Continue on Your Path to Success by Earning College Credits Early

What is an Early College Credit Course?

College-level courses that high school students take at their high school or at a local college campus. Successful completion of an early college credit course provides transferable college credits.

What are the different types of Early College Credit Courses?

  • Articulated Credit– Classes at high school that are taken as part of a CTE pathway sequence of courses.
  • Advanced Placement- Classes at the high school, followed by a test that may count for college placement or credit
  • Dual Enrollment- Classes at the high school that count as both high school and college credit. These may be academic classes like Writing or Math or technical CTE classes like Business or Nursing.
  • International Baccalaureate- A series of classes at the high school, followed by a test that may count for college placement or credit

Want to earn college credit in high school? Check out Early College Credit Courses!

Delaware schools offer a variety of opportunities for Delaware students to take college-level courses in high school. Benefits:

  1. Exposure to rigorous, advanced coursework
  2. Encourage good academic habits and new skills
  3. More likely to complete a college degree or credential
  4. Develop career-ready skills

What type of college credit can I earn from Early College Credit Courses?

  • Articulated Credit– Successful completion of an articulated credit course will directly transfer college credit to the host college/university. These credits do NOT transfer to any other college/university.
  • Advanced Placement- Use the AP Credit Policy Search to find colleges/universities that offer credit or placement for AP scores. Beginning August 1, 2024, all public colleges and universities in Delaware must accept AP scores of 3+ for credit.
  • Dual Enrollment- Use the Dual Enrollment Credit Transfer Matrix to see which colleges/universities offer transfer credits for dual enrollment classes taken in high school.
  • International Baccalaureate- IB works with some universities to develop recognition policies that set out an institution’s requirements for IB students. Find universities with published recognition policies. Universities without published recognition policies may still accept students with IB credentials

What schools offer Early College Credit Courses?

Most high schools publish a course catalog that students can use to view the different courses offered at their high school. After reviewing these, students should meet with their school counselor to determine which early college credit courses are the best fit for them.

Where can I learn more about Early College Credit Programs?

Early College Credit FAQ

How might my grades in dual enrollment and articulated courses impact my college GPA?

The grades you receive in dual enrollment and articulated credit courses will count as part of your college GPA. This means how you do in these courses in high school will impact your academic standing in college and the issuance/renewal of financial aid.

Advanced Placement, dual enrollment, and International Baccalaureate courses do have fees that students are required to pay. Students from low-income households are eligible for fee reductions through their school, the Delaware Department of Education, and sometimes the organization. Learn more about Advanced Placement fee waivers for exams here.

To get college credit or placement for your AP scores, the student has to request that College Board send an official AP score report to the college. Requests your scores to be sent here:

The IB provides an official transcript of grades for the Diploma Programme (DP) and Career-related Programme (CP) to universities. These documents are not sent to students or other organizations. Request your transcripts to be sent to: ibo.org/university-admission/support-students-transition-to-higher-education/requesting-and-sending-transcripts/