---
title: "Assign learners to a program"
slug: "assign-learners-to-a-program-or-certification-4-1"
tags: ["Content Creator", "How-to", "Totara Learn"]
updated: 2026-08-13T16:01:46Z
published: 2026-08-13T16:01:46Z
canonical: "totara.help/assign-learners-to-a-program-or-certification-4-1"
---

> ## 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

Once you've [created a program](/totara-20/docs/create-a-program-1-1) and [added content](/totara-20/docs/adding-course-sets) you can start assigning the learners who will need to complete the program. 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, they they will be able to enrol in each selected course.

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

Before assigning users to a program, we strongly recommend reviewing the associated [notifications](/totara-20/docs/program-and-certification-notification-triggers). Some notifications may be triggered immediately upon assignment, potentially resulting in a large number of messages being sent. To avoid this, ensure you're aware of which notifications are active and how many users will receive them.

## Adding learners by organisation

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

1. Navigate to the program 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**](/totara-20/docs/program-due-dates-1).
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 is based on the position hierarchies you've set up.

1. Navigate to the program 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 positions 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**](/totara-20/docs/program-due-dates-1).
11. Repeat steps 2-10 to add another position(s).
12. Select **Save changes**.

A delete icon (**X**) 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.

1. Navigate to the program 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**](/totara-20/docs/program-due-dates-1).
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](/totara-20/docs/create-a-set-audience)
- [Create a dynamic audience](/totara-20/docs/create-a-dynamic-audience)

## Adding learners by management hierarchy

You can also assign learners based on their position in a management hierarchy to your programs:

1. Navigate to the program 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 **Name** column for the **Management hierarchy**, select **Include** **direct team** to add the manager’s direct reports or **Include** **all below** to add both their direct and indirect reports.
9. Enter an [**Assignment due date**](/totara-20/docs/program-due-dates-1).
10. Repeat steps 2-9 to add another position(s).
11. Select **Save changes**.

Please see [Job assignments](/totara-20/docs/what-are-job-assignments) for more information.

## Adding individual learners

Finally, you may want to add individual learners to programs.

1. Navigate to the program 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**](/totara-20/docs/program-due-dates-1).
9. Repeat steps 2-8 to add another individual(s).
10. Select **Save changes**.

## Warning on assignment changes in programs

When adding or removing assignments from a program, Totara displays a warning message to help you understand how the change may affect learner enrolments.

### Adding assignments

When you add one or more assignments, such as a audience or organisation, a prompt is displayed:

'Adding this/these assignment(s) will enrol X learners to this program except where they are enrolled already.'

![Confirmation modal displaying a message about enrolling learners with Ok and Cancel actions.](https://cdn.document360.io/a007399b-031e-436b-999a-528240e16f58/Images/Documentation/image-HCRKSBD3.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-29T15%3A06%3A51Z&se=2026-10-29T16%3A06%3A51Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=XyIgrdkYKEgQJ0aar%2B%2BHcq0kRLS8N4kisdaf9babY4M%3D)

Select **Ok** to confirm the change, or **Cancel** if you do not wish to proceed.

### Removing assignments

When removing an assignment, a confirmation warning prompt will be displayed:

'This will withdraw X learners from this program except where they have another assignment.'

![Confirmation modal displaying a message about removing learners with Ok and Cancel actions.](https://cdn.document360.io/a007399b-031e-436b-999a-528240e16f58/Images/Documentation/image-D7IJT3VO.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-29T15%3A06%3A51Z&se=2026-10-29T16%3A06%3A51Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=XyIgrdkYKEgQJ0aar%2B%2BHcq0kRLS8N4kisdaf9babY4M%3D)

You can choose to **Remove** the assignment or **Cancel** the change before the assignment is removed.

These warnings will apply to all assignment types:

- Organisations
- Positions
- Audiences
- Management hierarchy
- Groups (for removals only)

> [!WARNING]
> Note that the warning does not calculate whether learners in the selected assignment(s) are also enrolled via another assignment type. For example, removing an audience assignment may display that it will withdraw learners, even if some of those learners are still assigned via an organisation or another assignment type.

![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=2026-10-29T15%3A06%3A51Z&se=2026-10-29T16%3A06%3A51Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=XyIgrdkYKEgQJ0aar%2B%2BHcq0kRLS8N4kisdaf9babY4M%3D) The Totara Academy has a whole course dedicated to using [Programs and certifications](https://totara.community/mod/page/view.php?id=24374) in Totara Learn. Here you can learn more on how to use programs and certifications, see best practices, and why not give it a go yourself.

Join the [Totara Community](https://totara.community/) for more resources to help you get the most out of Totara.

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