Start with the coursework you already have. 
Can you earn college credit in high school that counts at Purdue University?
Yes. Purdue West Lafayette awards credit for AP exams, for IB scores of 4 or higher, for most CLEP exams at 50 or higher, and for DSST exams at 400. College courses, including dual credit, must be college-level, earned at a regionally accredited school, and passed with a C- or better. Purdue decides the final award after it receives official scores or transcripts.
- Exam scores must be sent straight from the testing agency; Purdue's College Board code is 1631 and its DSST code is 8729.
- Some exam results become undistributed credit, shown as 1XXXX or 2XXXX, when Purdue has no direct course equivalent.
- Purdue accepts dual credit only on an official transcript from the college that taught the course, not a high school transcript.
- Purdue has no cap on transferred credit, but at least 32 upper-division credit hours must be earned at Purdue.
- Grades do not transfer; only credit does.
Page updated
Purdue University at a glance
| AP score reporting | Send official scores from College Board to Purdue (code 1631) Source: AP score reporting |
|---|---|
| Minimum IB score | 4 on the 1-7 scale, for Standard or Higher Level exams Source: Minimum IB score |
| Minimum CLEP score | 50 on most exams; Principles of Management 45 Source: Minimum CLEP score |
| DSST score | 400, worth 3 credit hours per exam listed Source: DSST score |
| Minimum transfer grade | C- in a college-level, non-remedial course Source: Minimum transfer grade |
| Upper-division credit at Purdue | At least 32 credit hours Source: Upper-division credit at Purdue |
| Apply as first-year | Current high schooler, or 11 or fewer college hours after graduating Source: Apply as first-year |
| Accreditor | Higher Learning Commission, continuously since 1913 Source: Accreditor |
Does Purdue give college credit for AP exams?
Yes, with conditions. Yes. Purdue's admissions office publishes an AP table that maps each exam and score to Purdue courses. Scores must come electronically from College Board, and criteria can change without notice.
- Minimum to earn credit
- Varies by exam; the table lists scores from 3 upward
Examples from the table: Calculus AB with a 3 maps to MA 15555 and with a 4 to MA 16500; Calculus BC with a 4 or 5 maps to MA 16500 and 16600.
English Language and Composition with a 3 maps to ENGL 1XXXX and with a 4 to ENGL 10600. A 1XXXX code means undistributed credit: Purdue has no direct equivalent or the score does not reach the minimum for one.
A student with a 3 or better on both Macroeconomics and Microeconomics receives credit for ECON 21000.
AP Credit Purdue University Undergraduate Admissions · accessed Learn how AP exams (Advanced Placement) works
Does Purdue accept International Baccalaureate (IB) credit?
Yes, with conditions. Yes. Purdue awards credit for both Standard Level and Higher Level IB exams when the score is 4 or higher. Scores, now reported on a 1-7 scale, must be sent to Purdue West Lafayette directly by the IB organization.
- Minimum to earn credit
- Score of 4 or higher
Examples from the table: Mathematics SL with a 5, 6 or 7 maps to MA 16500 (4 credits); Biology HL with a 6 or 7 maps to BIOL 11000 and 11100 (8 credits).
IB Credit Purdue University Undergraduate Admissions · accessed Learn how IB exams (International Baccalaureate) works
Does Purdue accept CLEP exam credit?
Yes, with conditions. Yes. Purdue lists the CLEP exams it accepts with required scores, usually 50 or higher, though Principles of Management needs only 45. The optional essay is not required to earn credit, and scores must be sent from College Board to Purdue.
- Minimum to earn credit
- 50 on most exams; 45 on Principles of Management
Examples from the table: American Government (50 or higher) maps to POL 10100 for 3 credits; General Biology (70 or higher) maps to BIOL 11000 and 11100 for 8 credits.
College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) Purdue University Undergraduate Admissions · accessed Learn how CLEP exams (College-Level Examination Program) works
Does Purdue accept DSST exams?
Yes, with conditions. Yes. Purdue's DSST page requires a score of 400 and lists 3 credit hours for each exam shown. Send scores using site code 8729; some exams transfer only as undistributed credit.
