Credit by Exam

Credit by exam provides a convenient, affordable alternative to an 8- or 15-week college course. Excelsior College Examinations® (ECEs) and other credit-bearing exams allow you to demonstrate your mastery over subject matter in a single test. Pass the exam, and you earn full course credit—and advance your education quickly and affordably.

Credit-by-exam is:

  • Affordable: Credit-bearing exams cost between $100 and $400, hundreds of dollars less than regular tuition for an equivalent course.
  • Convenient: Excelsior's credit-bearing exams are offered at more than 4,000 sites in the U.S. and abroad.
  • Academically rigorous: The American Council on Education's College Credit Recommendation Service (ACE CREDIT) has evaluated and recommended college credit for Excelsior College Examinations® and UExcel exams.
  • Transferrable: Thousands of universities across the United States grant full transfer credit for Excelsior College Examinations®.

Nearly three-fourths of Excelsior graduates use credit by exam to fulfill some of their degree requirements. Credit by exam is also popular among:

  • Students from other colleges who seek to transfer credit. Hundreds of U.S. colleges grant full transfer credit for ECEs.
  • Working adults who seek job promotions, certifications, and/or college degrees.
  • Teachers who seek credits toward licensure.
  • High school students who want a head start on a college degree.

Steps to Earning Excelsior College Credit by Exam

1. Choose an exam. Scroll down to browse credit-by-exam offerings, or look for courses in our Credit by Exam Catalog.

2. Register. You can register online or by phone—follow these easy instructions.

3. Prepare. Excelsior College offers a full range of exam-prep resources, incliuding study guides, practice exams, and online tutorials.

4. Schedule your test. Tests are administered year-round at 4,000 sites worldwide through Pearson VUE.

Credit by Exam Formats

Excelsior College Examinations® (ECEs) are available for 43 courses—17 in nursing, 22 in arts in sciences, 3 in business, and 1 in education.

UExcel. UExcel exams are offered in a computer-based format at thousands of test centers globally.

Browse Excelsior Exams

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