Undergraduate Test Credit

Summary

Stanford undergraduates may submit scores for certain advanced-level secondary school exams to be awarded units toward their bachelor's degree. These test credits count, along with college transfer credit, toward the total allowed number of external units. Accepted exam boards and subject tests are specific to a student's matriculation year and re-evaluated annually by academic departments. Credit is calculated and awarded by the Office of the University Registrar, department of Degree Progress.

Policy Statement

Stanford University allows up to 45 units of external credit (90 units for transfer admits) toward graduation, consisting of college-level transfer credit and exam credit completed prior to high school graduation. The examination boards, scores, and unit awards available for potential external exam credit are predetermined by the university and academic departments. 

The faculty of a given department determine if any credit in their discipline, counting toward the 180-unit bachelor’s degree requirement, can be fulfilled via college-level external test credit taken during high school. Those Stanford departments electing to accept external test credit are bound by these university policies when creating test rules for a given academic year:

1. Credit is generally granted for a CollegeBoard Advanced Placement (AP) score of 4 or 5, or equivalent scoring rubric on other (domestic or international) exams. No more than 10 quarter units may be given for performance in a single examination.

2. It is at the discretion of departments whether or not to award credit by exam for scores of 3 on AP (or equivalent exam). No credit may be authorized for a score lower than AP 3 or equivalent.

3. Departments will review their credit by exam awards annually; students will be granted credit by exam based on the policies effective during their matriculation year at Stanford.

Specific combinations of exams and scores have been determined to satisfy Stanford courses. Enrolling in these courses after exam credit has been awarded is considered a duplication of work; in the event that an enrolled and graded course is found to duplicate awarded exam credit, the external units will be removed from the student’s transcript. Furthermore, students may only receive units for one external exam per subject. Students should be aware that once credit has been posted, it cannot be removed from the student record.

Credit awards for external examinations are sometimes used as guidelines by academic departments in order to determine appropriate placement for continuing coursework in a given subject. However, credit by exam is not a guarantee that a student will be placed in the subsequent course within a subject. Course placement is administered entirely by the academic department, and all subjects except where noted require a separate placement diagnostic for continuation of coursework in that subject.

The charts below list all Stanford-approved instances of external exams, test scores, credit awards, and equivalent courses pre-approved by Stanford for Bulletin year 2024-2025.

*Credit may only be awarded for one AP computer science subject test; if both scores are submitted, the higher-satisfying exam will be awarded.

** Qualifying scores on both subject tests required for award

* Students may receive credit for only one subject test in a given exam; if multiple scores are submitted, the higher-satisfying exam will be awarded.
** Qualifying scores on both subject tests required for award

* Qualifying scores on both subject tests required for award
** Students may receive exam credit for Physics 1/2 or Physics CM and/or CE, but not both

* Subject tests satisfy specific courses in the indicated language
** Scores of 4 on these exams will fulfill the university language requirement but earn no unit credit

Contact Information

Degree Progress, Office of the University Registrar