Turn your knowledge into credit

Did you excel in your high school classes and think you have college-level knowledge? Consider earning Iowa State credit through exams.

Advantages of earning credit by exam

  • Fulfill basic education requirements with courses from a wider variety of academic areas than most students
  • Gain an advance standing in introductory courses 
  • Accelerate your entire academic career and perhaps even graduate early

Credit earned by examination is not used in figuring out grade point averages. However, it does become part of your official record and may be applied toward graduation requirements. Iowa State will allow a maximum of 60 credits of prior learning credit to satisfy a student's undergraduate degree requirements, of which no more than 32 credits may come from the credit by exam. Please note that you will at least need to have one year of residency for graduation.

Transferring credit by exam

If Advanced Placement (AP) or College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) credit is earned at any Iowa public college or university and is accompanied by at least 12 semester credits earned in residence at the sending institution, it may be transferred directly to Iowa State University.

If your AP or CLEP credit is from any other college or university, your scores must be sent to the Office of Admissions and credit will be awarded based on our requirements.

The Advanced Placement Program allows the College Board to offer national examinations for you to qualify for advanced placement or academic credit at Iowa State. These exams are administered each May. Official scores must be sent to Iowa State University directly from the College Board. For specific equivalencies, see the chart below.

Art

AP ExamScoreISU CourseSem. Crs. Awarded
Art History3-4Art History 28003
 5Art History 2800, 28106
Drawing No Credit 
2-D Art & Design No Credit 
3-D Art & Design No Credit 

Biology

AP ExamScoreISU CourseSem. Crs. Awarded
Biology4-5Biology 10004

Chemistry

AP ExamScoreISU CourseSem. Crs. Awarded
Chemistry4-5Chemistry 1770, 17807

Depending upon the Chemistry Department's review of the student's AP Chemistry lab notebook, students may receive up to two additional credits: one credit for CHEM 1670L, or one credit for CHEM 1770L, or two credits for CHEM 1770L and 1780L. 

Computer science

AP ExamScoreISU CourseSem. Crs. Awarded
Computer Science A4Computer Science 12704
Computer Science A5Computer Science 1270 and 22708
Computer Science Principles4-5Computer Science 10003

Economics

AP ExamScoreISU CourseSem. Crs. Awarded
Macroeconomics3-5Economics 10203
Microeconomics3-5Economics 10103

English

AP ExamScoreISU CourseSem. Crs. Awarded
English Language & Composition3-5English 15003
English Literature & Composition4-5English 1000 or 15003

If you have earned an ACT English score of at least 24 or an SAT ERW score of at least 600, you do not need to take the English Language/Composition Exam as you will automatically be placed into English 2500. If you earn a grade of C or better in English 2500 taken at Iowa State University, you will be awarded test-out credit for English 1500.

Environmental science

AP ExamScoreISU CourseSem. Crs. Awarded
Environmental Science 3-5Environmental Studies 10003

Foreign language

AP ExamScoreISU CourseSem. Crs. Awarded
Chinese Language & Culture3Chinese 10104
Chinese Language & Culture4Chinese 1010, 10208
Chinese Language & Culture5Chinese 1010, 1020, 201012
French Language & Culture3French 1010, 10208
French Language & Culture4-5French 1010, 1020, 2010, 202016
German Language & Culture3German 1010, 10208
German Language & Culture4-5German 1010, 1020, 2010, 202016
Italian Language & Culture3Italian 1000P8
Italian Language & Culture4-5Italian 1000P, Italian 2000P16
Latin3Latin 1010, 10208
Latin4-5Latin 1010, 10208
Spanish Language & Culture3Spanish 1010, 10208
Spanish Language & Culture4-5Spanish 1010, 1020, 2010, 202016
Spanish Literature & Culture3-5Spanish 3000*3

Students who plan to enroll in a foreign language course at Iowa State and who receive a score of 5 on a Foreign Language or Literature AP examination may qualify for foreign language credits in addition to those indicated above.

