Students may use international exam scores to place into higher-level courses at Brown. For example, a score of 6 on the International Baccalaureate (IB) Higher-Level Economics exam places a student out of Econ 0110 and allows the student to enroll in Econ 1110 (and does not require a transcript notation of credit for Econ 0110). Students with qualifying scores may register for more advanced courses with the instructor’s override even if their documentation has yet to be received by Brown. Students wishing to place into a higher level course using an exam score that is not listed on the equivalency chart below should consult with the appropriate academic department; the College Office does not determine placement.

Beginning in their sophomore year, students may use international diploma/certificate exam scores to obtain course credit if they need these credits for degree completion based on department policies (see equivalence chart below). Some departments require students to submit course descriptions, syllabi, and/or samples of work (such as papers or exams) completed in international diploma/certificate courses before determining whether or not to grant equivalent course credit. The transcripted course credits will count toward Brown’s 30 course credits (minimum) graduation requirement.

Students who wish to use international exam scores to obtain more than two Brown course credit will be required to accept advanced standing. This means they will be required to finish their Brown degree in fewer than eight semesters. Students as a rule may not receive more than one semester of advanced standing.

Otherwise, up to two Brown course credits may be transcripted for exam scores if these credits are needed for concentration requirements, the 30 course credits degree requirement, or for graduate and/or professional school applications, when placement credit will not suffice.

Under certain conditions, students may seek course credit for qualifying exam scores to accelerate their graduation timeline by one semester. Students with examination scores that would confer 3 to 6 Brown course credits or more may apply for one semester of advanced standing. 

When to Apply for Advanced Standing

In order to allow adequate time for students to familiarize themselves with Brown and to examine the impact of advanced standing on their academic plans and options, students may not apply for advanced standing before declaring a concentration or before their third semester in residence at Brown. (Transfer students may request advanced standing in their second semester at Brown.) Requests for one semester of advanced standing must be received no later than the end of the fifth semester standing. This deadline applies to all requests for advanced standing based on credits for pre-Brown tests and pre-Brown college courses.

Once a student applies for and is granted advanced standing, he, she, or they may not rescind the request. Students are therefore strongly encouraged to delay applying for advanced standing until they are certain about this decision.

It is possible to obtain concentration credit without having course credit transcripted. Consult with your concentration advisor about the pertinent policies in your concentration.

Transcription of a course credit for an international exam score does not mean that concentration credit has been earned. For example, exam-based credits transcripted for Math 0090 and Math 0100 do not automatically earn concentration credit when such courses are required or elective courses in a concentration. Academic departments determine whether or not non-Brown credits fulfill concentration requirements. Students should consult with the appropriate concentration advisor to determine whether or not a credit transcripted as equivalent to a Brown course satisfies a concentration requirement.

If a concentration advisor approves an international exam score for a concentration course requirement that is not included in the course equivalency chart below, students should formalize this in the course plan section of their concentration declaration in ASK.

Brown University recognizes international exam scores for the subjects below from the following diploma and certificate programs: International Baccalaureate (Higher Level), A-levels, French Baccalaureate, Swiss Federal Maturity Certificate, Italian Esame di Stato, and the German Abitur. Other programs are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. This evaluation may take several weeks or more, so students should plan accordingly by reaching out the semester before they need to make any important related decisions. The tables below describe exam programs and credits that may be awarded based on exam results in accordance with University and department policies. Direct course equivalencies are also listed below. Students with exam scores in areas not listed should consult with the individual department about course placement. Exam subjects that do not correspond to a department and/or a field of study at Brown are not eligible for transfer credit.