Getting College Credit

Did you know that doing well on a CLEP exam can earn you the same amount of credit that you'd get if you took and passed a college course covering the same material? Learn how to get credit for what you already know.

Learn About Your College's CLEP Policy

Currently, 2,900 colleges and universities grant credit for CLEP, and each institution sets its own CLEP policy. In other words, each institution determines the exams for which it awards credits, the minimum qualifying score required to get credit, and the amount of credits that will be granted per exam. Before you take a CLEP exam, review the CLEP policy of your college or university.

How Much Credit Can You Earn?

If you pass a CLEP exam, you may earn up to 12 credits. The amount of credit you can earn on an individual CLEP exam varies with each college. Some colleges place a limit on the total amount of credit you can earn through CLEP. Other colleges may grant you exemption but no credit toward your degree.

Minimum Qualifying Score

Most colleges publish the required scores for earning CLEP credit in their general catalog or in a brochure. The required score for earning CLEP credit may vary from exam to exam. Contact your institution to find out the minimum qualifying score for each exam you're considering.

Getting Credit for General Requirements

At some colleges, you may be able to apply your CLEP credit to the college's core curriculum requirements. For example, CLEP credit may be given as "6 hrs. English Credit" or "3 hrs. Math Credit," and can be used for any English or mathematics course. Find out before you take a CLEP exam what type of credit you can receive from your institution, or whether you will be exempted from a required course but receive no credit.

Prior Course Work

Some colleges won't grant credit for a CLEP exam if you've already attempted a college-level course closely aligned with that exam. For example, if you successfully completed English 101 or a comparable course on another campus, you'll probably not be permitted to receive CLEP credit in that same subject. Also, some colleges won't permit you to earn CLEP credit for a course that you failed.

Additional Stipulations

Be sure to wait at least six months before repeating a CLEP exam of the same title. Scores of exams repeated earlier than six months will not be accepted (and test fees will be forfeited).

Colleges usually award CLEP credit only to their enrolled students. Here are some additional questions to consider:

Does the college require that you "validate" your CLEP score by successfully completing a more advanced course in the subject?
Does the college require the optional free-response (essay) section for the examinations in Composition and Literature as well as the multiple-choice portion of the CLEP exam you're considering?
Will you be required to pass a departmental test such as an essay, laboratory, or oral exam in addition to the CLEP multiple-choice exam?

Knowing the answers to these questions ahead of time will permit you to schedule the optional free-response or departmental exam when you register to take your CLEP exam.

Sharon Ercey

Testing Coordinator

Western Kentucky University

"Why is it that WKU administers more CLEP tests and awards more credit than any other institution in Kentucky? The answer is quite simple: The testing center actively searches for any opportunity to promote CLEP on campus, in the community and throughout the state. We offer presentations to campus advisors, parents of incoming freshmen, high school guidance counselors and anyone else who will listen! WKU’s generous CLEP policy, accepting credit for 32 exams, having a flexible testing schedule with online registration and on-site testing for regional campuses, and having a genuine interest in helping students succeed in college make our CLEP program a wonderful success story."
Cindy Sproehnle

Assessment Center Director

Gateway Community & Technical College

"CLEP testing is a valuable resource and tremendous opportunity for students to earn college credit for what they already have learned! I've always encouraged our community-college students to take advantage of this opportunity. My children, friends and relatives have also benefitted from taking CLEP exams, and are now great believers in CLEP exams and their benefits!"
Jeffrey R. Worsham

Student

University of Oklahoma

"CLEP helped me get credit for a quarter of my degree without any classes, professors or costly textbooks. If you are already good at math or have a passion for writing, why take a 12 week class with endless amounts of homework and lectures? A study guide, some practice questions and what you already know can get you college credit in just a few weeks. CLEP saved me a year of college and over $10,000! Thanks CLEP!"
Megan Melton

Student

Front Range Community College

"I decided to return to college after taking over 10 years off, and my goal was to complete my degree as quickly as possible. Being 30 and a nontraditional student I had no desire to take the prerequisite courses and sit in a classroom with true freshmen students. CLEP offered me a fast, easy and inexpensive option to earn credit for my prerequisite courses in just one test. As a full-time student, mom and employee, my time is very tight. Thanks to CLEP, I have been able to take only 12 credits per semester and still complete my degree in under four years."
Alexis Youngblood

Student

Rock Valley Community College

"The CLEP exams have been an enormous blessing to me. Taking the College Mathematics and the College Composition tests saved me time and money, and I got ahead of schedule to graduate with an associate of arts degree. It also saved me approximately $570, which went toward a new laptop. Because the requirement to graduate with an A.A. was to complete only three credits of college math, the CLEP exam fulfilled the entire requirement. I took the test early and was able to really focus on the classes important to my major."
Anthony G. Dotson

Veterans Res. Ctr. Coordinator

University of Kentucky

"I’m a huge proponent of CLEP, in fact I CLEP’ed my freshman year of college. I encourage all incoming veterans to consider taking CLEP prior to their arrival at UK. Especially if they have not left active duty, as the exams are at no cost to them. CLEP can allow these nontraditional students to enter college a little better prepared and not as far behind their traditional student peers."
Sparkle Raymond

Test Center Administrator

Northern Virginia Community College

"As a test center administrator, it has been a complete joy to witness students who otherwise would not have the funds necessary to work toward a degree program. Because of CLEP's many locations and cost factor, it has made it convenient for students worldwide to work towards completing a degree in record time."
Peggy Hawk

Test Center Administrator

Pikes Peak Community College

"As an administrator of CLEP exams, nothing is more satisfying than to have a student pass the test and tell me it was the last credit they needed to graduate from college. In many cases, both the student and I have shed tears of joy. It is great to know that what you do has such a profound impact on these individuals."
Cindi Baumgardner

Parent

Home School

"As a home-school mom with a limited budget and a talented student, we were looking for alternatives to a four-year bachelor program. Our son was a high school senior and interested in pursuing graduate or higher level of studies. We found an accelerated program that worked with select colleges, and a huge part of that program was taking CLEP tests. By the end of his high school senior year, our son (age 17) had taken and passed 16 CLEP exams, earning him 69 credit hours. And he’s prepping to take three more this coming year. That has put quite a dent in his accumulation toward a political science degree. He does his senior work this fall and spring. This fall he will be applying to graduate programs and law schools. Without CLEP tests, we could not have helped him to realize his dreams on this short of a timeline. It made all the difference."
Shane Baumgardner

Student

Home School

"CLEP has drastically changed — and improved — my college education. Over the course of eight months, I took 16 CLEP examinations for over 45 credits. As you can imagine, that greatly accelerated my college education. In fact, thanks to CLEP, I'm going to graduate with a bachelors degree in political science at age 18, only one year after graduating high-school. CLEP has saved me money, time and given me an opportunity to learn and retain the subject matter. I can't recommend CLEP tests enough as a way to accomplish your lower-level courses in college."