CLEP® & DSST®College credit by exam

Earn college credit by exam: the CLEP and DSST guide

Pass one exam, skip one college course. This guide walks through the five steps, compares CLEP and DSST side by side, and lists a $5 study guide for each of the 71 exams we cover. Each college decides whether to award credit for a CLEP or DSST exam, so confirm with your registrar before you book an exam.

Find my collegeSee every study guide
71Study guides
33CLEP exams
38DSST exams
2,239College policies

How it works, step by step

Five steps from "can I skip this course?" to credit on your transcript.

  1. Check what your college accepts

    Open your college in Find My College (2,239 colleges): the exams it takes, the minimum score and the credits for each.

  2. Pick CLEP or DSST

    Take the exam your college accepts for the course you want to skip. The chart below compares the two.

  3. Study for that exam

    Start with the $5 study guide for your exam, or a plan for the whole program (from $29 a month) if you are taking several. Every guide is listed below.

  4. Book and take the exam

    Register with the College Board for CLEP or with Prometric for DSST. Eligible military members can test free through DANTES.

  5. Send your score to your college

    The College Board sends CLEP scores and Prometric sends DSST scores. Your college then posts the credit.

CLEP vs DSST at a glance

Both turn one exam into college credit. Take the one your college accepts for the course you want to skip.

 CLEP®DSST®
Run byThe College BoardPrometric
Study guides we have33 exams38 exams
Scored20 to 80200 to 500
Score for credit50 on most exams400
Exam fee$97$100
Retake wait3 months30 days
Free for eligible militaryYes, through DANTESYes, through DANTES
Your collegedecides which exams and scores it acceptsdecides which exams and scores it accepts

Exam fees and scores as the College Board and Prometric publish them; a test centre may add its own fee. Policies differ by college, so check yours in Find My College.

Every study guide, in one chart

71 printable guides, $5 each, one per exam. Each page has 10 free practice questions.

