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Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Credits

Eligible Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) scores may be used toward a bachelor’s degree. The type and level of test credit awarded is standardized across the undergraduate schools, though each school has separate rules regarding the use of test credit to fulfill degree requirements (see School-Specific Policies below).

Students may not receive duplicate credit in one area of study. For example, a student who takes the AP and IB exams in calculus and receives eligible scores on both will be granted credit for only one set of results. An updated test credit policy is published annually for the incoming class. See the tables below for the current year’s policy.

Per Northwestern's Credit for Repeated Courses policy, if you earn AP or IB credit for a specific course (e.g., ECON 201) and then subsequently take that course at Northwestern, you will lose the AP or IB credit. The AP notation will remain on your transcript, but it will be listed as bearing 0 units of credit. (The same is true for certain science and math courses seen as substantially equivalent. For example, you can't earn both AP and NU credit for an introductory calculus course, even if the course numbers differ. Details are in the relevant department sections in the Undergraduate Catalog.)

Note: If you have taken an exam not listed here (British A-Levels, for example) and wish to have it considered for academic credit, send the International Test Credit Evaluation Request form and a copy of your score report to wcas-forms@northwestern.edu. Such credit is not applicable to the foundational disciplines but might still count towards the degree program of your school.