AP / IB / College Credit
Advanced Placement (AP) Examination
The University awards credit that high school students may earn through the College Board Advanced Placement Examinations. Advanced Placement exams should be taken before graduating from high school. Please arrange to have the official test results mailed to the University of San Francisco Office of Admission.
Advanced Placement (AP) Credit
| Advanced Placement Exam | Minimum Score | Total Credits | USF Course |
| Art History | 3 | 8 | Visual and Performing Arts Core |
| Art: Studio Drawing | 3 | 8 | elective |
| Art: Studio General | 3 | 8 | elective |
| Art: 2D Design | 3 | 8 | elective |
| Art: 3D Design | 3 | 8 | elective |
| Biology* | 4 | 8 | BIOL 100 and 103 |
| Chemistry | 4 | 8 | CHEM 111 and 113 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 3 | 8 | Level to be determined by department |
| Computer Science A | 3 | 4 | CS 110 |
| Computer Science AB | 3 | 8 | CS 110 and 112 |
| Computer Science Principles | 4 | 4 | CS 107 |
| Economics, Micro | 3 | 4 | ECON 111 |
| Economics, Macro | 3 | 4 | ECON 112 |
| English Language and Composition | 4 | 8 | elective |
| English Literature and Composition | 3 | 8 | Literature Core |
| Environmental Science | 3 | 4 | Science Core |
| European History** | 4 | 4 | HIST 110 |
| French Language | 3 | 8 | Level to be determined by department |
| Government & Politics, U.S. | 3 | 4 | Level to be determined by department |
| Government & Politics, Comparative | 3 | 4 | Level to be determined by department |
| German Language | 3 | 8 | Level to be determined by department |
| Human Geography | 3 | 4 | elective |
| Italian Language and Culture | 3 | 8 | Level to be determined by department |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 3 | 8 | Level to be determined by department |
| Latin | 3 | 8 | Level to be determined by department |
| Math: Calculus AB | 4 | 4 | MATH 109 |
| Math: Calculus BC | 4 | 8 | MATH 109 and 110 |
| Math: Calculus AB Subgrade | 4 | 4 | MATH 109 |
| Music: Listening and Literature | 3 | 8 | elective |
| Music: Theory | 3 | 8 | elective |
| Physics B | 3 | 8 | PHYS 100 and 101 |
| Physics C - Mech | 3 | 4 | PHYS 110 |
| Physics C - E&M | 3 | 4 | PHYS 210 |
| Physics 1 | 3 | 4 | PHYS 100 |
| Physics 2 | 3 | 4 | PHYS 101 |
| Psychology | 4 | 4 | PSYC 101 |
| Spanish Language | 3 | 8 | Level to be determined by department |
| Spanish Literature | 3 | 8 | Core Literature |
| Statistics | 3 | 4 | MATH 101 |
| US History** | 4 | 4 | US History Core and HIST 120 |
| World History** | 4 | 4 | HIST 220 |
| *Students who score 5 on the Advancement Placement Test in Biology can petition the Biology Chair to receive credit for BIOL 105-General Biology I (4 credits) and BIOL 106-General Biology II (4 credits) in place of credit for BIOL 100 and BIOL 103. This policy is effective for students entering USF in the fall 2012 semester or later. | |||
| **The History Department accepts up to 8 units of AP History credits to count towards the major. | |||
The university reserves the right to change policy regarding AP credit without advance notice.
International Baccalaureate Higher Level Examinations (IBHL)
USF awards 10 semester credits for each IB Higher Level examination result of 4 or higher. Please note that we do not award credit for IBHL English B. Applicants are not required to complete the IB Diploma in order to receive credit for Higher Level examination subjects.
USF does not award credits for IB Standard Level examination results.
