Santa Clara University AP credit

What each AP score earns at Santa Clara University for 2026-27: 41 exams, credit shown in quarter units. Always confirm with the school before you plan your schedule.

Rules that apply to every exam

Credit or placement is determined by the appropriate department based on review of AP scores, sometimes with supplemental departmental examinations.
Courses waived by AP scores may satisfy only Second Language, Mathematics, Natural Science, and Social Science Core requirements; no other Core requirement can be satisfied with AP scores.
Courses waived will always satisfy relevant requirements in the major of the department that offers the course.
Final decisions on academic credit for some AP scores are made individually by the appropriate academic department in consultation with the Office of the Registrar.
You can either receive test credit for a course or take the course at SCU, but not both; duplicate credit is not allowed.
Students may not take a SCU course for credit for which they have already received transfer credit.
Students may transfer in a maximum of one-half of the total quarter units required to graduate in their specific program.
Credit is not awarded for the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP).
Students who receive credit for Spring 2020 exams covering a shortened curriculum should consult their department and/or advisor before enrolling in the next-level course.

AP exam	Score	Credit	Courses	Applies to
AP African American Studies	4+	4	ETHN 30TNo Core credit.	All students
AP Art History	4+	4	ARTH 21, 22, or 23No Core credit.	All students
AP Biology	4+	4	Elective creditSee department chair for evaluation of credit toward major or minor. No Core credit.	All students
AP Business with Personal Finance	4+	4	Elective creditNo Core credit.	All students
AP Calculus AB	4+	8	MATH 11, Elective creditCore: Mathematics.	All students
AP Calculus BC	4+	12	MATH 11, MATH 12, Elective creditCore: Mathematics.	All students
	3	4	MATH 11Core: Mathematics.	All students
AP Chemistry	3+	5	CHEM 11TCore: Natural Science.	All students
AP Chinese Language and Culture	4+	4	CHIN 21Core: Second Language.	All students
AP Comparative Government and Politics	4+	4	POLI 2TCore: Social Science.	All students
AP Computer Science A	5	5	CSCI 10No Core credit.	All students
	5	10	CSEN 10, CSEN 10L, CSEN 11, CSEN 11LNo Core credit.	Engineering majors only
	4	5	CSCI 10No Core credit.	All students
	4	5	CSEN 10, CSEN 10LNo Core credit.	Engineering majors only
AP Computer Science Principles	4+	4	CSCI 3No Core credit.	All students
AP Cybersecurity	4+	4	Elective creditNo Core credit.	All students
AP English Language and Composition	4+	4	Elective creditNo Core credit.	All students
AP English Literature and Composition	4+	4	Elective creditNo Core credit.	All students
AP Environmental Science	4+	4	Elective creditNo Core credit.	All students
AP European History	4+	4	HIST 23No Core credit.	All students
AP French Language and Culture	4+	4	FREN 21Core: Second Language.	All students
AP German Language and Culture	4+	4	GERM 21Core: Second Language.	All students
AP Human Geography	4+	4	ANTH 50T or ENVS 50TNo Core credit.	All students
AP Italian Language and Culture	4+	4	ITAL 21Core: Second Language.	All students
AP Japanese Language and Culture	4+	4	JAPN 21Core: Second Language.	All students
AP Latin Vergil	4+	4	Elective creditSee department chair for evaluation of credit toward major or minor. No Core credit.	All students
AP Macroeconomics	4+	4	ECON 2Core: Social Science.	All students
AP Microeconomics	4+	4	ECON 1Core: Social Science.	All students
AP Music Theory	4+	4	MUSC 1TChart lists 4-8 quarter units; 4 shown as credits. No Core credit.	All students
AP Physics 1	4+	5	PHYS 11, Elective creditNo Core credit.	All students
AP Physics 1 and AP Physics 2	4+	15	PHYS 11, PHYS 12, PHYS 13, Elective creditCore: Natural Science.	All students
AP Physics 2	4+	5	Elective creditSee department chair for evaluation of credit toward major or minor. No Core credit.	All students
AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism	5	5	PHYS 33Core: Natural Science.	All students
	4	5	Elective creditNo Core credit.	All students
AP Physics C: Mechanics	5	5	PHYS 31Core: Natural Science.	All students
	4	5	Elective creditNo Core credit.	All students
AP Precalculus	4+	4	MATH 9No Core credit.	All students
AP Psychology	4+	4	PSYC 2Core: Social Science.	All students
AP Spanish Language and Culture	4+	4	SPAN 21Core: Second Language.	All students
AP Spanish Literature and Culture	4+	4	SPAN 22Core: Second Language.	All students
AP Statistics	4+	4	MATH 8Core: Mathematics.	UARSC & UENGR
	4+	4	OMIS 40Core: Mathematics.	UBUSN
AP Studio Art: 2-D Design	4+	4	Elective creditNo Core credit.	All students
AP Studio Art: 3-D Design	4+	4	Elective creditNo Core credit.	All students
AP Studio Art: Drawing	4+	4	Elective creditNo Core credit.	All students
AP U.S. Government and Politics	4+	4	POLI 1No Core credit.	All students
AP U.S. History	4+	4	HIST 96AT or 96BTNo Core credit.	All students
AP World History	4+	4	Elective creditSee department chair for evaluation of credit toward major or minor. No Core credit.	All students

Source: Santa Clara University official AP credit policy . Read on October 22, 2026. Compare AP credit across colleges