/19/docs/configure-program-and-certification-notifications) before assigning users, as there may be notifications that send immediately once users have been assigned. Once users are assigned, this can result in a large number of notifications being sent, so it's important that you know which notifications will be sent, and to how many users.

## Adding learners by organisation

One way to assign learners to programs and certifications is based on your organisation's hierarchies.

1. Navigate to the program/certification and select the **Assignments** tab.
2. Select **Organisations** from the **Add a new** dropdown menu and click **Add.**
3. Select the **Add organisations to program** button.
4. Select the required organisational framework from the dropdown box.
5. **Browse** through the organisations or **Search** for a specific organisation.
6. Select the name of each organisation to be added. Organisations from different frameworks can be selected.
7. The selected organisations(s) appear under the **Items to add** area.
8. Select **Ok** to complete the organisation selection or **Cancel** to exit.
9. Select **All below** to include all users in the hierarchy structure below the selected organisation.
10. Enter an [**Assignment due date**](/19/docs/program-and-certification-due-dates).
11. Repeat steps 1-9 to add another organisation(s).
12. Select **Save changes.**

A delete icon to remove an organisation from the selection will appear on hover over.

## Adding learners by position

Another way to assign learners to programs and certifications is based on the position hierarchies you've set up.

1. Navigate to the program/certification and select the **Assignments** tab.
2. Select **Positions** from the **Add a new** dropdown menu and click **Add.**
3. Select the **Add position to program** button.
4. Select the required positional framework from the dropdown box.
5. **Browse** through the positions or **Search** for a specific position.
6. Select the name of each organisation to be added. Positions from different frameworks can be selected.
7. The selected position(s) appear under the **Items to add** area.
8. Select **Ok** to complete the position selection or **Cancel** to exit.
9. Select **All below** to include all users in the hierarchy structure below the selected position.
10. Enter an [**Assignment due date**](/19/docs/program-and-certification-due-dates).
11. Repeat steps 2-10 to add another position(s).
12. Select **Save changes.**

A delete icon to remove a position from the selection will appear on hover over.

## Adding learners by audience

If your users are already assigned to audiences, you can choose to assign entire audiences to your programs and certifications.

1. Navigate to the program/certification and select the **Assignments** tab.
2. Select **Audiences** from the **Add a new** dropdown menu and click **Add.**
3. Select the **Add audiences to program** button.
4. **Browse** through the audiences or **Search** for a specific audience.
5. Select the name of each audience to be added.
6. The selected audience(s) appear under the **Items to add** area.
7. Select **Ok** to complete the audience selection or **Cancel** to exit.
8. Enter an [**Assignment due date**](/19/docs/program-and-certification-due-dates).
9. Repeat steps 2-8 to add another position(s).
10. Select **Save changes.**

To learn more about creating audiences, please see the following pages:

- [Create a set audience](/19/docs/create-a-set-audience)
- [Create a dynamic audience](/19/docs/create-a-dynamic-audience)

## Adding learners by management hierarchy

You can also assign learners based on their position in a management hierarchy by following these steps:

1. Navigate to the program/certification and select the **Assignments** tab.
2. Select **Management hierarchy** from the **Add a new** dropdown menu and click **Add.**
3. Select the **Add managers to program** button.
4. **Browse** through the user list or **Search** for a specific manager.
5. Select the manager name(s) then choose the appropriate job assignment(s) applicable to the program assignment.
6. The selected manager(s) and their job assignment(s) will appear in the **Items to add** area.
7. Select **Ok** to complete the manager selection or **Cancel** to exit.
8. Under the **For** column, select **direct team** to add the manager’s direct reports or **all below** to add both their direct and indirect reports.
9. Enter an [**Assignment due date**](/19/docs/program-and-certification-due-dates).
10. Repeat steps 2-9 to add another position(s).
11. Select **Save changes.**

Please see [Job assignments](/19/docs/what-are-job-assignments) for more information.

## Adding individual learners

Finally, you may want to add individual learners to programs and certifications. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the program/certification and select the **Assignments** tab.
2. Select **Individuals** from the **Add a new** dropdown menu and click **Add.**
3. Select the **Add individuals to program** button.
4. **Browse** through the user list or **Search** for a specific individual.
5. Select the name of each individual to be added.
6. The selected individuals(s) appear under the **Items to add** area.
7. Select **Ok** to complete the selection of individuals or **Cancel** to exit.
8. Enter an [**Assignment due date**](/19/docs/program-and-certification-due-dates).
9. Repeat steps 2-8 to add another position(s).
10. Select **Save changes.**

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![Course badge](https://cdn.document360.io/a007399b-031e-436b-999a-528240e16f58/Images/Documentation/course-badge_programs-and-certifications.svg?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-26T21%3A07%3A37Z&se=2026-10-26T22%3A07%3A37Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=rsGGb%2FW6QXAq7ImWWaaJ2RkzB5iCwhmkvruqtCCKSTo%3D)The Totara Academy has a whole course dedicated to using [Programs and certifications](https://totara.community/mod/page/view.php?id=22023) in Totara Learn. Here you can learn more on how to use programs and certifications, see best practice, and give it a go yourself.