• Advanced Placement (AP)
• International Baccalaureate (IB)
• College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

Advanced Placement (AP) Credit

University of Maryland encourages applicants to seek AP credit so that academically successful students may move forward in their programs at an appropriate pace. However, credit is not granted for all exams offered by the College Board. Credits are accepted and courses are exempted, based on departmental approval, according to the chart on the following page. Students should arrange to have their scores sent directly to the University of Maryland from the Educational Testing Service; the code is 5814. Students should also inform their advisers at Orientation that they anticipate receiving AP credit, because this information may affect their placement in subject-matter courses.

If a student has already received AP credit at another institution, this credit will be reevaluated. The score received must be equivalent to the minimum score the University of Maryland accepted at the time the test was taken; otherwise, the credit will not be eligible for transfer. AP credits that are accepted are recorded as transfer credit on University of Maryland records, and figure in the total number of credits earned toward graduation. Students may not receive AP credit for an equivalent course taken at the University of Maryland or elsewhere. If students earn credit in a course equivalent to an AP exam for which they also earned credit, the AP credit will be deleted from their records. Students should check with their advisers for detailed information on the assignment of AP credit.

Please note that the chart represents a general outline of AP credit. In all cases, credit is available only for grades of 3 or higher, subject to ongoing departmental reevaluation. All departments reserve the right to reevaluate the content of exams and to change the assignment of credit and course equivalences. Any new exams offered after February 15, 2003 may or may not be evaluated by the appropriate department. Students should check with their adviser at Orientation.

Certain departments, particularly Mathematics and Physics, have separate criteria for placement in courses and the assignment of credit. Students should check with those departments for additional information. All entering freshmen will be placed in math courses according to the University of Maryland math placement exam.

International Baccalaureate (IB) Examination Credit Awards

University of Maryland awards credit to students who sit for International Baccalaureate exams according to the table below. Interested students should call the Office of Undergraduate Admissions for additional information, 314-8385.

N.B.: Credit awards and course equivalences are subject to change.

College-Level Examination Program (CLEP)

The College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) recognizes college-level competence achieved outside the college classroom. Two types of CLEP tests are available: General Examinations, which cover the content of a broad field of study; and Subject Examinations, which cover the specific content of a college course. Credit can be earned and will be recognized by University of Maryland for some CLEP General or Subject Examinations, provided satisfactory scores are attained. Credits earned under CLEP are not considered "residence" credit, but are treated as transfer credit.

CLEP exams are administered at CLEP testing centers throughout the country. University of Maryland is a CLEP Test Center (Test Center Code: 5814). To obtain an application or additional information, contact the CLEP Administrator in the Counseling Center, Room 0106A Shoemaker Hall, (301-314-7688), or write to CLEP, CN 6600, Princeton, N.J. 08541-6600. Students who want to earn credit through CLEP must request their official score reports to be sent to the Office of Undergraduate Admission, Mitchell Building, University of Maryland, College Park, Md. 20742. (The Score Recipient Code is 5814.)