* Credits earned in Spanish 3000 may be counted toward the following requirements: general education requirements in the humanities; international perspectives; requirements for the Spanish major or minor; Latin American Studies Certificate; or elective credit. NOTE: Students interested in applying these credits to the major or minor in Spanish or U.S. Latino/a Studies should consult with an advisor in the Department of World Languages and Cultures.

Geography

AP ExamScoreISU CourseSem. Crs. Awarded
Human Geography3-5Social Science 10003

Government and politics

AP ExamScoreISU CourseSem. Crs. Awarded
U.S. Government and Politics4-5Political Science 11103
Comparative Government/Politics4-5Political Science 12503

History

AP ExamScoreISU CourseSem. Crs. Awarded
African American Studies4-5African American Studies 20103
European History4-5History 2010, 20206
United States History4-5History 2210, 22206
World History: Modern4-5History 10006

Mathematics

AP ExamScoreISU CourseSem. Crs. Awarded
Calculus AB4-5Math 16504
Calculus BC3Math 16504
Calculus BC4-5Math 1650, 16608
Precalculus4-5Math 14304

Note: All students are required to take a math placement exam prior to registering for classes. If the student’s math placement is not consistent with the credits awarded on the basis of their AP Calculus exam (as indicated above), the student should consult with their academic advisor to determine whether they still wish to accept the math credit they have been awarded. 

Music

AP ExamScoreISU CourseSem. Crs. Awarded
Music Theory4-5Music 22404

Physics

AP ExamScoreISU CourseSem. Crs. Awarded
Physics 1: Algebra-based5Physics 1310, 1310L5
Physics 1: Algebra-based4*Physics 1310, 1310L5
Physics 2: Algebra-based5Physics 1320, 1320L5
Physics 2: Algebra-based4**Physics 1320, 1320L5
Physics C: Mechanics4-5Physics 2310, 2310L5
Physics C: Electricity & Magnetism4-5Physics 2320, 2320L5

* Students must also earn a minimum score of 3 on the Physics 2 exam
** Students must also earn a minimum score of 3 on the Physics 1 exam

Psychology

AP ExamScoreISU CourseSem. Crs. Awarded
Psychology4-5Psychology 10103

Statistics

AP ExamScoreISU CourseSem. Crs. Awarded
Statistics3Statistics 10104
Statistics4-5Statistics 20104

We will award credit for College Board examinations if you satisfy the requirements of the College-Level Examination Program.

CLEP examMinimum test scoreISU coursesSem. crs. awarded
Financial Accounting*65Acct 28403
American Government64Pol Sci 11103
Biology**56Biol 10103
Calculus64Math 16504
Humanities*55Fine Arts2
  Literature4
Macroeconomics, Principles of62Econ 10203
Microeconomics, Principles of64Econ 10103
Natural Sciences*66Biological Science3
  Physical Science3
Introductory Psychology55Psych 10103
Social Sciences and History*63Social Science4
  History2
Introductory Sociology56Soc 13403
French Language**50French 1010
French 1020
3
3
 59

French 1010
French 1020

French 2010

3
3

3

German Language**50German 1010
German 1020
3
3
 60

German 1010
German 1020

German 2010

3
3

3

Spanish Language***50Spanish 1010
Spanish 1020
3
3
 63

Spanish 1010
Spanish 1020

Spanish 2010

3
3

3

 

*Excludes engineering majors

**Excludes biology and engineering majors

***To develop deeper language proficiencies, the Department of World Languages and Cultures encourages students to enroll in classes rather than take CLEP exams. Students who have not already earned CLEP credits and who complete two consecutive courses at the 2000-level or above will be awarded 8 test-out credits. These credits may be applied to graduation.

Departmental examinations are offered by many of Iowa State University's academic departments to allow students to earn credit in specific courses. These exams are offered at the beginning of each semester, and they are administered by the department on campus – for a departmental exam fee.

To learn more about the departmental exams offered at Iowa State University, contact the specific departmental office.