A-level Exam Credit at USC
Credit Summary
USC awards 8 semester units of elective credit for A-level exams, as well as H2 exams from Singapore, with a score of B or better. (Exams taken before spring 2011 with a score of C also earn credit.)
Return to the general Exam Credit page for information on other types of exams.
Restrictions
- No credit is given for subjects not taught at USC.
- No credit is given for O-level and AS-level exams from any country, nor for H1 exams from Singapore.
- No credit is given for provisional scores. Students should wait until their certificate is issued, which usually happens in late October/early November of the exam year, to order an official statement of results.
- No credit is given for photocopied certificates, scores printed from the internet, or official statements of results delivered by hand, or from the student’s school, even with the school’s seal and an officer’s signature.
- H3 exams from Singapore may earn credit if the student files an articulation petition supported by a detailed course syllabus including course meeting times, required textbooks, and a description of academic work related to the exam.
- A-level scores do not earn course equivalence.
- Students may not receive credit for both an AP exam (or IB or other international exam) and a college course taken before high school graduation covering the same subject matter, nor for an AP and IB exam covering the same subject matter.
- Students may receive a combined maximum of 32 elective units for college courses taken before high school graduation and/or examinations (e.g., AP, IB, or other international exams) taken before matriculation at a two-year or four-year college.
General Education
The General Education credit shown here is based on a review of GCE A-level syllabi offered by Cambridge International Examinations. A-level exams reported by other examining boards in similar subjects are likely to earn the same credit, but USC reserves the right to grant different General Education credit (or no credit) if the learning objectives of the exam differ significantly from the Cambridge syllabus. More exams may be added to this list in the future as they are reviewed.
| GE-A: Arts | Music |
| GE-D: Life Sciences | Biology Marine Science |
| GE-E: Physical Sciences | Chemistry Physics |
| GE-F: Quantitative Reasoning | Economics Mathematics Further Mathematics |
| GE-G: Citizenship in a Diverse World | History |
| GE-H: Traditions and Historical Foundations | Classical Studies Divinity Islamic Studies |
Waivers
Some departments may use A-level results to waive prerequisites or degree requirements as shown below. To receive a prerequisite waiver (to register for a higher-level class) with an A-level score, contact the USC department that teaches the course. To get a degree requirement waived with an A-level score, contact your major advisor.
|
A-Level Exam
|
Prerequisite that can be waived
|
After prerequisite is waived…
|
|---|---|---|
| Biology | No waiver or substitution recommended | N/A |
| Chemistry | CHEM 105aL (Interested in Medical School? See the important note below!) |
Contact the Chemistry department for appropriate placement into the Organic Chemistry sequence, if needed. |
| Further Mathematics | No waiver or substitution recommended | N/A |
| Mathematics | MATH 125 | Take MATH 126, MATH 127, MATH 208, MATH 218, or take certain upper-division business courses. |
| Psychology | PSYC 100 | Take certain upper-division PSYC courses; see advisor. |
| Physics | PHYS 135aL and PHYS 135bL | See major advisor.
|
An Important Note to Students Interested in Medical School
Even though exam scores may place students into a higher-level biology or chemistry course, many medical schools do not accept exam credit in lieu of college-level course credit to fulfill admission requirements. Students interested in medical school should consider carefully whether it is in their best interest to enroll in foundational science courses, notwithstanding AP credit in these areas. If you are a potential pre-med student, please discuss this issue with an advisor in the Pre-Health Professions Program.
Reporting A-level Scores
Students should have their scores sent directly to USC as soon as practical after certificates are issued in the late fall. USC does not accept provisional results, which are produced in early summer. Order an official statement of results, not a replacement certificate, to be sent directly from the examining board to the following address:
USC Academic Records & Registrar
Attention: Transfer Credit Services
700 Childs Way, JHH 106
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0912
U.S.A.
Note for students with exams from Cambridge International Education (CIE)*
USC can download A-level scores from CIE Direct once your certificate has been issued. Please log in to askUSC with your USC NetID and email us with your Name, Candidate number, Centre Number, Date of Birth, and Series Date (mm/yy). USC does not accept Priority Results from CIE for credit.
Note for students with exams from the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB)*
USC will accept digital OpenCerts results if they are sent directly to transfercredit@usc.edu via your Skills Passport page in the MySkillsFuture portal. An attachment from a student email address will not be accepted as official.
*USC does not currently accept electronic delivery from any other examining board.
No credit can be given for provisional scores, photocopied certificates, or for scores printed from the internet. Nor can credit be given for official statements of results delivered by hand or from the student’s school, even with the school’s seal and an officer’s signature.