GlobalStudyBoard
Tools
← All topics·Tests & Credit track

AP, IB & College Credit

AP, IB & US College Credit

Earning and using US college credit — choosing AP courses by subject, AP score requirements, IB credit, CLEP exams and how credit transfers.

Last updated

An empty tiered lecture hall seen from the front, rows of seats and desks rising toward a dark acoustic panel on the rear wall.

Tests this hub covers

AP Exams

College Board · Once a year (May)

IB

International Baccalaureate (IB) · Two exam sessions a year, May and November (your school’s session applies)

What this hub covers

  1. Which AP Courses to Take by Subject AreaStart with your intended major, not the course list · STEM and quantitative subjects · Humanities, writing, and social sciences
  2. How AP Score Requirements Vary by CollegeThere is no single national AP credit rule · Why a 3, 4, or 5 is treated differently · How to research a college's AP policy
  3. IB Diploma and College Credit in US UniversitiesHow US colleges treat the IB Diploma · Higher Level vs. Standard Level · How IB credit differs from AP
  4. CLEP Exams for College Credit ExplainedWhat CLEP is · Subjects CLEP covers · How CLEP differs from AP
  5. How College Credit Transfers Between US SchoolsCredit is awarded by the receiving institution · How exam credit (AP, IB, CLEP) carries · How prior coursework transfers

Guides for United States

5 of 5 guides in this hub are for the United States.

Exam prep
United States·7 min read

Which AP Courses to Take by Subject Area

How to choose AP courses by subject and intended major so the credit you earn is actually usable at the colleges you are targeting.

Read guide
United States·6 min read

How AP Score Requirements Vary by College

Why an AP score that earns credit at one university earns nothing at another, and how to research each school's AP credit policy before you commit.

Read guide
United States·6 min read

CLEP Exams for College Credit Explained

What CLEP exams are, the subjects they cover, how they differ from AP, and how to use them to test out of introductory courses.

Read guide
Admissions
United States·7 min read

IB Diploma and College Credit in US Universities

How US colleges award credit and advanced standing for IB Higher Level and Standard Level scores, and how IB credit differs from AP.

Read guide
United States·8 min read

How College Credit Transfers Between US Schools

How AP, IB, CLEP, and prior coursework carry — or fail to carry — when you change majors or transfer, and how to protect credit you have earned.

Read guide

Studying in the United States

Continue exploring the United States

Universities, entrance tests, costs and visa facts for the United States — all in one place, each linked to its official source.

UniversitiesExamsGuidesScholarships
Explore the United StatesAsk GSB about the United States

Not sure where to start?

Ask GSB for guidance tailored to your situation.

Ask GSB →