University of California, Merced AP credit

What each AP score earns at University of California, Merced for 2025-2026: 38 exams, credit shown in semester hours. Always confirm with the school before you plan your schedule.

Rules that apply to every exam

Students must have official test score reports sent directly from the testing service to UC Merced to receive credit.
Credit will be granted for either the AP or IB examinations in any one subject area.
Unit credit limit for all AP Studio Art exams is 5.3 units.
Unit credit limit for all AP Mathematics exams is 5.3 units.
Unit credit limit for both AP English exams is 5.3 units.
Unit credit limit for all three AP Physics exams is 5.3 units.
Students who take a UC Merced course they are otherwise exempt from receive credit for the course but not the exam units.
Placement into level 2 language courses is granted for AP score 2 in Chinese, French, Japanese, and Spanish Language, without unit credit.
Students will meet with advising staff during New Student Orientation to discuss credit and requirements satisfied by AP scores.

AP exam	Score	Credit	Courses
AP African American Studies	3+	2.7	—No course exemption.
AP Art History	4+	—	One lower division GASP courseExempts one course counting toward a lower division course within the GASP Major or GASP Minor.
	3+	5.3	—Fulfills (1) Approaches to Knowledge course for Area B: Media and Visual Analysis.
AP Biology	4+	—	BIO 005Exemption.
	3+	5.3	—Fulfills (1) Approaches to Knowledge course for Area A: Life Science.
AP Chemistry	5	—	CHEM 002, CHEM 002L, CHEM 010, CHEM 010LExempts (CHEM 002 and CHEM 002L) and (CHEM 010 and CHEM 010L).
	3+	5.3	—Fulfills (1) Approaches to Knowledge course for Area A: Physical Science.
	3–4	—	CHEM 001Exemption.
AP Computer Science: Comp Science A	5	—	CSE 022Exemption.
	3+	5.3	—Score of 5 fulfills the General Education Language requirement.
	3–4	—	CSE 005Exemption.
AP Computer Science: Comp Science Principles	3+	5.3	—No course exemption.
AP Economics: Macroeconomics	4+	—	ECON 001Exempts ECON 001 when scores of 4 or 5 are earned on both Macroeconomics and Microeconomics.
	3+	2.7	—Fulfills (1) Approaches to Knowledge course for Area B: Social Science.
AP Economics: Microeconomics	4+	—	ECON 001Exempts ECON 001 when scores of 4 or 5 are earned on both Macroeconomics and Microeconomics.
	3+	2.7	—Fulfills (1) Approaches to Knowledge course for Area B: Social Science.
AP English Language and Composition	4+	—	WRI 010Exemption.
	3+	5.3	—Score 4 or 5 satisfies the General Education Lower Division: Written Communication requirement.
	3+	—	WRI 001Exempts WRI 001 and the UC Entry Level Writing Requirement.
AP English Literature and Composition	4+	—	One ENG course (10-49)Exempts one ENG course for the ENG major or ENG minor.
	3+	5.3	—No course exemption for score 4 or 5 beyond those listed.
	3+	—	WRI 001Exempts WRI 001 and Entry Level Writing Requirement.
AP Environmental Sciences	4+	—	ESS 001Exemption.
	3+	2.7	—Fulfills (1) Approaches to Knowledge course for Area A: Life Science.
AP Government and Politics: Comparative	4+	—	POLI 003Exemption.
	3+	2.7	—Fulfills (1) Approaches to Knowledge course for Area B: Social Science.
AP Government and Politics: United States	4+	—	POLI 001Exemption.
	3+	2.7	—Fulfills (1) Approaches to Knowledge course for Area B: Social Science.
AP History: European History	4+	—	HIST 030BExemption.
	3+	5.3	—Fulfills (1) Approaches to Knowledge course for Area B: Societies and Cultures of the Past.
AP History: US History	4+	—	HIST 016, HIST 017Exemption.
	3+	5.3	—Fulfills (1) Approaches to Knowledge course for Area B: Societies and Cultures of the Past.
AP History: World History: Modern	4+	—	HIST 010, HIST 011Exemption.
	3+	5.3	—Fulfills (1) Approaches to Knowledge course for Area B: Societies and Cultures of the Past.
AP Human Geography	3+	2.7	—No course exemption. Fulfills (1) Approaches to Knowledge course for Area B: Social Science.
