AP Credit
Penn State AP Credit
Penn State awards credit on 11 of the 12 common AP exams listed here. A 3 is enough on 3, and the other 8 need a higher score.
Lowest score accepted
3
Limit on AP credit
None stated on the page
Chart applies to
University-wide
What each AP exam earns at Penn State
Twelve common exams. An exam is left out when Penn State’s page does not name it.
| AP exam | Lowest score | What it earns | With a 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calculus AB | 4 | Mathematics 140 (4 credits) (grade of four or five) | Same |
| Calculus BC | 3 | Mathematics 140 (4 credits) | Mathematics 140 (4 credits) and Mathematics 141 (4 credits) (grade of four or five) |
| English Language and Composition | None | No credit | |
| English Literature and Composition | 4 | English 101 (3 credits) (grade of four or five) | Same |
| United States History | 4 | 3 general credits of History as a Gen Ed-Humanities and University Requirement: US Cultures (grade of four or five) | Same |
| Biology | 4 | Biology 011 and Biology 012 (4 credits) | Biology 110 (4 credits) |
| Chemistry | 4 | Chemistry 110 and 111 (4 credits) | Chemistry 110, 111, 112, and 113 (8 credits) |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 4 | Physics 211 (4 credits) (grade of four or five) | Same |
| Computer Science A | 4 | 3 general credits of Computer Science (grade of four or five) | Same |
| Statistics | 3 | Statistics 100 (3 credits) | Statistics 200 (4 credits) (grade of four or five) |
| Psychology | 4 | three general credits of Psychology as a Gen Ed-Social Science | Psychology 100 (3 credits) |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | Spanish 001, 002 and 003 (12 credits) | Spanish 001, 002, 003 and 100 (15 credits) (grade of four or five) |
“If you have taken Advanced Placement (AP) tests, you may be able to earn Penn State credit.”
Frequently asked questions
Does Penn State accept AP credit?
Penn State awards credit on 11 of the 12 common AP exams listed here. A 3 is enough on 3, and the other 8 need a higher score.
What AP score do you need at Penn State?
The lowest score that earns anything on the non-language exams listed here is a 3. The score needed differs by exam, so check the row for each one.
Read from Penn State’s own page and last checked 2026-10-08. Colleges change these charts, and rules can differ by school within a university, so confirm with the official page before you plan around it.
