DSST® prep courses and study guides
8 prep courses and 38 printable study guides, all of them for $29 a month. Or buy one course for $19 and keep it.
378 colleges in Find My College that take DSST. Not there? Try DSST's own search DSST (source, opens in a new tab).
DSST prep courses for 8 exams
Learn each exam chapter by chapter, with quizzes as you go. $19 a course, or every course in one plan.
- Quizzes in every course: 39 to 124 each
- Study on your phone or laptop, at your own pace
- Pay $19 once and keep it
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Computing and Information Technology
$19View course -
Organizational Behavior
$19View course -
Fundamentals of Cybersecurity
$19View course -
Technical Writing
$19View course -
Environmental Science
$19View course -
Principles of Finance
$19View course -
Principles of Statistics
$19View course -
Business Mathematics
$19View course
Every DSST course and study guide in one plan
Bought one by one, our 8 DSST courses and 38 guides come to $342. A plan gives you all of them, so you can study for as many exams as you need.
Monthly
$29 a month
46 DSST courses and study guides
- 8 DSST prep courses
- All 38 DSST study guides
- Billed monthly, cancel anytime
Semester
$69 for 4 months
46 DSST courses and study guides
- 8 DSST prep courses
- All 38 DSST study guides
- Four months of study
Lifetime: DSST + CLEP
$149 once
101 DSST and CLEP courses and study guides
- 8 DSST courses + all 22 CLEP courses
- All 71 DSST and CLEP study guides
- 90+ ACE & NCCRS courses on UPI Study for 12 months
- Pay once, yours for life
Prices from our plans page. UPI Study is a separate school we partner with: with the lifetime plan, your access code comes in your welcome email. What are ACE and NCCRS courses?
38 printable DSST study guides
One PDF per exam for $5, to print or read on any screen. Every guide is included in the plans above.
- Key terms with a definition and an example
- Practice questions with an answer key
- Common traps and memory tricks
- A 2-page cram sheet for the night before
- Principles of Advanced English Composition $5View guide
- Art of the Western World $5View guide
- Astronomy $5View guide
- Business Ethics and Society $5View guide
- Business Mathematics $5View guide
- The Civil War and Reconstruction $5View guide
- Computing and Information Technology $5View guide
- Criminal Justice $5View guide
- Environmental Science $5View guide
- Ethics in America $5View guide
- Ethics in Technology $5View guide
- Foundations of Education $5View guide
- Fundamentals of College Algebra $5View guide
- Fundamentals of Counseling $5View guide
- Fundamentals of Cybersecurity $5View guide
- General Anthropology $5View guide
- Health and Human Development $5View guide
- History of the Soviet Union $5View guide
- A History of the Vietnam War $5View guide
- Human Resource Management $5View guide
- Introduction to Business $5View guide
- Introduction to Geography $5View guide
- Introduction to Geology $5View guide
- Introduction to Law Enforcement $5View guide
- Introduction to Psychology $5View guide
- Lifespan Developmental Psychology $5View guide
- Management Information Systems $5View guide
- Math for Liberal Arts $5View guide
- Money and Banking $5View guide
- Organizational Behavior $5View guide
- Personal Finance $5View guide
- Principles of Finance $5View guide
- Principles of Public Speaking $5View guide
- Principles of Statistics $5View guide
- Principles of Supervision $5View guide
- Substance Abuse $5View guide
- Technical Writing $5View guide
- Introduction to World Religions $5View guide
DSST exam list: our prep for 37 exams
Every exam we have a study guide for, with its key terms and practice questions, and a course for 8 of them. Each exam name opens its page on DSST's site. Your college decides what credit it gives.
Exam pages from DSST's exam list (source, opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-24.
How DSST works: cost, scores, booking and retakes
From your college's policy to your credit in five steps. The official rules are below, each with a link to where DSST or VA says it.
Check your college
Search for it at the top of this page, or use DSST's college search DSST (source, opens in a new tab).
Study for the exam
Use a prep course or a study guide.
Contact a test center
Some don't take walk-ins DSST (source, opens in a new tab). You register and pay there on the day DSST (source, opens in a new tab).
Take the exam
At a test center or remotely proctored DSST (source, opens in a new tab). Give your college's DSST code DSST (source, opens in a new tab).
Get your score and credit
Right after an internet-based exam DSST (source, opens in a new tab). Your college gets the report within 90 days DSST (source, opens in a new tab).
A DSST exam costs $100, plus any fee the test center charges DSST (source, opens in a new tab).
Service members: DANTES pays the first attempt at each DSST exam DSST (source, opens in a new tab). Veterans: VA pays back the test fee, including registration and administrative fees VA (source, opens in a new tab).
