College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

College Level Examination Program (CLEP) 2025-2026

The California Community College System and the California State University (CSU) System award credit for College Level Examination Program (CLEP) Exams. The San Mateo County Community College District (SMCCCD) grants credit toward its local associate degree certification for students who attain scores of 50 or higher on the CLEP Exams of the College Board. The University of California does not award credit for CLEP. CLEP cannot be used for Cal-GETC.

CLEP Exams are offered by the College Board to give students an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge in academic subjects through a national, standardized exam. If you passed a CLEP exam with a minimum score of fifty (50), please request that your official CLEP test scores be sent to your SMCCCD college. 

Students can earn a minimum of 3-semester units of credit for each CLEP exam satisfactorily passed. College Level Examination Program Guide identifies how CLEP exam credit can be applied. Students should meet with a counselor for specific information regarding CLEP exam placement and credits awarded. Students intending to transfer to a four-year institution should consult a counselor or the individual university regarding its CLEP credit policy.  

If you took an CLEP exam and received a minimum score of 50 or higher in a subject, you can:

  1. Request your official CLEP scores be sent to your SMCCCD College. For information about obtaining your CLEP scores, contact the College Board. Please Note: If you have submitted your scores to another institution outside our district, you will need to submit your scores again to SMCCCD.
  2. Upon receipt of your official CLEP scores, credit will be determined according to the SMCCCD CLEP Credit Equivalency Guide; coursework and units will be posted on your SMCCCD transcripts.
  3. Upon notification, meet with a counselor to determine if you wish to accept, decline, or appeal the application of the CLEP credit to your transcript. 

The following chart outlines the application of credit for CLEP toward each SMCCCD college’s coursework, associate degree general education requirements and certification.

If your SMCCCD college does not offer a course similar in content to an CLEP exam, the college will award credit for the General Education area shown in the SMCCCD CLEP Equivalency Guide below. If an CLEP exam does not align with a general education area, the College may award elective credit. 

If only a portion of the credit applicable is deemed beneficial to the student, only that portion will be added to the student record.

Please Note:

  • CLEP credit will receive a grade of CRE, which does not affect GPA.
  • The equivalencies defined by the CLEP Test Policy will be applied based on when the student completed the exam.
  • If you have any questions regarding Math and English placement or CLEP credit, please contact your counselor. 
  • While SMCCCD does not put a limit on the number of External Exams you may earn credit for, please be aware that transfer schools may have limits. Please check with your Counselor.
  • CLEP exams that have been discontinued are not shown on this table.
  • If a student passes more than one CLEP test in the same language other than English, then only one examination may be applied for credit

If you plan to transfer to another institution, please be aware that every college/university has its own policies about Credit for Prior Learning.  What was accepted at SMCCCD may not be accepted at another institution. Please consult a Counselor regarding your intended transfer institution(s).  

For more information on CLEP regulations for the CSU, please see: 

All units listed are semester units.

SMCCCD CLEP Credit Equivalency Guide

Subject Exam

SMCCCD Course Equivalent

Passing Score 

SMCCCD Associate Degree GE Area 

SMCCCD GE Units

American Government

N/A

50

Area 4

3 Units

American Literature

LIT 202

50

Area 3B

3 Units

Analyzing and Interpreting Literature

N/A

50

Area 3B

3 Units

Biology

N/A

50

Area 5B

3 Units

Calculus

N/A

50

Area 2

3 Units

Chemistry

 N/A

50

Area 5A

3 Units

College Algebra

N/A

50

Area 2

3 Units

College Algebra – Trigonometry

N/A

50

Area 2

3 Units

College Composition

N/A

50

N/A

3 Units

College Composition-Modular

N/A

50

N/A

3 Units

College Mathematics

N/A

50

N/A

3 Units

English Composition (no essay)

N/A

50

N/A

3 Units

English Composition (with essay)

N/A

50

N/A

3 Units

Financial Accounting

N/A

50

N/A

3 Units

French Level I 

N/A

50

N/A

3 Units

French Level II 

N/A

59

Area 3B

3 Units

Freshman College Composition

N/A

50

N/A

3 Units

German Level I 

N/A

50

N/A

3 Units

German Level II

N/A

60

Area 3B

3 Units

History, United States I

N/A

50

Area 4

3 Units

History, United States II

N/A

50

Area 4

3 Units

Human Growth and Development

N/A

50

Area 7

3 Units

Humanities

N/A

50

Area 3B

3 Units

Information System and Computer Applications

N/A

50

N/A

3 Units

Introduction to Educational Psychology

N/A

50

N/A

3 Units

Introductory Business Law

BUS 201

50

N/A

3 Units

Introductory Psychology

PSYC 100

50

Area 4

3 Units

Introductory Sociology

SOCI 100

50

Area 4

3 Units

Natural Sciences

N/A

50

Area 5B

3 Units

Pre-Calculus

N/A

50

Area 2

3 Units

Principles of Accounting

N/A

50

N/A

3 Units

Principles of Management

N/A

50

N/A

3 Units

Principles of Marketing

BUS 180

50

N/A

3 Units

Principles of Macroeconomics

ECON 100

50

Area 4

3 Units

Principles of Microeconomics

ECON 102

50

Area 4

3 Units

Social Sciences and History

N/A

50

N/A

3 Units

Spanish Level I 

N/A

50

N/A

3 Units

Spanish Level II 

N/A

63

Area 3B

3 Units

Western Civilization I

N/A

50

N/A

3 Units

Western Civilization II

N/A

50

N/A

3 Units