Tufts Admissions
SMFA at Tufts
En EspaƱol
  • Quicklinks
    • Plan Your Visit
    • Explore Majors & Minors
    • Calculate Cost
    • Check Application Status
    • Our Blogs
Discover Tufts
Academics
Life at Tufts
Tufts Blogs
Jumbo Magazine
Tufts Traditions
History of Tufts University
Tuition & Aid
Tuition and Aid
Types of Aid
Applying for Aid
Contact Financial Aid
Connect With Us
Open Houses
Join the Mailing List
Contact
Read Our Blogs
Admissions Instagram
Privacy
Visit
Plan Your Visit
Virtual Tour
Audio Tour
Tufts For You
Open Houses
Parking & Directions
Dining on Campus
Places to Stay
Apply
First-Year Students
Transfer Students
International Students
First-Generation Students
Undocumented Students
Counselors & Teachers
Advice & Getting Started
Profile of the Class of 2028
Essay Questions
Interview
Search
Navigation
Academics
Majors & Minors
School of Arts and Sciences
School of Engineering
School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts
Research
Interdisciplinary Learning
Study Elsewhere
After Tufts
Pre-Matriculation Credits
Life at Tufts
Tufts Blogs
Jumbo Magazine
Tufts Traditions
History of Tufts University

Pre-Matriculation Credits

Students who clearly demonstrate the capacity for upper-level course work will ordinarily be granted credit and advanced standing at the discretion of the relevant academic department. Any credits received for academic work completed before enrolling at Tufts are considered "credit-bearing pre-matriculation course equivalents." Students in the School of Arts and Sciences may receive up to five credit-bearing pre-matriculation course equivalents towards their degree, and may apply one course equivalent towards each of the five areas for distribution requirements. Students in the School of Engineering may use up to 27 pre-matriculation credits towards their degree. Most pre-matriculation course equivalents will carry three credits, but some course equivalents may carry more credit. In several cases, pre-matriculation scores may yield placement into a higher level course or fulfillment of a requirement but receive no credit; these scores are marked with 0 in the charts below. 

Note: this is a simplified chart intended for prospective students. Current students should refer to the information on the Student Services website, which can be found by clicking here.

Jump to the Appropriate Chart

Advanced Placement (AP) - Arts and Sciences and Engineering

British General Certificate of Education (A-Level)

International Baccalaureate - Arts and Sciences and Engineering

College coursework

Advanced Placement (AP) - Arts and Sciences

For the School of Arts and Sciences, these are the available course equivalents from Advanced Placement exams:

Exam Score Credit Equivalents Notes
Art History 4, 5 3  
Biology 5 5 Earns the equivalent of BIO 13 or BIO 14
Chemistry 5 10 Earns the equivalent of CHEM 0001 and 0002
Chinese 5 0 Place out of 4 semesters of Chinese coursework
  4 0 Place out of 3 semesters of Chinese coursework
Computer Science 4, 5 3 Earns the equivalent of COMP 0005
Economics 5 3 Awarded for either Macroeconomics or Microeconomics exams
  5/5 7 With both Macroeconomics and Microeconomics exams, place out of EC 0005
English 5 3 For either AP English exam, exempt from First-Year Writing Requirement
  4 3 For either English exam, place out of ENG 0001
Environmental Science 4, 5 3 Earns the equivalent of BIO 0007
French 5 4 Place out of 5 semesters of French coursework
  4 0 Place out of 4 semesters of French coursework
  3 0 Place out of 3 semesters of French coursework
German 5 4 Place out of 5 semesters of German coursework
  4 0 Place out of 4 semesters of German coursework
  3 0 Place out of 3 semesters of German coursework
History 4, 5 3 Maximum of 2 course equivalents awarded for AP History exams, if multiple exams are taken
Human Geography 4, 5 3 Course equivalent awarded through the Anthropology Department
Italian 5 0 Place out of 4 semesters of Italian coursework
  4 0 Place out of 3 semesters of Italian coursework
  3 0 Place out of 2 semesters or Italian coursework
Latin 5 3 Place out of 3 semesters of Latin coursework
Mathematics: Calculus AB 4, 5 4 Earns the equivalent of MATH 0032
Mathematics: Calculus BC 5 8 Earns the equivalent of MATH 0032 and 0034
  4 4 Earns the equivalent of MATH 0032
Music 5 0 See Department for placement
Physics 1 5 5 Earns the equivalent of PHY 0001
  4 5 Earns the equivalent of PHY 0001
Physics 2 5 5 Earns the equivalent of PHY 0002
Physics C (M) 4, 5 5 Earns the equivalent of PHY 0011
Physics C (E) 5 5 Earns the equivalent of PHY 0012
Political Science 4, 5 3 Either Government exam may be taken for a maximum of one course equivalent.
Psychology 4, 5 3 Earns the equivalent of PSY 0001
Spanish 5 0 Place out of 4 semesters of Spanish coursework
  4 0 Place out of 3 semesters of Spanish coursework
  3 0 Place out of 2 semesters of Spanish coursework
  2 0 Place out of 1 semester of Spanish coursework
Statistics 4, 5 3 Earns the equivalent of MATH 0021
Studio Art 4, 5 4  

