Advanced Placement & International Exams

Advanced Placement Credit

Please note that advanced placement policies currently listed on this page apply specifically to the class of 2012, entering MIT in fall 2008. Policies may change for subsequent classes, including the admitted class of 2013.

For most secondary school subjects that closely parallel the College Board Advanced Placement (AP) guidelines, the only method for generating credit at MIT is through the regular College Board Advanced Placement examinations. If you wish to receive this type of credit, you should take those AP exams for which you are prepared.

Biology

No credit is given for the College Board AP Biology exam. To receive credit for 12 units of 7.012, 7.013, or 7.014, Introductory Biology, you must pass the Biology Advanced Standing Examination administered during Orientation.

Chemistry

No credit is given for the College Board AP Chemistry exam. To receive credit for 12 units of 5.111, Principles of Chemical Science, you must pass the Advanced Placement (Advanced Standing) exam administered during freshman orientation.

Computer Science

No credit is given for either the Computer Science A or the Computer Science AB exam.

Mathematics

For a score of 4 or 5 on the BC Calculus examination, credit is given for 12 units of subject 18.01 Calculus I. For scores lower than 4, no credit is given. Although no credit is given for the Calculus AB exam, a score of 4 or 5 places you into the accelerated Calculus sequence.

Physics

For a score of 5 on both parts of the Physics C exam, credit will be given for 12 units of subject 8.01, Physics I. No credit is given for the Physics B exam. For scores lower than 5, no credit is awarded.

MIT offers free study materials through MIT OpenCourseWare Highlights for High School. You'll find helpful resources for AP Physics and other subjects.

Communication Requirement

A score of 5 on either the English Language and Composition or English Literature and Composition exam is considered equivalent to passing the Freshman Essay Evaluation (FEE). If you have passed the FEE, you are still required to take a communication-intensive subject your first year as part of the Communication Requirement. You do, however, have a wider range of communication-intensive subjects to choose from than students who have not demonstrated competency in the FEE. Scores lower than 5 on either examination are not considered equivalent to passing the FEE.

Humanities Arts, and Social Sciences

Advanced Placement credit cannot be used to satisfy any part of the HASS Requirement. If you receive a score of 5 on the College Board Advanced Placement tests listed below, you will receive 9 general elective units for each exam, applicable as unrestricted electives only. (For scores lower than 5, no credit is awarded.)

• Art History
• Chinese Language and Culture
• Economics--Macro
• Economics--Micro
• English Language
• English Literature
• European History
• French Language
• French Literature
• German Language
• Government & Politics--US
• Government & Politics--Comparative
• Human Geography
• Italian Language and Literature
• Japanese Language/Culture
• Latin Literature
• Latin Vergil
• Music Theory
• Psychology
• Spanish Language
• Spanish Literature
• Studio Art--2D Design
• Studio Art--3D Design
• Studio Art--Drawing
• US History
• World History
  

MIT credit or advanced placement is not given for the following College Board exams:

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Physics B
• Computer Science (both A and AB)
• Statistics
• Environmental Science

If you need more information on advanced placement policies, please contact Advanced Placement staff in the Office of Undergraduate Advising and Academic Programming at 617-253-6771 or ap@MIT.EDU.

International Examination Credit

Please note that international examination policies currently listed on this page apply specifically to the class of 2012, entering MIT in fall 2008. Policies may change for subsequent classes, including the admitted class of 2013.

NOTE: If you receive credit for a specific MIT subject and subsequently register for the same subject, the credit originally awarded is void.

G.C.E. "A" Level

Listed below are current policies on how G.C.E. “A” Level credit is recognized based on the exam subject and resulting grade. Note that credit for A-level work cannot be applied to an MIT academic record until the official G.C.E certificates are presented to the Office of Undergraduate Advising and Academic Programming.

See below for specific information on receiving credit in the following areas:

• Biology:  No credit is given for A-level Biology. To receive credit for 12 units of 7.012, 7.013, or 7.014, Introductory Biology, you must pass the Biology Advanced Standing Examination administered during Orientation
  
  
• Chemistry: No credit is given for A-Level Chemistry. To receive credit for 12 units of 5.111, Principles of Chemical Science, students must pass the Advanced Placement (Advanced Standing) exam administered during freshman orientation.
  
  
• Computer Science: No credit is given for A-level computer science examinations.
  
  
• Mathematics: For a grade of "A" or "B" in A-Level Mathematics, credit will be given for 12 units of subject 18.01, Calculus I. For grades lower than B, no credit is given.
  
