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, but we believe they provide excellent preparation for university study.

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.

For any questions, contact the Admissions Office.

Advanced Placement (AP) Policies

Policy Overview

College Board Advanced Placement 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.

View required AP scores to receive college credit at UW Bothell.

Submitting Your Scores

  • The easiest way to ensure that UW Bothell 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; UW Bothell will keep your scores until your senior year.
  • If you do not name UW Bothell as a recipient when you take your exam, contact the College Board and request that scores be sent to the UW Bothell Office of Admissions.

When you are admitted to UW Bothell, 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 Bothell application.

International Baccalaureate (IB) Policies

Policy Overview

Students will receive credit for IB subjects in which they earn a grade of 4 or higher. Students who earn an IB diploma (not an IB certificate) will receive an additional 5 quarter credits toward UW graduation requirements.

View required IB scores to receive college credit at UW Bothell.

IB Credit Limits

  • Students who enter the UW in autumn 2025 or later: IB credits count toward the overall transfer credit limit of 90 lower-division quarter credits that may be applied toward a UW degree.
  • Students who entered the UW before autumn 2025: Up to 45 quarter credits awarded for IB may be applied toward a UW degree.
  • Students who entered the UW before autumn 2019 should see the previous IB exam credit award schedule.

Duplicate or Overlapping Credits

Students who complete two exams with duplicate or overlapping content, such as AP and IB exams, or who complete an exam and a college course with duplicate or overlapping content, will receive credit for only one exam or course.

Submitting Your IB Transcript

  • The easiest way to ensure that UW Bothell receives your IB transcript is to name UW Bothell as a recipient when you sign up for your IB exam(s).
  • If you do not name UW Bothell as a recipient when you take your exam, contact the IB Organization and request that an official IB transcript be sent directly to the UW Bothell Office of Admissions.

When you are admitted to UW Bothell, you may be eligible for UW credit; if so, information about courses and credit awards will be accessible to you via MyUW. Duplicate credit for the same subject taken on different exams, such as A-level, AS-level, AP or IB, will not be awarded.

A-Level & AS-Level Exam Policies

Policy Overview

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.

A/AS-Level Credit Limits

  • Students who enter the UW in autumn 2025 or later: Credits earned through A-level and AS-level exams count toward the overall transfer credit limit of 90 lower-division quarter credits that may be applied toward a UW degree.
  • Students who entered the UW before autumn 2025: Up to 45 quarter credits earned through A-level and AS-level exams may be applied toward a UW degree.
  • Credit awarding policies are reviewed on a regular basis and are subject to change. Students who entered UW Bothell prior to Autumn 2020 can see the previous A Level and AS Level exam credit award schedule.

Application of Credits

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.

  • 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.

Duplicate or Overlapping Credits

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.

Submitting A-Level or AS-Level Exams for Credit

UW Bothell awards credit only after you receive your official A-level or AS-level exam certificate. Preliminary results, Statements of Results and unofficial copies cannot be used to award credit. Official certificates for exams taken in June are generally issued in October.

Once you receive your official exam certificate, you can submit it in either of the following ways:

  • Ask your school to make an official copy of the original certificate and stamp the copy as official.
  • Submit the original exam certificate to the UW Bothell Office of Admissions.

Once the Office of Admissions receives an official copy of your final exam certificate, credit will be posted to your student record. Information about courses and credits awarded will be accessible through MyUW on your unofficial UW Bothell transcript. Please allow 2–4 weeks for exam certificates to be processed and credit to be posted.

View required A-Level or AS-Level scores to receive college credit at UW Bothell.