AP / IB / A-Level Credit in Physics

Students who have qualifying Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), or A-Level credit in Physics may receive exemption from one or more UCSD Physics courses.

First, check the University of California systemwide policy policy for AP / IB / A-Level credit to see if you qualifying AP / IB /A-Level credit at UCSD. If so, then follow thee steps below to see if you are also qualify for any specific course exemptions from the Physics Department.


For AP/IB Credit:

Check the AP/IB Chart from the General Catalog during the academic year in which you took the physics exam to see the course exemption(s) you are eligible for. Keep in mind that AP/IB physics does not exempt you from ANY physics labs, even if your high school course included a lab component. If you need a physics lab for your major, minor, GEs and/or pre-reqs, you must enroll in the lab, but you do not need to repeat the lecture portion of the class.

Send a copy of your exam(s) and test score(s) to the Office of Admissions. 2-3 weeks after you've sent this material to Admissions, confirm that Admissions has received the material by checking your Triton Checklist. If the material has not arrived, contact Admissions to discuss next steps. Once you have confirmed that Admissions has received the material, proceed to step 3.

8-10 weeks after Admissions has received your material, confirm that all of your exams and test scores have been posted to your Academic History Report. Confirm the following on your Academic History Report before proceeding to step 4:

  • Every physics exam has been posted (if an exam is missing, alert Admissions)
  • Every physics exam score has been accurately posted (if a score is inaccurate, alert Admissions)
  • The "UCSD Approx" column lists the correct UCSD course exemption(s) as per the AP/IB chart (if an exemption is incorrect, alert the Physics Department through VAC - be sure to tell us which exemption you think is incorrect).

Confirm the following on your Degree Audit:

  • Department Requirements: That every physics course in the "UCSD Approx" column on your Academic History Report that is eligible to be applied to your major requirements is applying in your degree audit. If not, alert your major department through VAC.
  • College Requirements: That every physics course in the "UCSD Approx" column on your Academic History Report that is eligible to be applied to your college requirements is applying in your degree audit. If not, alert your college through VAC.
  • University Requirements: That every physics course in the "UCSD Approx" column on your Academic History Report that is eligible to be applied to your university requirements is applying in your degree audit. If not, alert your college through VAC.

 

For A-Level Credit:

Check the chart below to see the exemptions you are eligible for based on your syllabus code and then proceed to step 2.

Exemptions by Syllabus Code
Syllabus Code Exempts from
9702 or 7408 PHYS 1A, 1AL, 1B, 1BL, 1C, 1CL
9PH07 PHYS 2A
9PH0 and/or 9PH01 Unfortunately, per prior review, this A-Level does not correspond to any courses we offer here at UCSD and therefore you are not eligible to request any exemptions. Please only complete steps 2 and 3 below.
9646 PHYS 10
2450+2451 PHYS 10
9749 PHYS 10
A420QS PHYS 10
H557 it H557A PHYS 10
WPH11, WPH12, WPH13, WPH14, WPH15, WPH16 PHYS 10

Send a copy of your A-Level certificate to the Office of Admissions. 2-3 weeks after you've sent this material to Admissions, confirm that Admissions has received the material by checking your Triton Checklist. If the material has not arrived, contact Admissions to discuss next steps. To contact Admissions:

  • If you are in your first term at UCSD or haven't yet started your first term at UCSD, submit your request to: admissions@ucsd.edu
  • If you have already completed your first term at UCSD, submit your request to: academicrecords@ucsd.edu

Note: Once Admissions receives your A-Level certificate, it may take them a few weeks to post your A-Levels to your Academic History Report. 

Verify that your A-Level physics has been posted to your Academic History Report. If not, contact UCSD Admissions to get your A-Level physics posted (your A-Level Physics must be posted to your Academic History Repor before you move on to Step 4). To contact Admissions:

  • If you are in your first term at UCSD or haven't yet started your first term at UCSD, submit your request to: admissions@ucsd.edu
  • If you have already completed your first term at UCSD, submit your request to: academicrecords@ucsd.edu

Once your A-Level Physics has been posted to your Academic History Reprort (ref. steps 2 and 3, above), click here and submit a request for A-Level course exemptions. You must attach a personal copy of your A-Level certificate showing the syllabus code of your particular A-Level (we cannot access the material you sent to UCSD Admissions). Once you receive confirmation through VAC that your request has been processed, move on to step 5.

Confirm the following on your Academic History Report and then proceed to step 6.

  • The "UCSD Approx" column lists the exemption you are eligible for based on the chart in step 1.

Confirm the following on your Degree Audit:

  • Department Requirements: That every physics course in the "UCSD Approx" column on your Academic History Report that is eligible to be applied to your major requirements is applied in your degree audit. If not, alert your major department through VAC.
  • College Requirements: That every physics course in the "UCSD Approx" column on your Academic History Report that is eligible to be applied to your college requirements is applied in your degree audit. If not, alert your college through VAC.
  • University Requirements: That every physics course in the "UCSD Approx" column on your Academic History Report that is eligible to be applied to your university requirements is applied in your degree audit. If not, alert your college through VAC.