ExamProgramPagesPrice
CLEP · Composition and Literature (6)
CLEP American Literature study guide: illustration of a quill, an inkwell and classic novels in front of a study bookletAmerican LiteratureCLEP37$5See the guide
CLEP Analyzing and Interpreting Literature study guide: illustration of a magnifying glass over an open book in front of a study bookletAnalyzing and Interpreting LiteratureCLEP35$5See the guide
CLEP College Composition study guide: illustration of a pencil writing on lined paper in front of a study bookletCollege CompositionCLEP35$5See the guide
CLEP College Composition Modular study guide: illustration of essay pages with sticky tabs and a pencil in front of a study bookletCollege Composition ModularCLEP35$5See the guide
CLEP English Literature study guide: illustration of a crown on an old book with a quill in front of a study bookletEnglish LiteratureCLEP39$5See the guide
CLEP Humanities study guide: illustration of a Greek column, a palette and a music note in front of a study bookletHumanitiesCLEP38$5See the guide
CLEP · Science and Mathematics (7)
CLEP Biology study guide: illustration of a DNA helix, a leaf and a microscope in front of a study bookletBiologyCLEP36$5See the guide
CLEP Calculus study guide: illustration of a curve with a tangent line on a graph in front of a study bookletCalculusCLEP30$5See the guide
CLEP Chemistry study guide: illustration of a bubbling chemistry flask and an atom in front of a study bookletChemistryCLEP41$5See the guide
CLEP College Algebra study guide: illustration of a balance scale with blocks and a parabola graph in front of a study bookletCollege AlgebraCLEP29$5See the guide
CLEP College Mathematics study guide: illustration of a calculator, a pie chart and a ruler in front of a study bookletCollege MathematicsCLEP34$5See the guide
CLEP Natural Sciences study guide: illustration of a planet, a leaf and a test tube in front of a study bookletNatural SciencesCLEP43$5See the guide
CLEP Precalculus study guide: illustration of a unit circle and a sine wave in front of a study bookletPrecalculusCLEP34$5See the guide
CLEP · Business (5)
CLEP Financial Accounting study guide: illustration of a ledger, a calculator and coins in front of a study bookletFinancial AccountingCLEP35$5See the guide
CLEP Information Systems study guide: illustration of a laptop, a database and network nodes in front of a study bookletInformation SystemsCLEP37$5See the guide
CLEP Business Law study guide: illustration of a scale of justice and a contract in front of a study bookletIntroductory Business LawCLEP37$5See the guide
CLEP Principles of Management study guide: illustration of a clipboard checklist and an organization chart in front of a study bookletPrinciples of ManagementCLEP35$5See the guide
CLEP Principles of Marketing study guide: illustration of a megaphone, a target and a shopping bag in front of a study bookletPrinciples of MarketingCLEP32$5See the guide
CLEP · History and Social Sciences (11)
CLEP U.S. History I study guide: illustration of the Liberty Bell, a parchment and a quill in front of a study bookletHistory of the United States I: Early Colonization to 1877CLEP36$5See the guide
CLEP U.S. History II study guide: illustration of the Statue of Liberty's torch, a vintage radio and a rocket in front of a study bookletHistory of the United States II: 1865 to the PresentCLEP37$5See the guide
CLEP Human Growth and Development study guide: illustration of a rattle, a sprouting plant and a height chart in front of a study bookletHuman Growth and DevelopmentCLEP51$5See the guide
CLEP Educational Psychology study guide: illustration of an apple on books with a lightbulb in front of a study bookletIntroduction to Educational PsychologyCLEP40$5See the guide
CLEP Introductory Psychology study guide: illustration of a smiling brain with a lightbulb in front of a study bookletIntroductory PsychologyCLEP55$5See the guide
CLEP Introductory Sociology study guide: illustration of a group of connected people figures in front of a study bookletIntroductory SociologyCLEP35$5See the guide
CLEP Macroeconomics study guide: illustration of a globe, a rising bar chart and a coin in front of a study bookletPrinciples of MacroeconomicsCLEP39$5See the guide
CLEP Microeconomics study guide: illustration of a shopping cart and a supply-and-demand graph in front of a study bookletPrinciples of MicroeconomicsCLEP39$5See the guide
CLEP Social Sciences and History study guide: illustration of a globe, a scroll and a column in front of a study bookletSocial Sciences and HistoryCLEP40$5See the guide
CLEP Western Civilization I study guide: illustration of a Greek column and a Roman helmet in front of a study bookletWestern Civilization I: Ancient Near East to 1648CLEP38$5See the guide
CLEP Western Civilization II study guide: illustration of a steam locomotive and a globe in front of a study bookletWestern Civilization II: 1648 to the PresentCLEP49$5See the guide
CLEP · World Languages (4)
CLEP French Language study guide: illustration of the Eiffel Tower, a speech bubble and headphones in front of a study bookletFrench Language: Levels 1 and 2CLEP31$5See the guide
CLEP German Language study guide: illustration of the Brandenburg Gate, a speech bubble and headphones in front of a study bookletGerman Language: Levels 1 and 2CLEP30$5See the guide
CLEP Spanish Language study guide: illustration of a guitar, a speech bubble and headphones in front of a study bookletSpanish Language: Levels 1 and 2CLEP34$5See the guide
CLEP Spanish with Writing study guide: illustration of a guitar, a speech bubble and a pencil on paper in front of a study bookletSpanish with Writing: Levels 1 and 2CLEP34$5See the guide
DSST · Humanities (4)
DSST Ethics in America study guide: illustration of a scale balancing a heart and a lightbulb in front of a study bookletEthics in AmericaDSST33$5See the guide
DSST World Religions study guide: illustration of a lotus flower, a candle and prayer beads in front of a study bookletIntroduction to World ReligionsDSST45$5See the guide
DSST Advanced English Composition study guide: illustration of a fountain pen and an edited essay page in front of a study bookletPrinciples of Advanced English CompositionDSST34$5See the guide
