Credit by Examination

Stony Brook accepts up to 30 credits by examination in partial fulfillment of the bachelor’s degree.

• Advanced placement credit is granted to students who have taken the appropriate College Board advanced placement examination and scored a 3 or higher. Click here  for a table listing of available AP exams, the relevant scores, and Stony Brook University equivalency and applicability to degree requirements. Students must request that their test scores be forwarded to Stony Brook University’s Undergraduate Admissions Office from AP Services. Visit College Board at: apscore.org (school code 2548).

• International Baccalaureate: Stony Brook University will award six credits for International Baccalaureate higher-level exams with scores of 5 or higher for year-long courses.

• The University awards credit for the CLEP (College-Level Examination Program) subject examinations only. Credit is not awarded for the CLEP general examinations. CLEP exam credit will not be awarded for language exams for a language formerly studied. No student may take a CLEP exam in a subject matter that is a prerequisite for a course already passed, or is similar in subject matter to a course taken. The scores received must be equivalent to a grade of C. 

• General Certificate of Education Advanced Level (A-Level): Stony Brook University will award up to eight credits per subject for A-level (Advanced) exams in year-long courses with grade equivalents of a US C or better.

• DSST, or DANTES Subject Standardized Tests taken by military service members and veterans are accepted following the same standards as CLEP examinations.

Credit requested for examinations or programs not specifically mentioned above must be substantiated by the appropriate documentation. Requests for reviews of students’ qualifications must be submitted in writing to the Undergraduate Admissions Office. Please click here for the SUNY policy on Credit for Prior Learning.