On an internet-based exam you see your result right after the exam DSST (source, opens in a new tab).
Give your college's 4-digit DSST code at the exam so your score goes there DSST (source, opens in a new tab). Your college should get your score report within 90 days of your test date DSST (source, opens in a new tab); check with it 4–6 weeks after testing that it has arrived DSST (source, opens in a new tab).
- Check your college's policy. Use the search at the top of this page, or DSST's own search for colleges that accept DSST DSST (source, opens in a new tab).
- Contact the test center first. Some don't take walk-ins DSST (source, opens in a new tab).
- Register and pay at the test center on the day of your exam DSST (source, opens in a new tab). DSST also offers remotely proctored exams DSST (source, opens in a new tab).
- Bring your college's DSST code. Give it at the exam so the score is sent there DSST (source, opens in a new tab).
You can retest after a 30-day wait DSST (source, opens in a new tab).
Service members: DANTES pays the first attempt only; you pay for a retest yourself DSST (source, opens in a new tab).
Who takes DSST exams
Service members
DANTES pays the first attempt at each DSST exam for eligible service members DSST (source, opens in a new tab). Retests are self-paid DSST (source, opens in a new tab).
Veterans
VA counts DSST as a test for college credit VA (source, opens in a new tab) and pays back the test fee VA (source, opens in a new tab), even if you don't pass VA (source, opens in a new tab).
High school students
DSST exams are open to high school students too DSST (source, opens in a new tab).
Working adults
Test at a center or remotely DSST (source, opens in a new tab), and see your result right after an internet-based exam DSST (source, opens in a new tab).
DSST vs CLEP: how they differ
Many colleges take both. Here is how the two programs differ.
| Topic | DSST® | CLEP® |
|---|---|---|
| Exam fee | $100 plus any center fee DSST (source, opens in a new tab) | $97 plus the center's or remote fee College Board (source, opens in a new tab) |
| Retake | After 30 days DSST (source, opens in a new tab) | After three months College Board (source, opens in a new tab) |
| Your score | Right after an internet-based exam DSST (source, opens in a new tab) | On screen when the exam ends (two essay exams: 2–3 weeks) College Board (source, opens in a new tab) |
| Booking | Register and pay at the test center DSST (source, opens in a new tab) | Register online, then book a center or remote slot College Board (source, opens in a new tab) |
| Our prep | 8 courses and 38 guides | 22 courses and 33 guides |
DSST questions, answered
How much does a DSST exam cost?
$100, plus any fee the test center charges DSST (source, opens in a new tab). DANTES pays the first attempt for eligible service members DSST (source, opens in a new tab), and VA pays back the test fee for veterans VA (source, opens in a new tab).
Will my college give me credit for DSST?
Your college decides. Search for it at the top of this page, or use DSST's own search for colleges that accept DSST DSST (source, opens in a new tab).
Can I take a DSST exam at home?
Yes: DSST also offers remotely proctored exams DSST (source, opens in a new tab). At a test center, contact the center first: some don't take walk-ins DSST (source, opens in a new tab).
How soon do I get my DSST score?
On an internet-based exam, right after the exam DSST (source, opens in a new tab). Your college should get the score report within 90 days DSST (source, opens in a new tab); check with it 4–6 weeks after testing DSST (source, opens in a new tab).
Can I retake a DSST exam?
Yes, after a 30-day wait DSST (source, opens in a new tab). Service members pay for a retest themselves DSST (source, opens in a new tab).
Does the military pay for DSST?
DANTES pays the first attempt at each DSST exam for eligible service members DSST (source, opens in a new tab). Veterans can get the test fee paid back by VA VA (source, opens in a new tab); it is charged to their GI Bill entitlement VA (source, opens in a new tab).
What's the difference between a course and a study guide?
A course ($19) teaches the whole exam in chapters and lessons, with quizzes, and you keep it. A study guide ($5) is a printable PDF for review: key terms, practice questions and a 2-page cram sheet.
What do I get for $29 a month?
8 DSST prep courses and all 38 DSST study guides, for as long as you subscribe. The $69 plan gives you the same for 4 months. The $149 lifetime plan adds all 22 CLEP courses and 33 CLEP guides, paid once and yours for life, with 12 months of UPI Study's 90+ ACE and NCCRS courses. See the plans.
Can high school students take DSST?
Yes. DSST exams are open to high school students too DSST (source, opens in a new tab).
Taking CLEP® or AP® too?
CLEP runs all year: 22 prep courses, 33 guides and free practice tests. AP®: 36 study guides.