DSST Principles of Public Speaking study guide: illustration of a microphone on a podium and a speech bubble in front of a study bookletPrinciples of Public SpeakingDSST38$5See the guide
DSST · Social Sciences (13)
DSST History of the Vietnam War study guide: illustration of a military helmet and a helicopter over hills in front of a study bookletA History of the Vietnam WarDSST49$5See the guide
DSST Art of the Western World study guide: illustration of a palette, brushes and a framed painting in front of a study bookletArt of the Western WorldDSST41$5See the guide
DSST Criminal Justice study guide: illustration of a badge, a gavel and handcuffs in front of a study bookletCriminal JusticeDSST35$5See the guide
DSST Foundations of Education study guide: illustration of a schoolhouse, an apple and a chalkboard in front of a study bookletFoundations of EducationDSST34$5See the guide
DSST Fundamentals of Counseling study guide: illustration of two armchairs and a speech bubble with a heart in front of a study bookletFundamentals of CounselingDSST40$5See the guide
DSST General Anthropology study guide: illustration of a clay pot, an arrowhead and a brush in front of a study bookletGeneral AnthropologyDSST41$5See the guide
DSST History of the Soviet Union study guide: illustration of St. Basil's domes and a red star in front of a study bookletHistory of the Soviet UnionDSST42$5See the guide
DSST Introduction to Geography study guide: illustration of a globe, a map and a compass in front of a study bookletIntroduction to GeographyDSST31$5See the guide
DSST Introduction to Law Enforcement study guide: illustration of a police cap, a badge and a whistle in front of a study bookletIntroduction to Law EnforcementDSST35$5See the guide
DSST Introduction to Psychology study guide: illustration of a brain made of puzzle pieces in front of a study bookletIntroduction to PsychologyDSST39$5See the guide
DSST Lifespan Developmental Psychology study guide: illustration of a rattle, a backpack and a cane in front of a study bookletLifespan Developmental PsychologyDSST34$5See the guide
DSST Substance Abuse study guide: illustration of a pill bottle, a broken chain and a bandaged heart in front of a study bookletSubstance AbuseDSST50$5See the guide
DSST Civil War and Reconstruction study guide: illustration of a Civil War cap, a drum and a bugle in front of a study bookletThe Civil War and ReconstructionDSST40$5See the guide
DSST · Physical Sciences (4)
DSST Astronomy study guide: illustration of a telescope, a ringed planet and stars in front of a study bookletAstronomyDSST39$5See the guide
DSST Environmental Science study guide: illustration of a leafy globe, a wind turbine and recycling arrows in front of a study bookletEnvironmental ScienceDSST33$5See the guide
DSST Health and Human Development study guide: illustration of a heart, a stethoscope and an apple in front of a study bookletHealth and Human DevelopmentDSST35$5See the guide
DSST Introduction to Geology study guide: illustration of rock layers, a rock hammer and a crystal in front of a study bookletIntroduction to GeologyDSST33$5See the guide
DSST · Business (11)
DSST Business Ethics and Society study guide: illustration of a handshake and a balanced scale in front of a study bookletBusiness Ethics and SocietyDSST38$5See the guide
DSST Business Mathematics study guide: illustration of a calculator, a price tag and coins in front of a study bookletBusiness MathematicsDSST32$5See the guide
DSST Computing and Information Technology study guide: illustration of a laptop, a cloud and a microchip in front of a study bookletComputing and Information TechnologyDSST36$5See the guide
DSST Human Resource Management study guide: illustration of an ID badge and a handshake in front of a study bookletHuman Resource ManagementDSST42$5See the guide
DSST Introduction to Business study guide: illustration of a briefcase and a rising bar chart in front of a study bookletIntroduction to BusinessDSST31$5See the guide
DSST Management Information Systems study guide: illustration of a dashboard screen and a server in front of a study bookletManagement Information SystemsDSST41$5See the guide
DSST Money and Banking study guide: illustration of a bank building, a piggy bank and coins in front of a study bookletMoney and BankingDSST35$5See the guide
DSST Organizational Behavior study guide: illustration of a team of figures and interlocking gears in front of a study bookletOrganizational BehaviorDSST35$5See the guide
DSST Personal Finance study guide: illustration of a piggy bank, a wallet and a credit card in front of a study bookletPersonal FinanceDSST36$5See the guide
DSST Principles of Finance study guide: illustration of a rising stock chart, coins and a calculator in front of a study bookletPrinciples of FinanceDSST38$5See the guide
DSST Principles of Supervision study guide: illustration of a clipboard, a stopwatch and a whistle in front of a study bookletPrinciples of SupervisionDSST31$5See the guide
DSST · Technology (3)
DSST Ethics in Technology study guide: illustration of a robot hand holding a balanced scale in front of a study bookletEthics in TechnologyDSST36$5See the guide
DSST Fundamentals of Cybersecurity study guide: illustration of a padlock shield and a laptop in front of a study bookletFundamentals of CybersecurityDSST38$5See the guide
DSST Technical Writing study guide: illustration of a manual with diagrams, a pencil and a wrench in front of a study bookletTechnical WritingDSST35$5See the guide
DSST · Math (3)
DSST Fundamentals of College Algebra study guide: illustration of a balance scale with blocks and a line graph in front of a study bookletFundamentals of College AlgebraDSST29$5See the guide
DSST Math for Liberal Arts study guide: illustration of a ruler, a protractor, a pie chart and dice in front of a study bookletMath for Liberal ArtsDSST33$5See the guide
DSST Principles of Statistics study guide: illustration of a bell curve, a bar chart and a magnifying glass in front of a study bookletPrinciples of StatisticsDSST33$5See the guide
Browse the study guidesCompare plans

