Credit: AP and IPC and PMC

It’s a good idea to request that your AP and IB scores be sent to Duke the summer before you arrive on campus, so that you can enroll in the correct level of courses. Doing this also helps your college advisor understand your background when advising you about courses, and it gives you flexibility if you later need to withdraw to an underload.

Duke recognizes the Advanced Placement program of the College Board and grants credit for some advanced courses with scores of 4 or 5 on the AP exam. 

• See this table for a summary of AP credits with their Duke course equivalents.  A score of 5 in AP French Language, for example, is considered equivalent to French 204 at Duke, and French 204 will appear on your Duke transcript once that credit is entered by the registrar.

All AP credits recognized by Duke will appear on your Duke transcript. If you have eight AP credits, all eight will appear. 

AP credit may be useful in several ways:

• AP credit in chemistry, computer science, environmental science, math, and foreign languages can place you out of introductory courses and may fulfill requirements for a major in those areas. 

• AP credit in political science, English, art history, psychology, and similar areas that do not place you out of introductory courses may still be useful in documenting your interest and foundation in those areas.

• AP credits in biology, chemistry, English, math, physics, and statistics are useful for premed/prehealth students, as these may fulfill requirements for medical, dental, veterinarian, and other health professions schools.  For more information, see the Prehealth website.

Students sometimes ask which AP exams they should take.  The information in the table above might help you prioritize the ones that let you bypass introductory coursework.  Minimally, it’s to your advantage to take at least two exams, regardless of subject, so that you come in with 2 credits already applied toward the 34 needed to graduate.

See also:

• Credit: AP Credit by Department
• Credit Limitations and Restrictions
• Graduating Early
• Transfer Credit

Duke also recognizes various international standardized exams and awards credit for scores that meet certain standards. IPC credits can only be used in subject areas for which there is an AP exam offered domestically.  Use the table below to figure out if you'll be eligible for IPC credit at Duke:

*Note about Physics: Not all of the international placement examinations above are eligible for granting PHY 25 or PHY 26 credit. Please contact the DUS in Physics about proper credit.

See also:

• Credit: AP Credit by Department
• Credit Limitations and Restrictions
• Graduating Early
• Transfer Credit

College credit earned at another institution of higher education while enrolled as a high school student may qualify as credit that can be transferred to Duke. Duke policy requires that a student provide the following documentation in support of a request to transfer college-level work completed prior to high school graduation:

1. Transcripts: An official transcript bearing the Registrar's seal, or its equivalent, from the college or university.
2. Course Descriptions: Detailed course descriptions or syllabi for all courses taken to enable course evaluation.
3. College/University Confirmation: Confirmation from the college or university that the courses were
   a) taught on the college or university campus and not at an off-campus location,
   b) taught by a regular member of the college or university faculty,
   c) taken in competition with degree candidates of the college or university, and
   d) offered as a regular part of the curriculum of the college or university.
   (Provide the Prematriculation Credit College form for completion by the college or university.)
4. High School Confirmation: Confirmation from the high school principal or guidance counselor that the course(s) were not used to satisfy high school graduation requirements.
   (Provide the Prematriculation Credit High School form for completion by your high school.)

All supporting documentation for students admitted to the Pratt School of Engineering or the Trinity College of Arts & Sciences should be submitted to:

Office of the University Registrar
1121 W. Main Street, Suite 1200
Duke University
Durham, NC 27701
Phone: (919) 684-2813
Email: registrar@duke.edu

Additional Policies

• Courses taken after the commencement of the junior year of high school in which you received a grade of B- or better DO TRANSFER if there is a Duke equivalent course.
• Courses taken prior to the commencement of the junior year of high school DO NOT TRANSFER.
• Courses taken by correspondence (i.e. online) DO NOT TRANSFER.
  COVID-19 Exception: Pre-matriculation credits which students took at colleges and universities prior to attending Duke may be earned from online courses if taken during the COVID-19 pandemic (Spring 2020-Summer 2021) provided they were courses which are normally taught face-to-face. All other policies for pre-matriculation credits apply. 
• Study Abroad Program courses completed prior to matriculation at Duke DO NOT TRANSFER.
• English composition courses DO NOT TRANSFER (Duke's University Writing course is required of all students).
• Mathematics courses below calculus DO NOT TRANSFER; calculus courses must be at the Duke level to transfer.
• A maximum of two courses taken by extension may transfer.
• Prematriculation credits are not given Area of Knowledge or Mode of Inquiry codes and may not be used to fulfill curriculum requirements or continuation requirements.

Transfer Students

If you have transferred to Duke from another college or university as a rising sophomore or junior, then policies for AP, IP and PMC courses apply for any pre-college work that you completed before enrolling at your previous university. However, questions regarding post-matriculation transfer credit should be directed to your academic dean.

See also:

• Credit: AP Credit by Department
• Credit Limitations and Restrictions
• Graduating Early
• Transfer Credit