Credit by Validation
College-level course work completed at colleges/universities licensed by state boards of education to award associate degrees or higher, but that are not members of one of the six regional accrediting associations, may be eligible for credit by validation.
Steps for the Credit by Validation process:
After enrolling at Penn State, the student is responsible for initiating the process by requesting or downloading a Credit by Validation form (link below).
The student completes the form and submits it with electronic copies of course syllabi for each course to be validated to the Undergraduate Admissions Office at admissions@psu.edu.
Undergraduate Admissions staff will determine if the course is eligible for Credit by Validation. Eligible courses must:
Have an equivalent course offering at Penn State that offers comparable learning outcomes and standard instruction.
Be graded at an equivalent of a ‘C’ (2.0) or better.
Students will be notified coursework that does not meet eligibility via their Penn State email address.
If the course meets eligibility requirements:
Undergraduate Admissions sends the course information to the academic college/department that should evaluate the course content.
The department shares its decision with Undergraduate Admissions.
The Undergraduate Admissions Office updates the student’s Penn State transcript record with coursework that is transferable.
Tuition Advisory
Please be advised that a student’s tuition will increase when the Penn State transcript reflects 59.1 total credits. Credits earned from sources such as tests, like AP or IB exams, other colleges or universities, or military credit, are considered transfer credits and are included in the cumulative credit total. If the credits you are transferring or have transferred to Penn State place you above 59.1 total credits after the start of the semester, your tuition will increase immediately. You will receive a bill for the additional tuition on the first day of the following month. For more information, visit the Office of the Bursar's website.