Academic Credits Completed Prior to Enrollment

Students may be awarded credits for coursework completed prior to college through the combination of advanced placement examinations, transfer credit from other institutions, International Baccalaureate, General Certificate of Education, and proficiency examinations. Credits earned through these methods are not computed in the cumulative grade-point average. The undergraduate dean's office determines if such courses and/or credits are applicable to the engineering major or towards general education requirements.

Note: The School of Engineering does NOT accept the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) for credit.

Advanced Placement (List of Accepted AP Credits)

There is no change for how AP credits are awarded for students entering in Fall 2023.
However, since some of the 2023 Advanced Placement exams will not include all of the units typically covered on those exams, students who earn scores of 4 and 5 on some exams in the 2023 test administration may need to consult with faculty and professional advisors to determine if they have the prerequisite knowledge and background to be successful in more advanced coursework in the fall semester. Once AP scores are received in July, advisors will reach out to students as appropriate with more information and guidance.

Degree credits are awarded for advanced placement examination scores of 4 and 5 on the College Board Advanced Placement Examinations. Credits are not given for grades of 3, 2, or 1. School of Engineering does not grant credits for AP exams taken after high school.
Some students may find that these high school level courses did not provide the same foundational knowledge that is available through an introductory-level university course. They are allowed, after consultation with an advisor, to waive the credits from the AP course to enable them to register for the introductory course in a particular academic discipline. This waiver must be requested in writing. If the student accepts the credits and subsequently enrolls in the same courses, the Advanced Placement credit will be deleted.
Students will need to request the College Board send an original copy of the scores to Rutgers in order for credit to be granted. Rutgers' CEEB code is 2765. The scores will then be sent electronically to Rutgers and we will be able to access your scores.
Click here for a list of advanced placement exams and scores, and the Rutgers degree credit that is awarded based on those scores.

College Credits Completed while in High School

Please note that students who have completed college credits during high school are NOT exempt from the placement testing at Rutgers. For more information on placement testing, please visit here. Students will be placed into the classes according to the results from their placement tests in Math and English Writing.
For courses completed at New Jersey community colleges while in high school or courses taken at the high school and recorded on a college transcript, njtransfer.org cannot be used to determine course equivalencies. Some courses with Rutgers equivalencies showing on njtransfer.org may transfer as elective credit (not for major credits), or may not transfer at all if taken while the student was in high school. It's the same with courses taken at other community colleges or 4-year institutions while the student was in high school. It is important to check with the first-year advisor at the School of Engineering (firstyear@soe.rutgers.edu) before taking these courses.
Please make sure you request an Official Transcript from the college you attended to be sent directly to our office at the address below, or emailed electronically to fyadvising@soe.rutgers.edu:

Rutgers School of Engineering
Office of Academic Services - Room B100
98 Brett Road
Piscataway, NJ 08854-4092

International Baccalaureate (IB) Examinations

The School of Engineering recognizes that rigor of the International Baccalaureate program and grants college credit for students who demonstrate strong performance (scores of 7, 6 and 5) on Higher Level exams. Credit is not given for grades of 4 or lower or for Subsidiary/Standard Level exams. Transcripts must be submitted to Admissions. Please remember to also indicate on the pre-registration form that you have IB credits. For specifics on course credit granted for IB credits, please visit Rutgers SAS information page on IB credits.

General Certificate of Education (GCE) Examination

The School of Engineering recognizes the rigor of the General Certificate of Education (GCE) program and grants college credit for students who demonstrate an academic qualification in the Advanced Level (A Level). No credit is awarded from the Ordinary Level (O Level). For specifics on course credit granted, please visit Rutgers SAS information page on A-levels Exams . Please send official examination report to Admissions directly.

Proficiency Examinations

With a valid reason and prior experience giving foundation to support the request, students may satisfy prerequisites and sometimes earn credit through individual examinations offered by the academic departments of Rutgers.
Prior approval by the SOE and the appropriate academic department are required before seeking credit through examination; approval by the major department also is required for credit in the major field. The awarding of credits through these methods is uncommon and decisions are made on a course-by-course basis.

Courses Completed at Rutgers University

School of Engineering students are expected to register for classes offered on the Rutgers-New Brunswick campus. Interunit registration for classes offered at the Rutgers-Newark and Rutgers-Camden campuses is not allowed during the Fall or Spring semester. Courses completed at other schools of Rutgers University appear directly on the student’s transcript and grades are included in the cumulative grade-point average. Because of differences in the structure of academic disciplines and in the details of requirements from unit to unit, there may be instances where specific courses may not be applicable to an SOE major or minor or distribution requirement.