Advanced Coursework
The UW Bothell encourages and applauds students who have chosen to take advanced courses as part of their high school curriculum. These courses are challenging and demanding, and we believe they provide excellent preparation for university study.
For any questions, contact the Admissions Office.
Advanced Placement (AP) Policies
Policy Overview
College Board Advanced Placement (AP) exams are scored on a scale of 1 – 5. At UW Bothell, scores of 3 or higher are considered for college credit awards or placement into UW courses. For exams where departmental equivalencies are not awarded for a score of 3, UW general elective credit may be granted at the request of the student.
Necessary AP scores to receive departmental credit at UW Bothell.
Submitting Your Scores
The easiest way to ensure that the UW receives your AP scores is to name us as a recipient when you sign up for exam(s). You can use this procedure even if you take the exam as a junior in high school; the UW will keep your scores until your senior year. If you do not name the UW as a recipient when you take your exam, just contact the College Board and request that scores be sent to the UW Office of Admissions. When you are admitted to the UW, you may be eligible for UW credit; if so, information about courses and credit awards will be accessible to you via MyUW. To ensure that your AP scores match up with your UW academic record, be sure to identify your name, date of birth and Social Security Number with the College Board in the exact same way you identify, or expect to identify, yourself on your UW application.
International Baccalaureate (IB) Policies
Policy Overview
The UW recognizes the IB curriculum as a challenging academic program that provides excellent preparation for university study.
In most cases, credits are awarded for subjects in which the student has earned a grade of 4 or higher. Consult the table below for specific information about credit awards in particular subjects.
Additionally, students who earn an IB diploma (not a certificate) will be awarded 5 more quarter credits toward UW graduation requirements.
For students who started at UW before autumn 2025, up to 45 quarter credits awarded for IB may be applied toward a UW degree.
For students starting in autumn 2025 or later, IB credits will count as part of the overall limit for transfer credits, which is a maximum of 90 lower-division transfer credits to be applied toward a UW degree.
Students who complete two exams with duplicate or overlapping content (e.g. AP and IB), or who complete an exam and a college course with duplicate or overlapping content will be awarded credit for only one exam or course.
For students who entered prior to Autumn 2019 see the previous IB exam credit award schedule.
Submitting Your IB Transcript
The easiest way to ensure that the UW Bothell receives your IB transcript is to name the UW Bothell as a recipient when you sign up for IB program exam(s). If you do not name the UW Bothell as a recipient when you take your exam, contact the IB Organization to request that an official IB transcript be sent directly to the UW Bothell Admissions Office.
When you are admitted to the UW Bothell, you may be eligible for UW course credit; if so, the courses and credits awarded will be accessible to you via MyUW. Duplicate credit for the same subject taken on different exams like A-level, AS-level, AP or IB will not be granted.
Required IB scores to receive college credit at UW Bothell.
A-Level & AS-Level Exam Policies
Policy Overview
The UW recognizes A Level/AS Level curriculum as a challenging academic program that provides excellent preparation for university study.
In general, 15 quarter credits will be granted for A Level exams with a passing grade and 7.5 quarter credits for AS level exams with a passing grade.
For students who started at UW before autumn 2025, up to 45 quarter credits awarded for A level and AS level exams may be applied toward a UW degree.
For students starting in autumn 2025 or later, credits from A level and AS level exams count toward the total transfer credit limit, which is a maximum of 90 lower-division transfer credits to be applied toward a UW degree.
In some cases credits are awarded with equivalencies for specific UW courses. In other cases credits are awarded that do not have a specific UW course equivalency. See below for further information about UW course designations.
No world language credit is awarded when it is the student’s first language.
No grades are posted for A Level or AS Level exams.
Students who complete two exams with duplicate or overlapping content or who complete an exam and a college course with duplicate or overlapping content will be awarded credit for only one exam or course. Duplicate credit will not be granted in the same subject area for multiple exams such as A Level, AS Level, AP or IB.
Credit awarding policies are reviewed on a regular basis and are subject to change. Students who entered the UW prior to Autumn 2020 can see the previous A Level and AS Level exam credit award schedule.
Submitting A-Level or AS-Level Exams for Credit
The UW Bothell will only award credit once the official A-level or AS-level exam certificate has been issued. Preliminary results, Statement of Results and unofficial photocopies cannot be used to grant credit. Official certificates for exams taken in June are generally issued in October.
Once you have received your official A-level or AS-level exam certificate, either have your school make an official photocopy of the original by stamping the copy as official or submit the original exam certificate to the Office of Admissions.
Once an official copy of the final exam certificate is received, the Office of Admissions will post credit to your student record. Information about courses and credits awarded will be accessible via MyUW on your unofficial UW Bothell transcript. Please allow 2-4 weeks for exam certificates to be processed and credit posted.
Required A-Level or AS-Level scores to receive college credit at UW Bothell.
Note: Any document submitted to the Office of Admissions to supplement the application becomes part of the official admissions record and cannot be released back to the student.