Admissions and Records

Credit by Examination

Earn unit credit for subjects you've already mastered — without retaking the course.

📚 Enrolled Students Only

You must be currently enrolled at Fullerton College and must not have already received credit or advanced placement in the course.

✏️ One Challenge Per Course

Each course may be challenged for credit only once. You may not challenge a course you have previously enrolled in and received a grade for.

🏛️ Approved Courses Only

Not all courses are eligible. Contact the appropriate Division Office to confirm whether the course you want to challenge is approved.

⚠️ Transfer Consideration

CPL credits may not be accepted by other institutions. Talk with a counselor before pursuing Credit by Exam if you plan to transfer.

Planning to transfer? Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) credits, including Credit by Exam, may not be accepted by all institutions. Meet with a Fullerton College counselor to discuss how CBE credits may affect your transfer plans before you petition.

Only approved courses are eligible. Exams are designed to confirm that the student has attained the same level of knowledge and skills as one who successfully completes the course.

  1. Currently enrolled students may challenge a course with approval from the division offering the course. Not all courses are eligible for challenge.
  2. A course may be challenged for credit only once.
  3. Challenged courses will be graded, and the earned letter grade will appear on the student's transcript.
  4. If a Pass (P) grade option is available, it may be offered in place of a letter grade.
  5. The division may require that a Pass (P) grade be awarded for the challenged course.
  6. The academic record will indicate that credit was earned through Credit by Examination.
  7. Units earned through Credit by Examination do not count toward the 12-semester-unit residency requirement for an associate degree.
  8. Students may not challenge a course that is less advanced than one already completed, or a course in which they have previously enrolled and received a grade.
  9. Challenges are not permitted for courses in which the student remains enrolled after the first two weeks of the semester.
  1. Confer with an instructor or Division Dean. Discuss your qualifications with either an instructor who teaches the course or the appropriate Division Dean. They will determine whether your background and prospects for success on the examination are satisfactory.
  2. Complete the petition form. If approved, you will fill out the Credit by Examination petition and obtain the required signatures from the instructor and the Division Dean. Petition forms are available in the division offices.
  3. Take the examination. The division determines the time, place, content, and administration of the examination. Be prepared to demonstrate knowledge and skills equivalent to a student who successfully completed the course.

Note: Examinations are designed to be comprehensive enough to confirm that you have essentially the same knowledge and skills as a student who successfully completed the course. Preparation is key.

Questions?

Contact the division office for the course you wish to challenge. A full list of instructional divisions and departments is available in the Fullerton College Catalog.