AP, IB and A-Levels

Bates College offers credit by examination for students who participate in the Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or A-Level Examination programs.

For students entering in the fall of 2015 and thereafter, degree candidates matriculating as first-year students, either in the fall or winter semester, must earn at least 28 Bates course credits or approved program credits, not including Short Term credits. Students may earn a maximum of 4 approved-program credits per semester and may apply a maximum of 4 toward their Bates degree. Transfer students must earn a minimum of 16 Bates course credits, not including Short Term credits. They may transfer a maximum of 2 non-Bates course credits earned after matriculating at Bates. A transfer student is defined as any student who has previously matriculated as a degree candidate at another institution.

Students who enter as first-year students must earn at least twenty-four Bates credits in order to be awarded a Bates degree. With thirty-two course credits (plus two Short Term Course credits) required for the degree, up to four non-Bates credits may be applied toward the total. Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, A-Level Examination, and transfer credits are all considered non-Bates credit and may not exceed eight credits in total.