Advanced Placement (AP)

Advanced Placement (AP) standardized exams are designed to measure how well a student has mastered the content and skills of AP courses. A student must score three or higher on the AP exams to earn college credit. 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 Board Advanced Placement Tests	Passing Score	Minimum Semester Credits Earned¹	Semester Credits Toward GE Breadth Certification	American Institutions and/or GE Breadth Area²	Removal Date for GE Breadth³
AP Art History	3	6	3	C1 or C2
AP Biology	3	6	4	B2+B3
AP Calculus AB⁴	3	3	3	B4
AP Calculus BC⁴	3	6	3	B4
AP Calculus BC/ AB Subscore⁴	3	3	3	B4
AP Chemistry	3	6	6	B1+B3	F09
AP Chemistry	3	6	4	B1+B3
AP Chinese Language and Culture	3	6	3	C2
AP Comparative Government & Politics	3	3	3	D8
AP Computer Science A⁴	3	3	0	n/a
AP Computer Science AB⁴	3	6	0	n/a
AP Computer Science Principles	3	6	3	B4
AP English Language	3	6	3	A2
AP English Language and Composition	3	6	3	A2
AP English Literature	3	6	6	A2+C2
AP English Literature and Composition	3	6	6	A2+C2
AP Environmental Science⁵	3	4	4	B2+B3	F09
AP Environmental Science⁵	3	4	4	B1+B3
AP European History	3	6	3	C2 or D6
AP French Language	3	6	6	C2	F09
AP French Language	3	6	3	C2	F11
AP French Language and Culture	3	6	3	C2
AP French Literature	3	6	3	C2	F09
AP German Language	3	6	6	C2	F09
AP German Language	3	6	3	C2	F11
AP German Language and Culture	3	6	3	C2
AP Human Geography	3	3	3	D5
AP Italian Language and Culture	3	6	3	C2
AP Japanese Language and Culture	3	6	3	C2
AP Latin Literature	3	6	3	C2	F09
AP Latin	3	6	3	C2
AP Latin: Vergil	3	3	3	C2	F12
AP Macroeconomics	3	3	3	D2
AP Microeconomics	3	3	3	D2
AP Music Theory	3	6	3	C1	F09
AP Physics 1⁶	3	4	4	B1+B3
AP Physics 2⁶	3	4	4	B1+B3
AP Physics B⁶	3	6	6	B1+B3	F09
AP Physics B⁶	3	6	4	B1+B3	F13
AP Physics C (electricity/magnetism)⁶	3	4	4	B1+B3
AP Physics C (mechanics)⁶	3	4	4	B1+B3
AP Precalculus	3	3	3	B4
AP Psychology	3	3	3	D9
AP Seminar	3	3	0	n/a
AP Spanish Language	3	6	6	C2	S14
AP Spanish Language and Culture	3	6	3	C2
AP Spanish Literature	3	6	6	C2	S13
AP Spanish Literature and Culture	3	6	3	C2
AP Statistics	3	3	3	B4
AP Studio Art - 2D Design	3	3	0	n/a
AP Studio Art - 3D Design	3	3	0	n/a
AP Studio Art - Drawing	3	3	0	n/a
AP U.S. Government & Politics	3	3	3	D8+US-2
AP U.S. History	3	6	3	(C2 or D6)+US-1
AP World History	3	6	3	C2 or D6
AP World History	3	6	3	D6	F09
AP World History - Modern	3	3	3	C2 or D

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 certification 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 examination 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.