UC Santa Barbara AP credit

What each AP score earns at UC Santa Barbara for 2026-2027: 38 exams, credit shown in quarter units. Always confirm with the school before you plan your schedule.

Rules that apply to every exam

Students with AP scores of 3, 4, or 5 taken before high school graduation receive 2, 4, or 8 units per exam, if official scores are submitted to Admissions.
College courses taken before or after UC may duplicate AP, IB, or A Level exams; credit is awarded only once for duplicated subject content.
AP credit earned before entering the university does not count toward maximum unit limitations for major selection or graduation.
A maximum of 8 units each in art studio, English, mathematics, and physics is allowed.
AP Research and AP Seminar earn no units; scores of 3 or higher satisfy the Entry Level Writing Requirement beginning Fall 2023.
AP Computer Science A change from 2 to 8 units applies to matriculants in fall 2018 or later; fall 2018 UCSB students may earn 8 units if taken spring 2015 or later.

AP exam	Score	Credit	Courses
AP 2-D Art and Design	3+	8	—Counts toward the 8-unit art studio maximum. No general education credit.
AP 3-D Art and Design	3+	8	—Counts toward the 8-unit art studio maximum. No general education credit.
AP African American Studies	3+	4	—Beginning S25. General education: E: 1 course; also satisfies American History and Institutions requirement. Students may not enroll in courses for credit at UCSB.
AP Art History	3+	8	Art History 1General education: F: 1 course.
AP Biology	3+	8	EEMB 22, MCDB 20General education: C: 1 course (College of Letters and Science only).
AP Calculus AB	3+	4	Mathematics 2A, 3A, 34A, or equivalentAlso applies to AB subscore of BC exam. General education: C: 1 course (College of Letters and Science only); also satisfies quantitative relationship requirement. Counts toward 8-unit mathematics maximum.
AP Calculus BC	3+	8	Mathematics 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 34A, 34B, or equivalentGeneral education: C: 2 courses (College of Letters and Science only); also satisfies quantitative relationship requirement. Counts toward 8-unit mathematics maximum.
AP Chemistry	3+	8	—General education: C: 1 course (College of Letters and Science only); also satisfies quantitative relationship requirement.
AP Chinese Language and Culture	3+	8	—General education: B (College of Letters and Science only). See department for level placement.
AP Comparative Government and Politics	3+	4	—General education: D: 1 course.
AP Computer Science A	4+	8	Computer Science 8Beginning S18. General education: C: 1 course (College of Letters and Science only); also satisfies quantitative relationship requirement.
	3	8	—Beginning S18. General education: C: 1 course (College of Letters and Science only); also satisfies quantitative relationship requirement.
AP Computer Science A (through S17)	3+	—	—Credit printed as 2 or 8 units. No general education credit.
AP Computer Science Principles	4+	8	Computer Science 8Effective S17 and S18. General education: C: 1 course (College of Letters and Science only); also satisfies quantitative relationship requirement.
	4+	8	Computer Science 4Beginning S19. General education: C: 1 course (College of Letters and Science only).
	3	8	—Effective S17 and S18. General education: C: 1 course (College of Letters and Science only); also satisfies quantitative relationship requirement.
	3	8	—Beginning S19. General education: C: 1 course (College of Letters and Science only).
AP Drawing	3+	8	Art 18Counts toward the 8-unit art studio maximum. No general education credit.
AP English Language and Composition or AP English Literature and Composition	5	8	Writing 1, 1E, 2, 2E, 2LK, 50, 50EGeneral education: A1, A2. Counts toward 8-unit English maximum.
	4	8	Writing 1, 1E, 2, 2E, 2LKGeneral education: A1. Counts toward 8-unit English maximum.
	3	8	Writing 1, 1ESatisfies Entry Level Writing Requirement. Counts toward 8-unit English maximum.
AP Environmental Science	3+	4	Environmental Studies 2General education: C: 1 course (College of Letters and Science only).
AP European History	3+	8	—General education: E: 1 course.
AP French Language and Culture	5	8	French 1-5General education: B (College of Letters and Science only).
	4	8	French 1-4General education: B (College of Letters and Science only).
	3	8	French 1-3General education: B (College of Letters and Science only).
AP German Language and Culture	5	8	German 1-5General education: B (College of Letters and Science only).
	4	8	German 1-4General education: B (College of Letters and Science only).
	3	8	German 1-3General education: B (College of Letters and Science only).
AP Human Geography	3+	4	Geography 5General education: D.
AP Italian Language and Culture	5	8	Italian 1-6General education: B (College of Letters and Science only).
	4	8	Italian 1-5General education: B (College of Letters and Science only).
	3	8	Italian 1-3General education: B (College of Letters and Science only).
AP Japanese Language and Culture	3+	8	—General education: B (College of Letters and Science only). See department for level placement.
AP Latin	3+	8	Latin 1-3General education: B (College of Letters and Science only).
AP Macroeconomics	3+	4	—General education: D: 1 course.
AP Microeconomics	3+	4	—General education: D: 1 course.
AP Music Theory	3+	8	Music 11General education: F: 1 course.
AP Physics 1	3+	8	—Beginning S15. Counts toward 8-unit physics maximum. General education: C: 1 course (College of Letters and Science only); also satisfies quantitative relationship requirement.
AP Physics 2	3+	8	—Beginning S15. Counts toward 8-unit physics maximum. General education: C: 1 course (College of Letters and Science only); also satisfies quantitative relationship requirement.
AP Physics B	3+	8	Physics 10Last offered S14. Counts toward 8-unit physics maximum. General education: C: 1 course (College of Letters and Science only); also satisfies quantitative relationship requirement.
AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism	3+	4	Physics 6B + 6BLCounts toward 8-unit physics maximum. General education: C: 1 course (College of Letters and Science only); also satisfies quantitative relationship requirement.
AP Physics C: Mechanics	3+	4	Physics 6A + 6ALCounts toward 8-unit physics maximum. General education: C: 1 course (College of Letters and Science only); also satisfies quantitative relationship requirement.
AP Psychology	3+	4	Psychology 1General education: D: 1 course.
AP Spanish Language and Culture	5	8	Spanish 1-5General education: B (College of Letters and Science only).
	4	8	Spanish 1-4General education: B (College of Letters and Science only).
	3	8	Spanish 1-3General education: B (College of Letters and Science only).
AP Spanish Literature and Culture	5	8	Spanish 1-6General education: B (College of Letters and Science only).
	4	8	Spanish 1-5General education: B (College of Letters and Science only).
	3	8	Spanish 1-4General education: B (College of Letters and Science only).
AP Statistics	3+	4	Communication 87, PSTAT 5AA-ZZ, Psychology 5General education: C: 1 course (College of Letters and Science only); also satisfies quantitative relationship requirement.
AP United States Government and Politics	3+	4	Political Science 12General education: D: 1 course; also satisfies American History and Institutions requirement.
AP United States History	3+	8	—General education: D: 1 course; also satisfies American History and Institutions requirement.
AP World History: Modern	3+	8	—General education: E: 1 course.

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