Earn credit for your life experience
Earn college credits for skills gained outside of school, such as through work, volunteering, military service, or training programs. Through our Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) program, find out if your approved experience can count toward your degree, helping you graduate faster.
Different ways to earn credit
Dual credit earned during high school
Admissions reviews dual enrollment credits for transfer, posting accepted courses to your IU Southeast transcript, regardless of the institution’s format or location. Consult your IU Southeast advisor to see how these credits apply to your degree. Advanced College Project (ACP) courses from Indiana University appear directly on your transcript and match the content, expectations, and credit of courses at the IU campus. Visit the ACP website for more details.
Yes. High school students who dually enroll for courses at accredited institutions of higher education may receive credit for work taken at these institutions for courses that have been recognized for transfer to IU Southeast.
As a regionally accredited institution, IU Southeast may transfer up to 64 credit hours from a community college or 90 credit hours from a four-year university. A combination of two-year and four-year credit may be used, but cannot exceed the 64/90 rule.
It is preferred that a transfer course be taken for a letter grade. You must earn a grade of “C” or higher for a course to be posted to your IUS transcript. Most universities/ colleges provide an explanation of a “pass” grade for their institutions. If the institution indicates that the pass grade is a “C” or higher for the transferable course, credit may be awarded.
You can be admitted to IU Southeast even if you don't yet have a final transcript showing all your dual credit or dual enrollment courses. You will need to submit your final transcripts showing all your earned dual credits before you meet with an advisor to ensure you are placed in the correct classes.
No. In presenting dual enrollment credits for transfer to Indiana University Southeast, all of these credits become a permanent part of your IU Southeast record.
Contact your previous school, the College Board, or the Diploma Programme and have official transcripts sent to:
Office of Admissions
4201 Grant Line Road
New Albany, Indiana 47150
Or email it to ius.admissions@iu.edu
Credit by exam
Credit by examination lets you earn college credit by testing on topics from entry-level or intermediate courses, helping you save money and get ahead. IU Southeast recognizes five national credit by examination programs, allowing you to gain credit based on your knowledge.
IU Southeast awards special credit for appropriate scores on the College Board AP exams administered by participating high schools. We receive AP score reports in June and post special credit awards in July. If you need an official copy of your AP scores, please visit the College Board website.
The College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) gives you the opportunity to receive college credit for your comprehensive subject knowledge acquired through independent or prior study, on-the-job training, professional development, cultural pursuits, or internships.
For more information visit the College Board CLEP website.
CLEP for Active Duty Military Personnel and Veterans
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs reimburses eligible military personnel for the $80.00 CLEP fee. The following references will help you determine your eligibility.
Important Policy for Business Majors
Business majors at IU Southeast may earn special credit for a maximum of three (3) non-business, general education CLEP exams. Please talk to your advisor to see how this policy might affect your degree.
General Studies Majors Only
DSST exams help students earn college credit for knowledge gained outside of the traditional classroom. It is essential for students at IU Southeast to first check with your academic advisor to see what DSST offerings will fit within your degree. Our code number is 8867. If you are testing at another university and want your scores sent to IU Southeast, please list the 8867 code number as the institutional score recipient.
Indiana University accepts Cambridge International A-level and AS-level test credit in accordance with university, campus, and department policies. A grade of E or higher is required for credit articulation. Some programs may require a higher score for direct equivalency credit. This policy was adopted by Indiana University Southeast Faculty senate on Nov 18, 2021.
Consult with admissions or your advisor if you have questions about your Cambridge test credit.
Indiana University Southeast recognizes International Baccalaureate (IB) higher-level exams and some SL exams when awarding credit and course exemptions. We award up to 8 credit hours (per exam) for IB higher-level (HL) scores of 4 or greater. Only a few areas accept credit for standard-level exams as depicted in the chart below. To be considered for IB credit, have a copy of your official IB transcript sent to the IU Southeast Office of Admissions.
Military experience
Active-Duty and Veterans can receive college credit for military service, helping them save both time and money. To be considered, a Joint Services Transcript (JST) should be submitted with application materials, as it documents educational experiences in the armed services. For more information on transfer credits for military service, review IU Policy ACA-78 or visit the Veterans Services website. You can request your JST through the Joint Services Transcript website.
Test out
Some programs offer the option to test out of specific courses through a proficiency exam, administered by individual departments or program coordinators. While this allows you to bypass certain courses, it typically does not award course credit.
Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) assessed via standardized tests is recorded as test credit, while portfolio assessments are recorded as special credit. There are costs for CPL, including a portfolio evaluation fee ($75 to $200) and a $21.50 per credit hour transcription fee, which can be paid using financial aid.
The IU Southeast Student Success Center provides testing and proctoring services for various purposes.
Portfolios
A portfolio is a collection of your work that shows what you’ve learned. Departments or teachers will review it to decide how much credit you can earn. You might need to include things like certificates or licenses, depending on the subject.
- Completion of recognized academic programs
- Certificates and other credentials with their fulfillment criteria
- Résumé
- Documentation of project management skills
- Documentation of skills consistent with those expected in the course being reviewed (e.g., an animated short film, a mobile application, an e-commerce website)
- Job descriptions
- Passing a comprehensive examination on the contents of the course
- Service to a nongovernmental organization or the government (e.g., a volunteer organization, the military, diplomatic corps)
- Report on funded and unfunded research projects
- Syllabi of courses covering similar content
- Testimonials of course-related knowledge and skills acquisition
- Documentation of professional activities clarifying acquired knowledge and skills concerning the course’s contents, such as developing a website for a community service organization, contributing to IT fair projects, mentorship, performance reviews, presenting or publishing scholarship, and producing a video.