International Baccalaureate Higher Level Credits
| International Baccalaureate Exam | Minimum Score Required | Total Credits | USF Course |
| Art Design | 4 | 10 | Elective |
| Art History | 4 | 10 | Visual and Performing Arts Core |
| Biology | 4 | 10 | Applied or Laboratory Science Core |
| Business Management | 4 | 10 | Elective |
| Chemistry | 4 | 10 | Applied or Laboratory Science Core |
| Computer Science A | 4 | 10 | Math or Quantitative Science Core |
| Computer Science AB | 4 | 10 | Math or Quantitative Science Core |
| Design Tech | 4 | 10 | Elective |
| Economics | 4 | 10 | Social Sciences Core |
| English A: Literature | 4 | 10 | Literature Core |
| English A: Lang and Literature | 4 | 10 | Elective |
| Film | 4 | 10 | Visual and Performing Arts |
| Geography | 4 | 10 | Elective |
| History/African | 4 | 10 | History Core |
| History/American | 4 | 10 | History Core |
| History/European | 4 | 10 | History Core |
| History-Asia/Middle East | 4 | 10 | History Core |
| Language: Arabic A | 4 | 10 | Elective |
| Language: Arabic B | 4 | 10 | Elective |
| Language: Chinese A | 4 | 10 | Elective |
| Language: Chinese B | 4 | 10 | Elective |
| Language: Dutch A | 4 | 10 | Elective |
| Language: Dutch B | 4 | 10 | Elective |
| Language: Mandarin A | 4 | 10 | Elective |
| Language: Mandarin B | 4 | 10 | Elective |
| Language: French A | 4 | 10 | Elective |
| Language: French B | 4 | 10 | Elective |
| Language: German A | 4 | 10 | Elective |
| Language: German B | 4 | 10 | Elective |
| Language: Italian A | 4 | 10 | Elective |
| Language: Italian B | 4 | 10 | Elective |
| Language: Japanese A | 4 | 10 | Elective |
| Language: Japanese B | 4 | 10 | Elective |
| Language: Korean A | 4 | 10 | Elective |
| Language: Korean B | 4 | 10 | Elective |
| Language: Russian A | 4 | 10 | Elective |
| Language: Russian B | 4 | 10 | Elective |
| Language: Spanish A | 4 | 10 | Elective |
| Language: Spanish B | 4 | 10 | Elective |
| Language: Thai A | 4 | 10 | Elective |
| Language: Thai B | 4 | 10 | Elective |
| Mathematics | 4 | 10 | Math or Quantitative Science Core |
| Music | 4 | 10 | Elective |
| Philosophy | 4 | 10 | Philosophy Core |
| Physics | 4 | 10 | Applied or Laboratory Science Core |
| Psychology | 5 | 10 | Social Sciences Core |
| Social Anthropology | 4 | 10 | Social Sciences Core |
| Theatre Arts | 4 | 10 | Visual and Performing Arts Core |
| Visual Arts | 4 | 10 | Visual and Performing Arts Core |
College Credit Earned During High School
If you have completed college courses while in high school, we generally grant credit if you receive a grade of "C-" or better in the course(s), the courses were taken at a regionally accredited college or university, and the credit is reflected on the college or university’s transcript. In order to receive credit, an official transcript from the college or university should be mailed to the Office of Undergraduate Admission:
Office of Undergraduate Admission
University of San Francisco
2130 Fulton Street
San Francisco, CA 94117
College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
The University recognizes academic credits that students may earn through the College Level Examination Program of the College Board. USF follows the American Council of Education (ACE) recommendation that a student achieve a minimum score of 50 to earn lower division credit for a particular test. The CLEP Examinations may be taken while enrolled at USF subject to Dean's approval. CLEP credit will not be awarded where a student has previously been awarded credit for a course corresponding to the CLEP Examination.
The chart "CLEP Examinations", below, provides information about the specific CLEP Examinations and the equivalent USF courses.
The CLEP criteria in the chart below is effective June 1, 2017. Credits awarded are subject to change and review.
CLEP Examinations
| CLEP Examination | Minimum Score | Credits | Core Curriculum |
| American Government | 50 | 3 | Social Science |
| American Literature | 50 | 3 | Literature |
| Biology | 50 | 6 | Applied Science |
| Introductory Business Law | 50 | 3 | |
| Calculus | 50 | 4 | Math |
| Chemistry | 50 | 6 | Applied Science |
| College Algebra | 50 | 3 | |
| College Composition Modular (no essay) | 3 | Rhetoric & Composition ++ | |
| College Composition (w/ essay) | 6 | Rhetoric & Composition +++ | |
| College Mathematics | 50 | 6 | |
| Introduction to Education Psychology | 50 | 3 | Social Science |
| English Literature (w/ or without essay) | 50 | 3 | Literature |
| Financial Accounting | 50 | 3 | |
| French Language | 50-59 | 6-9 | |
| German Language | 50-60 | 6-9 | |
| History of the United States I (Early Colonization to 1877) | 50 | 3 | History |
| History of the United States II (1865 to the Present) | 50 | 3 | History |
| Human Growth and Development | 50 | 3 | Social Science |
| Humanities | 50 | 3 | Literature or Visual/Performing Arts |
| Information Systems and Computer Applications | 50 | 3 | * |
| Analyzing and Interpreting Literature | 50 | 3 | Literature |
| Principles of Macroeconomics | 50 | 3 | Social Science |
| Principles of Management | 50 | 3 | |
| Principles of Marketing | 50 | 3 | |
| Principles of Microeconomics | 50 | 3 | Social Science |
| Natural Sciences | 50 | 6 | Applied Science |
| Pre-Calculus | 50 | 3 | Math |
| Introductory Psychology | 50 | 3 | Social Science |
| Social Sciences & History | 50 | 6 | History & Social Science |
| Introductory Sociology | 50 | 3 | Social Science |
| Spanish Language | 50-63 | 6-9 | |
| Western Civilization I (Ancient Near East to 1648) | 50 | 3 | History |
| Western Civilization II (1648 to the Present) | 50 | 3 | History |