  
• Physics: For a grade of "A" in A-Level Physics, credit will be given for 12 units of subject 8.01, Physics I, and you may enroll in subject 8.02 or 8.022 (Physics II). For grades lower than A, no credit is given.
  
  
• Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences: For a grade of "A" on applicable humanities-related A-Level examinations, credit will be given for 9 general elective units. Note that credit earned from G.C.E “A” Levels does not satisfy any part of the HASS Requirement. For grades lower than A, no credit is given.

International Baccalaureate

Below are current policies on how International Baccalaureate (IB) exams are evaluated. MIT must receive the official grade report directly from the regional IBO through which you took your exams.

Only exams taken at the IB Higher Level (HL) are recognized. See below for information on receiving credit in specific areas.

• Biology: No credit is given for IB examinations in Biology. To receive credit for 12 units of 7.012, 7.013, or 7.014, Introductory Biology, you must pass the Biology Advanced Standing Examination administered during Orientation.
  
  
• Chemistry: No credit is given for IB examinations in chemistry. To receive credit for 12 units of 5.111, Principles of Chemical Science, students must pass the Advanced Placement (Advanced Standing) exam administered during freshman orientation.
  
  
• Computer Science: No credit will be awarded for the IB Computer Science exam.
  
  
• Mathematics: For a score of a 6 or 7, credit will be given for 12 units of subject 18.01, Calculus I. For scores lower than 6, no credit is awarded.
  
  
• Physics: For a score of a 7, credit will be given for 12 units of subject 8.01, Physics I and students may begin immediately with subject 8.02 or 8.022 (Physics II). For scores lower than 7, no credit is given.
  
  
• Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences: On applicable exams, for a score of a 7, credit will be given for 9 general elective units. Note that credit earned from humanities-related IB exams does not satisfy any part of the HASS Requirement. For scores lower than 7, no credit is given.

French Baccalauréat

MIT recognizes and gives credit for French Baccalauréat examinations in the following areas, based on appropriate documentation.

• Biology:No credit is given for French Baccalauréat examinations in Biology. To receive credit for 12 units of 7.012, 7.013, or 7.014, Introductory Biology, you must pass the Biology Advanced Standing Examination administered during Orientation.
  
  
• Chemistry:No credit is given for French Baccalauréat examinations in chemistry. To receive credit for 12 units of 5.111, Principles of Chemical Science, students must pass the Advanced Placement (Advanced Standing) exam administered during freshman orientation.
  
  
• Computer Science: No credit is given for French Baccalauréat examinations in computer science.
  
  
• Mathematics: For scores 10 through 20, credit will be given for 12 units of subject 18.01, Calculus I. For scores lower than 10, no credit is awarded.
  
  
• Physics: For scores 13 through 20, credit will be given for 12 units of subject 8.01, Physics I. For scores lower than 13, no credit is awarded.
  
  
• Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences: For scores 13 through 20 on applicable examinations, credit will be given for 9 general elective units. Note that credit earned from humanities-related French Baccalauréat exams does not satisfy any part of the HASS Requirement. For scores lower than 13, no credit is given.

German Abitur

MIT recognizes and gives credit for German Abitur examinations in the following areas, based on appropriate documentation.

• Biology: No credit is given for German Abitur examinations in Biology. To receive credit for 12 units of 7.012, 7.013, or 7.014, Introductory Biology, you must pass the Biology Advanced Standing Examination administered during Orientation.
  
  
• Chemistry:No credit is given for German Abitur examinations in chemistry. To receive credit for 12 units of 5.111, Principles of Chemical Science, students must pass the Advanced Placement (Advanced Standing) exam administered during freshman orientation.
  
  
• Computer Science: No credit is given for German Abitur computer science exams.
  
  
• Mathematics: For scores 10 through 15, credit will be given for 12 units of subject 18.01, Calculus I. For scores lower than 10, no credit is awarded.
  
  
• Physics: For scores 13 through 15, credit will be given for 12 units of subject 8.01, Physics I. For scores lower than 13, no credit is awarded.
  
  
• Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences: For scores 13 through 15 on applicable examinations, credit will be given for 9 general elective units. Note that credit earned from humanities-related German Abitur exams does not satisfy any part of the HASS Requirement. For scores lower than 13, no credit is given.

If you need more information on international examinations, or have questions regarding examination formats not mentioned here, please contact Advanced Placement staff in the Office of Undergraduate Advising and Academic Programming at 617-253-6771 or ap@MIT.EDU.