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Alternative Credit Options

Earn Your Degree Faster and For Less

CSU Global accepts a variety of alternative credit options that enable students to earn their degree quickly and at reduced cost. Alternative credit options allow you to demonstrate competency, knowledge, prior experience, and independent learning in a particular subject area. Take advantage of your previous skills and experiences to transfer in credit toward your academic goals.

Alternative transfer credits can be used in addition to community college transfer credits, but cannot exceed the overall transfer credit maximum. Alternative credits are only available for undergraduate students. There are no alternative credit options for graduate students.

Alternative credit options include prior learning assessments, credit by exam, and international credit transfers.

Alternative Credit Options

Prior Learning Assessments

What is it: A portfolio you create to show mastery of course learning outcomes, earning credit for knowledge gained through education, work, or life experience.

Who can benefit: Students with substantial experience or prior learning in a subject who want to save time and money by earning credit for what they already know.

Prior Learning Assessment

Credit by Exam

What is it: College credit earned by passing exams in a subject area to prove your level of understanding. Options include AP, IB, CLEP, DSST, StraighterLine, and Modern States.

Who can benefit: Alternative credit options allow you to demonstrate competency, knowledge, prior experience, and independent learning in a particular subject area for course credit..

Credit by Exam

International Credit

What is it: A process where an approved evaluation service reviews your non-U.S. transcripts to determine transfer eligibility.

Who can benefit: If you’ve earned college credit at non-U.S. institutions, CSU Global invites you to work with your Enrollment Counselor to submit your international transcripts for credit toward your degree.

Approved evaluation services

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You don’t even have to fill out your application alone. Our Enrollment Counselors are standing by to help if you need us.

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