AP® Credit at University of California
See exactly which AP® exams UC gives credit for, what each score is worth, and how much tuition your scores could save. Based on UC's official policy for all nine undergraduate campuses: Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San Diego, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz.
Policy last checked 2026-10-28 · official source
Your AP® exams
UC AP® credit chart
Minimum score: 3 on every exam it accepts. Credit shown in semester units.
| AP® exam | Score | Credit | UC course(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 3+ | 5.3 | Units toward your degree |
| 3-D Art and Design | 3+ | 5.3 | Units toward your degree |
| African American Studies | 3+ | 2.6 | Units toward your degree |
| Art History | 3+ | 5.3 | Units toward your degree |
| Biology | 3+ | 5.3 | Units toward your degree |
| Calculus AB | 3+ | 2.6 | Units toward your degree |
| Calculus BC | 3+ | 5.3 | Units toward your degree |
| Chemistry | 3+ | 5.3 | Units toward your degree |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 3+ | 5.3 | Units toward your degree |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 3+ | 2.6 | Units toward your degree |
| Computer Science A | 3+ | 5.3 | Units toward your degree |
| Computer Science Principles | 3+ | 5.3 | Units toward your degree |
| Drawing | 3+ | 5.3 | Units toward your degree |
| English Language and Composition | 3+ | 5.3 | Units toward your degree |
| English Literature and Composition | 3+ | 5.3 | Units toward your degree |
| Environmental Science | 3+ | 2.6 | Units toward your degree |
| European History | 3+ | 5.3 | Units toward your degree |
| French Language and Culture | 3+ | 5.3 | Units toward your degree |
| German Language and Culture | 3+ | 5.3 | Units toward your degree |
| Human Geography | 3+ | 2.6 | Units toward your degree |
| Italian Language and Culture | 3+ | 5.3 | Units toward your degree |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 3+ | 5.3 | Units toward your degree |
| Latin | 3+ | 5.3 | Units toward your degree |
| Macroeconomics | 3+ | 2.6 | Units toward your degree |
| Microeconomics | 3+ | 2.6 | Units toward your degree |
| Music Theory | 3+ | 5.3 | Units toward your degree |
| Physics 1 | 3+ | 5.3 | Units toward your degree |
| Physics 2 | 3+ | 5.3 | Units toward your degree |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 3+ | 2.6 | Units toward your degree |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 3+ | 2.6 | Units toward your degree |
| Psychology | 3+ | 2.6 | Units toward your degree |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3+ | 5.3 | Units toward your degree |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 3+ | 5.3 | Units toward your degree |
| Statistics | 3+ | 2.6 | Units toward your degree |
| United States Government and Politics | 3+ | 2.6 | Units toward your degree |
| United States History | 3+ | 5.3 | Units toward your degree |
| World History: Modern | 3+ | 5.3 | Units toward your degree |
Good to know
- Every UC campus gives the same number of units for a 3 or higher. Units are shown here in semester units; quarter-system campuses (every campus except Berkeley and Merced) award 1.5× as many quarter units.
- Whether the units also satisfy a general-education or major requirement is decided by each campus.
- Some exams share a maximum: Calculus AB and BC together max out at 5.3 semester units, as do the two English exams, the four Physics exams, and the three Art and Design exams.
- UC says AP units don't force you to declare a major early or graduate early. You only save tuition if you choose to finish sooner.
How the savings are estimated
Credits are added up from UC's chart (applying its shared maximums). Each credit is valued at one 30th of a year's tuition: $18,178 for California resident students and $59,200 for non-resident students (2027–28 (UC's estimate)). UC tuition plus average campus fees for a new undergraduate (UC's published estimate). UC's Tuition Stability Plan keeps this rate fixed for up to six years. Source.
You only save that money if the credit lets you take fewer courses or graduate sooner. Credit that only counts as an elective may not shorten your degree, so check with your advisor.
Frequently asked questions
What AP score does University of California accept?
UC gives credit for a score of 3 on every exam it accepts. Every accepted exam gives the same credit for a 3, 4 or 5.
Which AP exam is worth the most credit at UC?
25 exams tie at the maximum of 5.3 semester units, including United States History, English Language and Composition, Biology.
How much is one AP unit worth at UC?
About $606 per unit for California residents, based on 2027–28 (UC's estimate) tuition and fees of $18,178 a year. You only save that money if the credit lets you take fewer courses or graduate earlier.
Does UC give credit for AP Business with Personal Finance?
Not yet. Business with Personal Finance is a new exam (first given in May 2027) and isn't on UC's chart as of 2026-10-28. Check the official policy page closer to enrollment.