 Return to Top

Advanced Placement (AP) - Engineering

For the School of Engineering, these are the available course equivalents from Advanced Placement exams:

Exam Score Credit Equivalents Notes
Biology 5 5 Earns the equivalent of BIO 13 or BIO 14
Chemistry 5 10 Earns the equivalent of CHEM 0001 and 0002
Computer Science 4, 5 3 Credit awarded for either COMP A or CSP. If both exams are taken, only one credit is awarded. Does not satisfy Engineering course requirements.
Economics 5 3 Awarded for either Macroeconomics or Microeconomics exams
  5/5 7 With both Macroeconomics and Microeconomics exams, place out of EC 0005
English 5 3 For either AP English exam, exempt from First-Year Writing Requirement
  4 3 For either English exam, place out of ENG 0001
Environmental Science 4, 5 3 Earns the equivalent of BIO 0007
French 5 4 1 Humanities credit
German 5 4 1 Humanities credit
Latin 5 4 1 Humanities credit
History 4, 5 3 Maximum of 2 course equivalents awarded for AP History exams, if multiple exams are taken
Mathematics: Calculus AB 5 4 Earns the equivalent of MATH 0032
Mathematics: Calculus BC 5 8 Earns the equivalent of MATH 0032 and 0034
  4 4 Earns the equivalent of MATH 0032
Physics C (M) 4, 5 5 Earns the equivalent of PHY 0011
Physics (E) 5 5 Earns the equivalent of PHY 0012
Political Science 4, 5 3 Either Government exam may be taken for a maximum of one course equivalent.
Statistics 4, 5 3 Earns the equivalent of MATH 0021

 Return to Top

British General Certificate of Education (A-Level)

These are the available course equivalents from British General Certificate of Education (A-Level) exams:

Exam Score Credit Equivalents Notes
Anthropology A, B 3 Earns the equivalent of ANTH 0010
Biology A, B 5 Earns the equivalent of BIO 13 or BIO 14
Chemistry A 10 Earns the equivalent of CHEM 0001 and 0011
  B 5 Earns the equivalent of CHEM 0001
Classics A, B 3  
Computer Science A, B 3 Earns the equivalent of COMP 0005 for Arts and Sciences students; awards general credit for Engineering students. Does not satisfy Engineering course requirements.
Economics A, B 7 Earns the equivalent of EC 0005 plus additional department credit
English A 3 Exempt from First-Year Writing Requirement
  B 3 Place out of ENG 0001
Environmental Science A, B 3 Earns the equivalent of BIO 0007 for Arts and Sciences students; awards general credit for Engineering students. Does not satisfy Engineering course requirements.
French A 4 Place out of French 0021
History A, B 3  
Mathematics A 4 Earns the equivalent of MATH 0034 for Arts and Sciences students; earns the equivalent of MATH 0032 for Engineering students.
  B 4 Earns the equivalent of MATH 0032
Music A, B 3 See Department for placement
Physics A 5 Earns the equivalent of PHY 0002 for Arts and Sciences students only
  B 5 Earns the equivalent of PHY 0001 for Arts and Sciences students only
Political Science A, B 3  
Psychology A, B 3 Earns the equivalent of PSY 0001
Sociology A, B 3 Earns the equivalent of SOC 0001
Statistics A, B 3 Earns the equivalent of MATH 0021 for Arts and Sciences students; awards general credit for Engineering students. Does not satisfy Engineering course requirements.

