Service members can earn college credit by passing an exam in a subject they already know or can study on their own. This explains how CLEP and DSST exams work, how fees are usually covered for people serving now, and what to settle with your college before you book a test.
Two exam programs
CLEP, run by the College Board, offers more than 30 exams in introductory subjects such as composition, college algebra, psychology, history and a few languages. DSST exams cover a wider spread, including some upper-level subjects and practical fields such as business, technology and criminal justice.
Each exam stands in for a single course, and a passing score earns the credit the college assigns to that course. You prepare on your own, using guides from the base library or education center, free online courses and the official study guides each program publishes.
Fees and where to sit the exam
DANTES, the Defense Department office for voluntary education, often pays the exam fee for a first attempt in each subject for eligible service members, and Guard and Reserve members are usually included. Your installation's education center confirms who is covered and how to request funding.
Military test centers on base usually charge no sitting fee, while a civilian college test center may charge one that DANTES does not pay. Both programs also offer remote exams with an online proctor. A retake is generally at your own cost, and each program sets a waiting period before you can try the same subject again.
Veterans can still take these exams, and the GI Bill can repay a national test fee. That repayment uses a small slice of entitlement, so weigh it against paying the fee yourself.
Each exam stands in for a single course, and a passing score earns the credit the college assigns to that course.
Check with the college before the test
Colleges decide which exams they accept, the passing score they require and which course each one replaces. Ask the registrar or an academic advisor for the credit-by-exam policy in writing, and check whether the credit counts toward your major or only as an elective.
Ask about limits too. Many schools cap how many credits can come from exams, may leave them out of the credits you must earn at that school, and will not award credit for a subject you already took as a course. Send your score report straight to the college so the registrar can post it.
Fitting exams into a degree plan
Credit from exams can shorten a degree and save Tuition Assistance or GI Bill months for later courses. Take exams in subjects that appear on your degree plan, and ask the certifying official to update the plan once credit posts so the VA is not billed for a course you no longer need.
Steps to take
- Ask the education center whether DANTES covers your first attempt
- Get the college's credit-by-exam policy in writing
- Pick subjects that appear on your degree plan
- Send your score report to the registrar
Who decides
Your installation's education center and the college registrar
An exam saves a course only if your college accepts it for your plan, so check the policy before you book the test.