AP Language Other Than English: Chinese Language and Culture	5	—	CHN 004Exemption.
	4	—	CHN 003Exemption.
	3+	5.3	—Fulfills the General Education Language requirement.
	3	—	CHN 002Exemption.
AP Language Other Than English: French Language and Culture	5	—	FRE 004Exemption.
	4	—	FRE 003Exemption.
	3+	5.3	—Fulfills the General Education Language requirement.
	3	—	FRE 002Exemption.
AP Language Other Than English: German Language and Culture	3+	5.3	—No course exemption. Fulfills the General Education Language requirement.
AP Language Other Than English: Italian Language and Culture	3+	5.3	—No course exemption. Fulfills the General Education Language requirement.
AP Language Other Than English: Japanese Language and Culture	5	—	JPN 004Exemption.
	4	—	JPN 003Exemption.
	3+	5.3	—Fulfills the General Education Language requirement.
	3	—	JPN 002Exemption.
AP Language Other Than English: Spanish Language and Culture	5	—	SPAN 004, SPAN 011Score 5 exempts SPAN 004 or SPAN 011.
	4	—	SPAN 003Exemption.
	3+	5.3	—Fulfills the General Education Language requirement.
	3	—	SPAN 002Exemption.
AP Language Other Than English: Spanish Literature and Culture	4+	—	SPAN 050Exemption.
	3+	5.3	—Fulfills the General Education Language requirement.
	3	—	SPAN 004, SPAN 011Exemption.
AP Latin	3+	5.3	—No course exemption. Fulfills the General Education Language requirement.
AP Mathematics: Calculus AB	4+	—	MATH 011, MATH 021Exemption.
	3+	2.7	—Fulfills the General Education Quantitative Reasoning Requirement.
	3	—	MATH 005Exemption.
AP Mathematics: Calculus BC	4+	—	MATH 011 and MATH 012, MATH 021 and MATH 022Exemption.
	3+	5.3	—Fulfills the General Education Quantitative Reasoning Requirement.
	3	—	Math Placement Exam, MATH 011 or MATH 021Exempts Math Placement Exam and MATH 011 or MATH 021.
AP Mathematics: Calculus BC Subscore AB	3+	2.7	Math Placement Exam, MATH 011 or MATH 021Score 3 exempts Math Placement Exam and MATH 011 or MATH 021. Fulfills the General Education Quantitative Reasoning Requirement.
AP Music Theory	3+	5.3	—No course exemption. Students earning only a subscore will not receive exam credit. Fulfills (1) Approaches to Knowledge course for Area B: Media and Visual Analysis.
AP Physics 1	3+	5.3	—No course exemption. Fulfills (1) Approaches to Knowledge course for Area A: Physical Science.
AP Physics 2	3+	5.3	—No course exemption. Fulfills (1) Approaches to Knowledge course for Area A: Physical Science.
AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism	3+	2.7	—No course exemption. Fulfills (1) Approaches to Knowledge course for Area A: Physical Science.
AP Physics C: Mechanics	5	—	PHYS 008 and PHYS 008L, PHYS 018 and PHYS 018LExemption.
	3+	2.7	—Fulfills (1) Approaches to Knowledge course for Area A: Physical Science.
AP Psychology	4+	—	PSY 001Exemption.
	3+	2.7	—Fulfills (1) Approaches to Knowledge course for Area B: Social Science.
AP Statistics	5	—	ANTH 010, ECON 010, PH 010, POLI 010, PSY 010, SOC 010Exemption.
	4	—	ANTH 010, BIO 018, PH 010, PSY 010Exemption.
	3+	2.7	—Fulfills the General Education Quantitative Reasoning Requirement.
AP Studio Art: 2-D Design	4+	—	One GASP courseExempts one course in GASP to count towards a Visual Arts Course for the GASP Major or a lower division GASP Minor course.
	3+	5.3	—Fulfills (1) Approaches to Knowledge course for Area B: Media and Visual Analysis.
AP Studio Art: 3-D Design	4+	—	One GASP courseExempts one course in GASP to count towards a Visual Arts Course for the GASP Major or a lower division GASP Minor course.
	3+	5.3	—Fulfills (1) Approaches to Knowledge course for Area B: Media and Visual Analysis.
AP Studio Art: Drawing	4+	—	One GASP courseExempts one course in GASP to count towards a Visual Arts Course for the GASP Major or a lower division GASP Minor course.
	3+	5.3	—Fulfills (1) Approaches to Knowledge course for Area B: Media and Visual Analysis.

Source: University of California, Merced official AP credit policy . Read on October 22, 2026. Compare AP credit across colleges