- Minimum to earn credit
- Score of 400
Examples from the table: Astronomy maps to ASTR 1XXXX and Introduction to Computing maps to CS 11000, each for 3 credits.
DSST Exams Purdue University Undergraduate Admissions · accessed Learn how DSST exams works
Does Purdue accept dual enrollment credit from high school?
Yes, with conditions. Yes, with conditions. The course must be college-level, taken at a regionally accredited institution, and passed with at least a C-. Purdue needs an official transcript from the college that administered the course; it cannot use a high school transcript.
- Minimum to earn credit
- C- or higher in a college-level course from a regionally accredited institution
- Limit
- No limit on transferred credit, but at least 32 upper-division hours must be earned at Purdue
Credit from Purdue's own dual credit program is already on the student's Purdue record, so no transcript is needed.
Only credit transfers; grades do not.
Transfer Credit Policies and Guidelines Purdue University Undergraduate Admissions · accessed Learn how Dual enrollment (college courses in high school) works
How does community college credit transfer to Purdue?
Yes, with conditions. Purdue considers only college-level courses with a C- or higher from regionally accredited institutions. Credit from quarter-based colleges is multiplied by 0.75, and Purdue does not transfer courses older than 10 years or developmental courses.
- Minimum to earn credit
- C- or higher in a college-level course
The Transfer Credit Equivalency Guide shows possible equivalencies only; final application of credit depends on review by the admissions office and the degree program's department.
Transfer Credit Guidelines Purdue University Office of the Registrar · accessed
Can high school students enroll in Purdue courses before graduating?
Yes. Yes. High school students taking Purdue courses for dual credit through their school apply as non-degree students. The application fee is $60, with a June 1 deadline for fall and a Nov. 1 deadline for spring.
- Minimum to earn credit
- Current high school student applying through a participating school
High School Dual Credit Purdue University Undergraduate Admissions · accessed
Important limitations
This page covers the West Lafayette campus only; Purdue University Global and the regional campuses follow their own policies.
Some awards are undistributed credit (1XXXX or 2XXXX), which counts as credit hours in a subject area but not as a specific Purdue course. An advisor decides how it fits your degree plan.
Purdue says AP transfer criteria are subject to change without notice.
Common questions
Do I apply to Purdue as a first-year or transfer student if I took college courses in high school?
Purdue's application page says to apply as a first-year student if you are a current high school student or have earned 11 or fewer credit hours at another college after high school. Transfer applicants have completed at least 12 college-level hours after high school.
Where do I send AP, IB, CLEP and DSST scores?
Have the testing agency send official scores directly to Purdue. College Board uses code 1631 for AP and CLEP, and DSST scores use site code 8729.
How can I check how a specific college course would transfer?
Use Purdue's Transfer Credit Equivalency Guide, then submit a Transfer Credit Inquiry through the registrar's form if a report looks wrong. Purdue lists the guide as showing possible equivalencies only.
Can I take CLEP exams at Purdue?
Yes. Purdue Testing Services administers CLEP exams by appointment, and the exam fee is paid to College Board. Check the testing page for current fees and scheduling.
Sources
Go straight to the source for details and the latest institutional guidance.
How this page was made: we used AI tools to gather and summarize only the official sources listed here. A person has not verified it yet.
- Transfer Credit Policies and Guidelines Purdue University Undergraduate AdmissionsAccessed
- AP Credit Purdue University Undergraduate AdmissionsAccessed
- Transfer Credit Guidelines Purdue University Office of the RegistrarAccessed
- High School Dual Credit Purdue University Undergraduate AdmissionsAccessed
- Apply to Purdue Purdue University Undergraduate AdmissionsAccessed
First-year versus transfer applicant definitions.
- CLEP at Purdue Testing Services Purdue University Testing ServicesAccessed
CLEP exams are offered on campus by appointment.
- Accreditation Purdue UniversityAccessed
Higher Learning Commission accreditation since 1913.
- IB Credit Purdue University Undergraduate AdmissionsAccessed
- College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) Purdue University Undergraduate AdmissionsAccessed
- DSST Exams Purdue University Undergraduate AdmissionsAccessed