CLEP Exams

What are CLEP Exams?

Simply put, CLEP exams allow you to earn college credits by passing exams. CLEP stands for College Level Examination Program and can help you save time and money with your college. By taking a single multiple-choice exam in a specific subject, you can earn college credit equivalent to completing an entire course.

The College Board runs it (the same organization behind the SAT and AP exams) and has since 1967. Over 2,900 colleges and universities award credit for a passing score, including most major public universities and virtually every school with a military credit policy. Have questions? See our CLEP FAQ.

How much can the CLEP Exams Save me?

$97 (in 2026) is all it costs for the exam, plus a testing center fee of around $25. Compare that to a single 3-credit college course: $600 at an inexpensive school, $3,000 or more at a private university. Students who complete 15 credits through CLEP save an average of $5,000 to $17,000, depending on your college or university.

A 90-minute exam replaces a 15-week course. If you already know the material, or are willing to spend a few weeks studying for it, sitting through the class is a waste of time and money. Wondering if you can earn a full degree with just CLEP exams?

CLEP works especially well for:

• Military personnel: Active duty service members can take CLEP exams for free through DANTES funding at their base education center.
• Adult learners: Re-entering students who already have real-world knowledge in a subject and want credit for what they know.
• College students: Skipping low-level classes needed for graduation.
• High schoolers and homeschoolers: Getting a head start on college credit before enrollment can save you thousands.

What to expect on the exam?

Most CLEP Exams run 90 minutes and are entirely multiple-choice, though some exams can also be taken online from home. The minimum passing score is 50 out of 80, which is the ACE-recommended cutoff used by most schools.

Before you sign up, confirm your school's specific policy with an academic adviser. Most of the 2,900 schools that accept CLEP use the standard score of 50, but some require a higher score, and policies on which exams count toward your degree vary by school and sometimes by program. See our guide on how and where to take CLEP exams for step-by-step registration instructions.

Pass and the credit shows up on your transcript as a Pass, no letter grade. Fail and the attempt does NOT appear on your transcript at all. You can retake the exam after a 90-day wait.

Best way to study for a CLEP Exam?

It depends almost entirely on your existing knowledge of the subject. Did you take an advanced course in high school? Maybe you only need to take some practice tests to see how you do. Starting from scratch? You will need to do some studying, probably about four to six weeks.

Most students follow a similar approach: study the material using books, audio, and video resources. Then, take a practice test to assess your knowledge and review any questions you missed.

InstantCert's study guides are interactive flashcards built from the textbooks the College Board recommends for each exam. You do not need any prior knowledge of the subject to start. Work through the cards, and by the time you've mastered the full set, you will know enough to pass.

InstantCert subscribers get access to the Specific Exam Feedback section at DegreeForum.net, a member-only area where past test-takers post what they used to study, what topics showed up on their specific exam, and how long prep actually took them. Nothing else on the internet comes close for customizing your CLEP study plan for a specific subject.

InstantCert pass rates vs. the general population

Students who use Instantcert pass at an average rate of 93%. The statistics from the College Board show a pass rate of around 65%. The difference is not more study time. The difference is not due to more study time; it's using material specifically designed around what the exam tests, not the entire textbook.

A few of the higher-volume exams where the gap is clearest:

• Introductory Sociology: 96%
• Human Growth and Development: 95%
• History of the United States I: 96%
• American Government: 92%
• Introductory Psychology: 90%

These numbers come from results voluntarily submitted by InstantCert students. They reflect real performance, but they are NOT a guarantee. A small number of exams, including American Government and College Algebra, have lower pass rates and may need some extra work beyond the flashcards. The full breakdown, with civilian and military pass rates alongside InstantCert's, is in our CLEP exam pass rates table.

With that being said, our flashcards are the ONLY resource many students use, and they still pass. If you work through the full set and feel comfortable with the material, go take the exam. Learn more about when the flashcards alone might not be enough for certain exams.

InstantCert has been the most popular CLEP prep resource online since 2002. One subscription covers all 60 CLEP, DSST, and TECEP exams we offer: study guides, practice tests, and Specific Exam Feedback forum access. There is a 30-day money-back guarantee. Happy studying!