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College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

​The College Level Examination Program (CLEP) is a credit-by-examination program that measures a student’s level of comprehension of introductory college-level material and consecutively earn college credit. The CSU requires a passing score of at least 50 on the CLEP exam. Each campus in the CSU system determines how it will apply external examinations toward credit in the major. For students not already certified in GE (​​General Education) and/or ​​American Institutions, the campus also determines how to apply credit from such exams toward the local degree requirement.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)Passing ScoreMinimum Semester Credits Earned1Semester Credits Toward GE Breadth CertificationAmerican Institutions and/or GE Breadth Area2Removal Date for GE Breadth3
CLEP American Government5033D8
CLEP American Literature5033C2
CLEP Analyzing and Interpreting Literature5033C2
CLEP Biology5033B2
CLEP Calculus5033B4
CLEP Chemistry503​​3B1
​CLEP College Algebra5033B4
CLEP College Algebra - Trigonometry5033B4
CLEP College Composition5000n/a
CLEP College Composition – Modular5000n/a
CLEP College Mathematics5000n/a
CLEP English Composition (no essay)5000n/a
CLEP English Composition with Essay5000n/a
CLEP English Literature5033C2F11
CLEP Financial Accounting5030n/a
CLEP French7 Level I5060n/a
CLEP French7 Level II59123C2F15
CLEP French7 Level II5993C2
CLEP Freshman College Composition5000n/a
CLEP German7 Level I5060n/a
CLEP German7 Level II60123C2F15
CLEP German7 Level II6093C2
CLEP History, United States I5033D6+US-1
CLEP History, United States II5033D6+US-1
CLEP Human Growth and Development5033E
CLEP Humanities5033C2
CLEP Information Systems and Computer Applications5030n/a
CLEP Introduction to Educational Psychology5030n/a
CLEP Introductory Business Law5030n/a
CLEP Introductory Psychology5033D9
CLEP Introductory Sociology5033D0
CLEP Natural Sciences5033B1 or B2
CLEP Pre-Calculus5033B4
CLEP Principles of Accounting5030n/a
CLEP Principles of Macroeconomics5033D2
CLEP Principles of Management5030n/a
CLEP Principles of Marketing5030n/a
CLEP Principles of Microeconomics5033D2
CLEP Social Sciences and History5000n/a
CLEP Spanish7 Level I5060n/a
CLEP Spanish7 Level II63123C2F15
CLEP Spanish7 Level II6393C2
​CLEP Spanish with Writing I7
50​​6
​0
​​N/A
​CLEP Spanish with Writing II7
​63
​9​
3
C2
CLEP Trigonometry
5033B4F06
CLEP Western Civilization I5033C2 or D6
CLEP Western Civilization II5033D6

​For more information on the CSU's External Exam policy download a copy of the CSU Systemwide Credit for External Examinations in PolicyStat.​​


1These units count toward eligibility for admission. The units may not all apply toward certificati​on of the corresponding GE-Breadth area. See Executive Orders 1036 and 1100 for details.

2Areas of GE Breadth (A1 through E) are defined in EO 1100. Areas of American Institutions (US-1 through US-3) are set forth in Sections IA and IB of EO 1061, and at assist.org.

3Students seeking certification in GE Breadth prior to transfer must have passed the test before this date.

4If a student passes more than one AP exam in calculus or computer science, only one exa​​mination may be applied to the baccalaureate.

5Students who pass AP Environmental Science earn 4 units of credit. Tests prior to Fall 2009 may apply to either B1+B3 or B2+B3 of GE Breadth. Fall of 2009 or later, those credits may only apply to B1+B3.

6If a student passes more than one AP exam in physics, only six units of credit may be applied to the baccalaureate, and only four units of credit may be applied to a certification in GE Breadth.​

7If a student passes more than one CLEP test in the same language other than English (e.g., two exams in French), then only one examination may be applied to the baccalaureate. For each test in a language other than English, a passing score of 50 is considered “Level I” and earns six units of baccalaureate credit; the higher score listed for each test is considered “Level II” and earns additional units of credit and placement in Area C2 of GE Breadth, as noted.