CLEP Assessment

College Level Examination Program

The CLEP, or College Level Examination Program, is a great opportunity for you to earn college credits by demonstrating knowledge you already have. Instead of taking a full semester of a class, you can take a CLEP test in subjects like history, math, or languages. It’s a great way to save time and money if you’ve learned these topics on your own, at work, or in high school.

Most CLEP exams are 90 minutes long and taken on the computer.

To help you get ready, CollegeBoard.com offers a range of information and practice materials. Some resources are free, while others require a fee. The site also suggests helpful online resources, shares tips on finding the right textbooks, lets you practice with the calculators used in the exams, and gives you a clear idea of what knowledge and skills each test requires. Be sure to check the specific exam page for detailed information on each test you plan to take.

Before you sign up for a CLEP test, check to make sure you can earn credit through it. This will help you avoid taking a test for a course you won't be able to get CLEP credit for. For example, if you’ve already taken the college class or have ever enrolled in it, you won’t be able to get CLEP credit for that subject.

To take a CLEP exam, you’ll need to make an appointment in advance. Here’s how to register:

  1. Go to clep.collegeboard.org. Choose the exam you want to take and add it to your cart.
  2. Sign into your account, or create one if you don't already have one, and follow the steps to complete your registration. Each exam costs $95. Exams purchased after June 30, 2025, will cost $97.
  3. After registering, schedule your exam at Hawkeye. You’ll need the voucher number from your registration ticket to do this.
  4. If you need special accommodations for the exam, make sure to contact the Testing Center ahead of time.
  5. Pay the $20 proctored exam fee at the Business Office. This fee is required to hold your test date and is non-refundable. It also covers recording your CLEP credits on your Hawkeye transcript if you send us your official results.
  6. Bring your receipt from the Business Office with you when you take your exam.

If you’re in the military or a spouse of a service member, you may be eligible for DANTES funding [PDF] to cover the CLEP exam fee.

If you need to make changes to your exam, such as rescheduling or canceling, be sure to review the guidelines.

Note: Fees are subject to change.

When you take a CLEP test, you'll get your score right away—unless your test has an essay. For those, CLEP will mail you a score report within four weeks. If you're taking the College Composition exam, expect your score report to arrive in about six weeks.

If you didn’t get the score you wanted, don’t worry—you can retake the test after three months. Just sign up again!

CLEP Scores and Hawkeye Class Equivalency

At Hawkeye, you can use your CLEP scores to earn up to 30 credits toward your degree. Each CLEP test is matched to specific Hawkeye classes, allowing you to skip courses you’ve already mastered.

To get credit for your CLEP scores at Hawkeye, make sure to send your official score report to the Admissions office.

Note: Transferability of CLEP credits to other colleges or universities isn’t guaranteed. It’s always a good idea to double-check with your future school if you plan to transfer.

  Required Score Credits Hawkeye Equivalence
Financial Accounting 50 4 ACC-152 Financial Accounting
Information Systems 50 3 CSC-116 Information Computing
Introductory Business Law 50 3 BUS-183 Business Law
Principles of Management 50 3 MGT-101 Principles of Management
Principles of Marketing 50 3 MKT-110 Principles of Marketing

  Required Score Credits Hawkeye Equivalence
American Literature 50 3 LIT-XLT Literature Elective
Analyzing and Interpreting Literature 50 3 LIT-XLT Literature Elective
College Composition 50 3 ENG-105 Composition I
English Literature 50 6 LIT-142 Major British Writers
LIT-XLT Literature Elective
(If CLEP was taken February 2024 or later)
Humanities 50 6 HUM-XLT Humanities General Elective and
LIT-101 Introduction to Literature

  Required Score Credits Hawkeye Equivalence
American Government 50 3 POL-111 American National Government
History of the United States I: Early Colonization to 1877 50 3 HIS-151 U.S. History to 1877
History of the United States II: 1865 to the Present 50 3 HIS-152 U.S. History Since 1877
Human Growth and Development 50 3 XXX-XTX General Elective Credit
Introduction to Education Psychology 50 3 EDU-240 Educational Psychology
Introductory Psychology 50 3 PSY-111 Intro to Psychology
Introductory Sociology 50 3 SOC-110 Introduction to Sociology
Principles of Macroeconomics 50 3 ECN-120 Principles of Macroeconomics
Principles of Microeconomics 50 3 ECN-130 Principles of Microeconomics
Social Science and History 50 6 OSS-XLT Other Social Sciences Elective
HIS-XLT Humanities - History Elective
Western Civilization I: Ancient Near East to 1648 50 3 HIS-XLT Humanities – History Elective
Western Civilization II: 1648 to the Present 50 3 HIS-XLT Humanities – History Elective

  Required Score Credits Hawkeye Equivalence
Biology 50–56 3 SCI-XAT Biological Science Elective
Biology 57–80 8 BIO-112 General Biology I and
BIO-113 General Biology II
Calculus 50 4 MAT-210 Calculus I
Chemistry 50–62 3 SCI-XBT Physical Science Elective
Chemistry 63–80 8 CHM-165 General Chemistry I and
CHM-175 General Chemistry II
College Algebra 50 4 MAT-121 College Algebra
College Mathematics 50 6 MAT-110 Math for Liberal Arts and
MAT-XCT Math Elective
Natural Sciences 50–61 3 SCI-XAT Biological Science Elective
Natural Sciences 62–80 6 SCI-XAT Biological Science Elective and
SCI-XBT Physical Science Elective
Precalculus 50 4 MAT-128 Precalculus

  Required Score Credits Hawkeye Equivalence
French Language: Levels 1 and 2 50–62 5 FLF-145 French I
French Language: Levels 1 and 2 63–80 10 FLF-145 French I and
FLF-245 French II
Spanish Language: Levels 1 and 2 50–62 3 FLS-131 Elementary Spanish I
Spanish Language: Levels 1 and 2 63–80 6 FLS-131 Elementary Spanish I and
FLS-132 Elementary Spanish II

Contact Us

Testing Center

Main Campus
Hawkeye Center 212
319-296-4318
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Testing is by appointment only.

Regular Hours — Spring 2025

Monday – Friday 8 AM – 4:30 PM

Business Office

Main Campus
Hawkeye Center 122
319-296-4417
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Admissions

Main Campus
Hawkeye Center 134
319-296-4000
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