Advanced Placement (AP) – archived page
The UW encourages and applauds participation in AP as part of the high school curriculum. These courses are challenging and demanding, and we believe they provide excellent preparation for university study.
Submitting your AP test scores
The easiest way to ensure that the UW receives your AP scores is to name us as a recipient when you sign up for exam(s). You can use this procedure even if you take the exam as a junior in high school; the UW will keep your scores until your senior year. If you do not name the UW as a recipient when you take your exam, just contact the College Board and request that scores be sent to the UW Office of Admissions. When you are admitted to the UW, you may be eligible for UW credit; if so, information about courses and credit awards will be accessible to you via MyUW. To ensure that your AP scores match up with your UW academic record, be sure to identify your name, date of birth, and Social Security Number with the College Board in the exact same way you identify, or expect to identify, yourself on your UW application.
AP credit policies
College Board Advanced Placement (AP) exams are scored on a scale of 1 – 5. At the UW, scores of 3 or higher are considered for college credit awards or placement into UW courses. The table below shows the UW’s departmental policies for awarding course equivalencies and credits for each exam. For exams where departmental equivalencies are not awarded for a score of 3, UW general elective credit may be granted at the request of the student; contact the Admissions Office for information.
Note: AP scores may be submitted only for courses taken while in high school and for tests taken during or within six months after leaving high school. AP test results may not be used to waive admission requirements.
Useful Links
- General Education Requirements
- Requirements by College and School
- Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning
| AP Subject | Score | Credit / Placement Awarded | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art: History of Art | 3,4 | ART H 100 (5 cr.) | Art history elective credit. See Art adviser for placement. Counts toward Visual, Literary, and Performing Arts general education requirement for graduation. |
| Art: History of Art | 5 | ART H 100 (10 cr.) | Art history elective credit. See Art adviser for placement. Counts toward Visual, Literary, and Performing Arts general education requirement for graduation. |
| Art: Studio Art | – | Placement only. | See Art Adviser. |
| Biology | 4,5 | BIOL 161-162 (10 cr.) | First two quarters of general biology. Counts toward Natural World general education requirement for graduation. |
| Biology | 3 | BIOL 161 (5 cr.) | First quarter of general biology. Counts toward Natural World general education requirement for graduation. |
| Calculus AB | 5 | MATH 124, 125 (10 cr.) | First two quarters of calculus. Counts toward Natural World general education requirement for graduation. Also satisfies Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning graduation requirement. |
| Calculus AB | 3,4 | MATH 124 (5 cr.) | First quarter of calculus. Counts toward Natural World general education requirement for graduation. Also satisfies Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning graduation requirement. |
| Calculus AB | 2 | Placement only into MATH 124. | Placement into first quarter of calculus. |
| Calculus BC | 4,5 | MATH 124, 125 (10 cr.) | First two quarters of calculus. Counts toward Natural World general education requirement for graduation. Also satisfies Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning graduation requirement. |
| Calculus BC | 3 | MATH 124 (5 cr.) | First quarter of calculus. Counts toward Natural World general education requirement for graduation. Also satisfies Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning graduation requirement. |
| Calculus BC | 2 (in conjunction with a subgrade of 3, 4, or 5) |
MATH 124 (5 cr.) | First quarter of calculus. Counts toward Natural World general education requirement for graduation. Also satisfies Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning graduation requirement. |
| Chemistry | 5 | CHEM 142, 152, 162 (5, 5, 5) | General chemistry for science and engineering majors. Counts toward Natural World general education requirement for graduation. CHEM 142 also satisfies Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning graduation requirement. |
| Chemistry | 4 | CHEM 142, 152 (5, 5) | General chemistry for science and engineering majors. Counts toward Natural World general education requirement for graduation. CHEM 142 also satisfies Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning graduation requirement. |
| Chemistry | 3 | CHEM 142 (5) | General chemistry for science and engineering majors. Counts toward Natural World general education requirement for graduation. CHEM 142 also satisfies Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning graduation. |
| Note: Students with AP scores of 3, 4 or 5 who plan to major in chemistry or biochemistry are strongly encouraged to discuss the option of enrolling in the honors introductory chemistry sequence, Chem 145-165, with the undergraduate advisers in the Chemistry Department. | |||
| Chinese Language | 3,4,5 | CHIN 133,231,232 (5,10,15 cr., respectively) | Courses are parallel to CHIN 103, 201, 202; cannot earn credit for both sequences. Credit for 133,231,232 does not imply placement into specific CHIN courses. No credit awarded for native speakers of Chinese. CHIN 133 satisfies foreign language graduation requirement of the College of Arts and Sciences. CHIN 231, 232 counts toward Visual, Literary, and Performing Arts general education requirement for graduation. Also satisfies foreign language graduation requirement of the College of Arts and Sciences. |
