Stanford
Student Services

How Do I Add Credit by Exam to My Record?

Looking for something else? Visit the Transfer and Test Credit page.

Incoming Frosh Timelines

Stanford receives scheduled electronic batches of AP and IB exam scores directly from CollegeBoard and IBO, and matches your student record to these scores using a semi-automated system process. For incoming Frosh who submitted their scores prior to August, your AP units should appear on your student record in mid to late September (as long as a personal data match is found). Scores submitted in August or later may not be posted until the end of October. If your external exam credit does not appear by the end of your first quarter, and you have verified they have been submitted to Stanford, submit a help request, and the Registrar's Office staff will investigate. 

Timelines for students who did not submit their exams before their first quarter at Stanford can be found below.

Jump below for how to submit your exam scores to Stanford. 

Why might Credit by Exam units not appear on my transcript? 

Personal Data: Your personal data — name, address, and date of birth — on file with the College Board or IBO must match exactly the personal data you supplied to Stanford. If you need to check or update your personal data at Stanford, see these instructions (which are identical to those mailed to you in the New Student Orientation packet). If your first or last name has recently changed, if you have a hyphenated or compound surname, or if you frequently receive mail that is addressed only to part of your first or last name, this may be a reason that your scores are not getting matched with your student record! 

Deferred Admission: If you submitted test scores when you were initially accepted to Stanford, then deferred admission to a later quarter, your awarded units will have been unposted. Your scores will still be on file, but your units will not be re-awarded as part of the automatic process. Please submit a help request letting us know that you previously deferred, and the Degree Progress team will re-post your units. Please note, any credit awards will be given according to your NEW matriculation year's equivalency charts!

No Official Score Report: Advisors and academic departments will sometimes give you course recommendations and placement estimations after looking at an unofficial student score report that you have provided. However, official scores must be sent directly to Stanford via their respective issuing organizations in order for you to receive units. Any transcripts or test scores received from a student cannot be regarded as official by the university.

Equivalent credit for your bulletin year: Because exam content may be revised from year to year, equivalencies and unit awards are also updated accordingly. Your credit is evaluated against the policies for your matriculation year, or bulletin year (i.e. the academic year during which you began coursework at Stanford). Please remember to review the Registrar's Office Exam credit charts that are associated with your matriculation year; credit may not be applied if not eligible for credit. 

How do I get my exam scores to Stanford?

CollegeBoard Advanced Placement (AP) Scores:

  • First Free or Additional Score Send: Send Score Reports Online Anytime
    • We continue to review AP exams for all students throughout the year on a monthly basis.
    • Scores are sent from CollegeBoard in weekly batches; it will take additional time after your score is sent for it to be transcripted to your student record. Please allow 5-10 business days after your score send confirmation before inquiring about the status of your credit.
    •  If you believe Stanford should have already received your score reports, please submit a help ticket with the following attachments:
      • An unofficial Student Score Report
      • An emailed receipt from your score send request through CollegeBoard, and/or a screengrab from your Score Send Order History showing the Send Date of your scores to Stanford.
    •  Student Score Reports cannot be accepted without proof of an official order.
  • Tests taken over 4 years ago: Send a copy of Archived Scores
    • Scores must be sent directly to Stanford at the following physical address: 
      • Student Services Center 459 Lagunita Dr Suite 4 Tresidder Memorial Union 2nd Floor Stanford CA 94305
    • Hard-copy scores sent to any other address cannot be accepted unless hand-delivered to the Student Services Center in the original sealed envelope.


International Baccalaureate (IBO) Scores

  • New Admits/Pre-release requests: Requesting and Sending Transcripts
    • If you request your scores to be sent to Stanford before the Release of Results, your scores will be sent as part of a batch delivery in July (for May exam sessions) or January (for November sessions). Once these scores have arrived, it will take additional time for the office of the Registrar to transcript all scores to respective student records. If you have not seen your IB units posted to your record by the end of your first quarter at Stanford, please submit a help ticket.
  • IB Graduates/Replacement orders: Request your IB Transcript

  • NOTE: You will receive two emails from IBO! The first email is a confirmation of your transcript order. The second email will arrive within approximately 14 business days to notify you that your order has been completed (see example image below). At that time, please submit the Test Credit help ticket and attach this email -- this will notify Degree Progress that they can retrieve your transcript from IBO. Stanford does NOT receive any notification from IBO that you have requested your transcript.

    A screenshot of an "order completed" email sent to a student from International Baccalaureate. This email instructs the student to contact Stanford and notify them that their transcript is ready to retrieve.
  • Electronic score reports issued directly to students will not be accepted.
  • Hard-copy scores sent to any non-Stanford University address will not be accepted unless hand-delivered to the Student Services Center or Office of the Registrar in the original sealed envelope.


British-Patterned Education (UK or International GCE/A-Level Scores)

  • Official scores must be sent directly from the testing board to Stanford University.
    • Online score request sites: Cambridge; Pearson/Edexcel
    • Hard-copy results must be submitted directly from the issuing test board/ministry of education to Stanford University at the following physical address: 
      • Student Services Center 459 Lagunita Dr Suite 4 Tresidder Memorial Union 2nd Floor Stanford CA 94305
    • Hard-copy scores sent to any other address cannot be accepted unless hand-delivered to the Student Services Center in the original sealed envelope.


European-Patterned Education: Abitur, French Bac & Other Approved International exams

  • We require an officially certified copy of your international exam results showing scores for each exam subject; this must be in English, or accompanied by an official English translation or key.
  • Official scores must be sent directly to Stanford University from the testing board, ministry of education, or secondary school
    • Scores can be sent in PDF form via email to transfer-credit-transcripts@stanford.edu; sender’s email must be verifiable as coming from the sending school or government department.
    • Hard-copy transcripts or score reports must be sent directly to Stanford at the following physical address: 
      • Student Services Center 459 Lagunita Dr Suite 4 Tresidder Memorial Union 2nd Floor Stanford CA 94305
      • Hard-copy scores sent to any other address cannot be accepted unless hand-delivered to the Student Services Center in the original sealed envelope.