Questions about credit by exam

What is credit by exam?

You take one exam instead of sitting a whole college course. CLEP exams are run by the College Board and DSST exams by Prometric. If your score meets your college's policy, the college awards you credit for the course. Each college decides whether to award credit for a CLEP or DSST exam, so confirm with your registrar before you book an exam.

How do I know if my college accepts an exam?

Look your college up in Find My College: we have a page for 2,239 colleges with each one's CLEP policy (which exams, the minimum score and the credits for each). Policies change, so confirm with your registrar before you book.

What score do I need to pass?

CLEP is scored from 20 to 80, and 50 is the score for credit on most exams. DSST is scored from 200 to 500, with 400 for credit. Your college can ask for a higher score, and its policy says so.

How much does an exam cost?

A CLEP exam costs $97 and a DSST exam $100, paid to the College Board or Prometric when you register. A test centre may add its own fee. Eligible military members can test free through DANTES.

What does a study guide cost, and what is in it?

Each guide is a printable PDF for $5, one per exam, built from the official exam outline: every term with an example, practice questions with explained answers and a cram sheet. See all 71 study guides.

Are the study guides included in a plan?

Yes, per program. A CLEP plan (from $29 a month) includes every CLEP study guide and CLEP prep course, a DSST plan every DSST guide and course, and the CLEP + DSST Lifetime plan ($149) all of them. Compare plans.

Can I keep my study guide?

Yes. After checkout the PDF is in your TransferCredit account, and it is yours to keep and download again at any time.

How do I send my score to my college?

Through the exam provider: the College Board sends CLEP scores to your college, and Prometric sends DSST scores.

Can I retake an exam if I don't pass?

Yes. You can retake a CLEP exam after three months and a DSST exam after 30 days.

Is TransferCredit.org part of the College Board or Prometric?

No. CLEP® is a registered trademark of the College Board and DSST® is a registered trademark of Prometric. Neither was involved in making these guides, and neither endorses them. TransferCredit.org is independent.

Not sure where to start?

Ask Iris, our AI assistant, which exams your college takes and which guide fits. A person on our team answers at team@transfercredit.org.

Find my college

CLEP® is a registered trademark of the College Board and DSST® is a registered trademark of Prometric; neither endorses TransferCredit.org. Terms