| Computer Science A | 3 | CSE 112 (4 cr.) | Computer programming for science/engineering students. Counts toward Natural World general education requirement for graduation. Also satisfies Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning graduation requirement. |
| Computer Science A | 4,5 | CSE 142 (4 cr.) | Computer programming for science/engineering students. Counts toward Natural World general education requirement for graduation. Also satisfies Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning graduation requirement. |
| Computer Science AB | 5 | CSE 142, 143 (4, 5 cr.) | Computer programming for engineering and science students. This exam is no longer offered. Counts toward Natural World general education requirements for graduation. Also satisfies Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning graduation requirement. |
| Computer Science AB | 3,4 | CSE 142 (4 cr.) | Computer programming for engineering and science students. This exam is no longer offered. Counts toward Natural World general education requirements for graduation. Also satisfies Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning graduation requirement. |
| Computer Science Principles | 3,4,5 | CSE 120 (5 cr.) | Fundamental concepts of computer science. Counts toward Natural World general education requirement for graduation. Also satisfies Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning graduation requirement. |
| Economics: Micro | 3 | ECON 190 (5 cr.) | Counts toward Individuals & Societies general education requirement for graduation. |
| Economics: Micro | 4,5 | ECON 200 (5 cr.) | Introduction to Microeconomics. Counts toward Individuals & Societies general education requirement for graduation. Also satisfies Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning graduation requirement. |
| Economics: Macro | 3 | ECON 191 (5 cr.) | Counts toward Individuals & Societies general education requirement for graduation. |
| Economics: Macro | 4,5 | ECON 201 (5 cr.) | Introduction to Macroeconomics. Counts toward Individuals & Societies general education requirement for graduation. Also satisfies Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning graduation requirement. |
| English: Language & Composition | 4,5 | ENGL 190 (5 cr.) | AP English. Counts toward Visual, Literary, and Performing Arts general education requirement for graduation. Credit policies for students entering the UW summer 2003 or earlier |
| English: Literature & Composition | 4,5 | ENGL 191 (5 cr.) | AP English. Counts toward Visual, Literary, and Performing Arts general education requirement for graduation. Credit policies for students entering the UW summer 2003 or earlier |
| Environmental Science | 3,4,5 | ESRM 100 (5 cr.) | Introduction to environmental science. Counts toward Natural World general education requirement for graduation. |
| European History | 4,5 | HSTEU 113 (5 cr.) | Western Civilization history survey (modern). Counts toward Individuals & Societies general education requirement for graduation. |
| French Language | 3,4,5 | FRENCH 201,202,203 (5,10,15 cr., respectively) | Intermediate French. Counts toward Visual, Literary, and Performing Arts general education requirement for graduation. Also satisfies foreign language graduation requirement of the College of Arts and Sciences. No credit awarded for native speakers of French. |
| French Literature | 3,4,5 | FRENCH 298 (5,10,15 cr., respectively) Does not imply a particular placement. |
French credit at the second-year college level. This exam is no longer offered. Counts toward Visual, Literary, and Performing Arts general education requirement for graduation. Also satisfies foreign language graduation requirement of the College of Arts and Sciences. |
| German Language | 3,4,5 | GERMAN 201,202,203 (5,10,15 cr., respectively) | Intermediate German. Counts toward Visual, Literary, and Performing Arts general education requirement for graduation. Also satisfies foreign language graduation requirement of the College of Arts and Sciences. No credit awarded for native speakers of German. |
| Government and Politics: American | 3,4,5 | POL S 202 (5 cr.) | American politics. Counts toward Individuals & Societies general education requirement for graduation. |
| Government and Politics: Comparative | 3,4,5 | POL S 204 (5 cr.) | Comparative politics. Counts toward Individuals & Societies general education requirement for graduation. |
| Human Geography | 3,4,5 | GEOG 100 (5 cr.) | Introduction to geography. Counts toward Individuals and Societies general education requirement for graduation. |
| Italian Language & Culture | 3,4,5 | ITAL 201,202,203 (5,10,15 cr., respectively). | Intermediate Italian. Counts toward Visual, Literary, and Performing Arts general education requirement for graduation. Also satisfies foreign language graduation requirement of the College of Arts and Sciences. No credit awarded for native speakers of Italian. |
| Japanese Language | 3,4,5 | JAPAN 133,231,232 (5,10,15 cr., respectively) | Courses are parallel to JAPAN 113, 211, 212; cannot earn credit for both sequences. JAPAN 133 satisfies foreign language graduation requirement of the College of Arts and Sciences. JAPAN 231, 232 counts toward Visual, Literary, and Performing Arts general education requirement for graduation. Also satisfies foreign language graduation requirement of the College of Arts and Sciences Credit for 133,231,232 does not imply placement into specific JAPAN courses. No credit awarded for native speakers of Japanese. |