 Return to Top

International Baccalaureate (IB) - Arts and Sciences

For the School of Arts and Sciences, these are the available course equivalents from International Baccalaureate exams. All exams must be Higher Level except where otherwise noted:

Exam Score Credit Equivalents Notes
Anthropology 6, 7 3 Earns the equivalent of ANTH 0010
Biology 6, 7 5 Earns the equivalent of BIO 13 or BIO 14
Chemistry 7 10 Earns the equivalent of CHEM 0001 and 0002
  6 5 Earns the equivalent of CHEM 0001
Classics 6, 7 3  
Computer Science 6, 7 3 Earns the equivalent of COMP 0005
Economics 6, 7  7 Earns the equivalent of EC 0005 plus additional department credit
English 7  3 Exempt from First-Year Writing Requirement 
  6  3 Place out of ENG 0001
Environmental Science 6, 7  3 Earns the equivalent of BIO 0007
French 7  4 Place out of 5 semesters of French coursework
  6  0  Place out of 4 semesters of French coursework
  5  0  Place out of 3 semesters of French coursework
German 7  4 Place out of 5 semesters of German coursework
  6  0  Place out of 3 semesters of German coursework
  5 0 Place out of 2 semesters of German coursework
History 6, 7  3  
Italian 7  4 Place out of 5 semesters of Italian coursework
  6  0  Place out of 3 semesters of Italian coursework
Latin 6,7 3 Place out of 3 semesters of Latin coursework
Mathematics 7 8 Earns the equivalent of MATH 0032 and 34
  6 4 Earns the equivalent of MATH 0032
Music 6, 7  3 See Department for placement 
Physics 7  5 Earns the equivalent of PHY 0002
  6  5 Earns the equivalent of PHY 0001
Political Science 6, 7  3  
Psychology 6, 7  3  Earns the equivalent of PSY 0001
Sociology 6, 7  3  Earns the equivalent of SOC 0001
Spanish (Higher Level) 7  0  Place out of 5 semesters of Spanish coursework
  6  0  Place out of 3 semesters of Spanish coursework
  5  0  Place out of 2 semesters of Spanish coursework
Spanish (Standard Level) 6, 7  0  Place out of 2 semesters of Spanish coursework
  5  0  Place out of 1 semester of Spanish coursework
Studio Art 6, 7 4  
Theater 6,7 3  

 Return to Top

International Baccalaureate (IB) - Engineering

For the School of Engineering, these are the available course equivalents from International Baccalaureate exams. All exams must be Higher Level except where otherwise noted:

Exam Score Credit Equivalents Notes
Biology 6, 7 5 Earns the equivalent of BIO 13 or BIO 14
Chemistry 7 10 Earns the equivalent of CHEM 0001 and 0002
  6 5 Earns the equivalent of CHEM 0001
Computer Science 6, 7 3 Awards general credit for Engineering students. Does not satisfy Engineering course requirements.
English 7 3 Exempt from First-Year Writing Requirement
  6 3 Place out of ENG 0001
Environmental Science 6, 7 3 Awards general credit for Engineering students. Does not satisfy Engineering course requirements.
Languages other than English 6, 7 4 See this site for specific languages
Mathematics 7 8 Earns the equivalent of MATH 0032 and 34
  6 3 Earns the equivalent of MATH 0032
Psychology 6, 7 3 Earns the equivalent of PSY 0001

 Return to Top

College Coursework

Students who took college courses while still in high school may request transfer of credit for those courses. Course equivalents are awarded only for those courses taken at a college with regularly enrolled college students. Course equivalents will not be given for college courses offered at a secondary school composed entirely of secondary school students. Students requesting these course equivalents should provide a letter from their principal or school counseling department stating that the course was not used to complete requirements for the high school diploma.

 Return to Top

Tufts University

Office of Undergraduate Admissions
Bendetson Hall
2 The Green
Medford, MA 02155

617-627-3170

Visit tufts.edu Contact Tufts Admissions Non-Discrimination Statement Privacy Statement
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Discover Tufts
Tuition & Aid
Connect With Us