| Latin Literature | 4,5 | LATIN 305,306 (10 cr.) | Latin literature courses. This exam is no longer offered. Counts toward Visual, Literary, and Performing Arts general education requirement for graduation. Also satisfies foreign language graduation requirement of the College of Arts and Sciences. |
| Latin Literature | 3 | LATIN 103 (5 cr.) | Third quarter of elementary Latin. This exam is no longer offered. Also satisfies foreign language graduation requirement of the College of Arts and Sciences. |
| Latin: Vergil | 4,5 | LATIN 305,307 (10 cr.) | Latin literature courses. This exam is no longer offered. Counts toward Visual, Literary, and Performing Arts general education requirement for graduation. Also satisfies foreign language graduation requirement of the College of Arts and Sciences. |
| Latin: Vergil | 3 | LATIN 103 (5 cr.) | Third quarter of elementary Latin. Also satisfies foreign language graduation requirement of the College of Arts and Sciences. |
| Latin Literature and Latin: Vergil | 4,5 | LATIN 305,306,307 (15 cr.) | Latin literature courses. This exam is no longer offered. Counts toward Visual, Literary, and Performing Arts general education requirement for graduation. Also satisfies foreign language graduation requirement of the College of Arts and Sciences. |
| Latin Literature and Latin: Vergil | 3 | LATIN 103 (5 cr.) | Third quarter of elementary Latin. This exam is no longer offered. Also satisfies foreign language graduation requirement of the College of Arts and Sciences. |
| Music Theory | – | None Awarded. | See Music adviser for placement. |
| Physics 1 | 4,5 | PHYS 114/117 (5 cr.) | First quarter of 1st year general physics sequence. Also satisfies Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning graduation requirement. |
| Physics 1 | 3 | PHYS 101 (5 cr.) | Counts toward Natural World general education requirement for graduation. Also satisfies Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning graduation requirement. |
| Physics 2 | 4,5 | PHYS 115/118 (5 cr.) | Second quarter of 1st year general physics sequence. Also satisfies Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning graduation requirement. |
| Physics 2 | 3 | PHYS 102 (5 cr.) | Counts toward Natural World general education requirement for graduation. Also satisfies Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning graduation requirement. |
| Physics 1 AND Physics 2 | 4,5 on BOTH exams | PHYS 114/117, 115/118, 116/119 (15 cr.) | First year general physics sequence. Also satisfies Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning graduation requirement |
| Physics B | 4,5 | PHYS 114/117, 115/118, 116/119 (15 cr.) | First-year general physics sequence. Also satisfies Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning graduation requirement. The Physics B exam is no longer offered. |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 4,5 | PHYS 121 (5 cr.) | First quarter of engineering physics sequence. Also satisfies Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning graduation requirement. |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 3 | PHYS 101 (5 cr.) | Counts toward Natural World general education requirement for graduation. Also satisfies Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning graduation requirement. |
| Physics C: Electricity & Magnetism | 4,5 | PHYS 122 (5 cr.) | Second quarter of engineering physics sequence. Also satisfies Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning graduation requirement. |
| Physics C: Electricity & Magnetism | 3 | PHYS 102 (5 cr.) | Counts toward Natural World general education requirement for graduation. Also satisfies Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning graduation requirement. |
| Psychology | 3,4,5 | PSYCH 101 (5 cr.) | Introductory psychology. Counts toward Individuals & Societies general education requirement for graduation. |
| Research | 3,4,5 | UW 115 (5 cr.) | See academic adviser regarding applicability toward degree requirements. |
| Seminar | 3,4,5 | UW 116 (5 cr.) | See academic adviser regarding applicability toward degree requirements. |
| Spanish Language | 3,4,5 | SPAN 201,202,203 (5,10,15 cr., respectively). | Intermediate Spanish. Counts toward Visual, Literary, and Performing Arts general education requirement for graduation. Also satisfies foreign language graduation requirement of the College of Arts and Sciences. No credit awarded for native speakers of Spanish. |
| Spanish Literature | 3,4,5 | SPAN 298 (5,10,15 cr., respectively). | Spanish credit at the second-year college level. Counts toward Visual, Literary, and Performing Arts general education requirement for graduation. Also satisfies foreign language graduation requirement of the College of Arts and Sciences. |
| Statistics | 3,4,5 | STAT 311 (5 cr.) | Statistical Methods. Counts toward Natural World general education requirement for graduation. Also satisfies Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning graduation requirement. |
| U.S. History | 4,5 | HSTAA 101 (5 cr.) | American history survey. Counts toward Individuals & Societies general education requirement for graduation. |
| World History | 4,5 | HSTRY 100 (5 cr) | AP World History. Counts toward Individuals & Societies general education requirement for graduation. |