Information for Incoming Students

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General Information

What role does Student Testing Services play within the university?

Student Testing Services is responsible for all credit by examination (CBE) and most placement testing at UT. This includes tests students can take while attending UT Austin, as well as AP, CLEP, IB, and certain portions of the ACT, SAT, and TSI exams. We do NOT handle the following exams:

For questions regarding the UTMA or UT Chemistry Assessment, please contact CNS Readiness. For questions about the TSI or to send TSI scores to clear a bar, please contact the TSI Office. Be sure to include your UT EID.

How can I contact Student Testing Services?

You can contact us in the following ways during our normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:00AM-5:00PM Central):

Where is Student Testing Services located on campus?

We are located in the George I. Sánchez Building (SZB), at 1912 Speedway. The building is located at the end of Speedway, across the street from the Blanton Museum of Art to the east, the Bullock State History Museum to the south, and the University Avenue Church of Christ to the west. On the UT campus map you can find us here. Our office is on the 5th floor in suite 5.102.

Sending Scores to UT-Austin

How can I send my scores to UT?

You can send your AP, IB, CLEP, ACT, and SAT scores to UT-Austin at any time. Information on sending different scores and college codes can be found here. If you took AP or IB exams this year and requested that they be sent to UT when scores are released, our office will receive them the first week of July. If you did NOT designate UT as your score recipient, you may request that a copy of your scores be sent. If this is the case, you may want to wait to send those scores until they are released in July so that you do not need to make two separate requests (one for previous years and one for this year). If you have questions about if or when you should submit test scores, please contact our office. 

Which scores should I send to UT?

We recommend sending all of your scores rather than choosing specific scores from a list. Any scores that are ineligible for credit will not have any negative academic impact and will not appear on a transcript. You are also not obligated to claim credit for any courses you don't need, so any scores you don't intend to use will not impact you either.

I didn't submit my ACT or SAT scores when I applied. Why should I submit them now?

Students with a qualifying score on the Writing portion of the ACT, the Writing and Language portion of the paper-based SAT, or a 650 or higher on the Reading and Writing portion of the Digital SAT are eligible to earn credit for RHE 306 Rhetoric and Writing, which is a core curriculum course required for most UT-Austin students. If you did not submit these scores with your application for admission but have a score on one of these exams that would allow you to earn credit for RHE 306, you can still submit your score to UT via the ACT or SAT score request systems. Submitting these scores will not impact your acceptance to the University. Because this course is required for most students aside from a few specific programs (such as Plan II Honors), we recommend sending these as soon as possible if you haven't already done so.

 

Exams UT-Austin Accepts

UT-Austin allows students to attempt to place out of and earn credit for courses using several types of exam scores. Click below to view the exams we award credit for, required scores, and courses awarded:

I took AP or IB exams this year. When will my scores arrive?

AP and IB scores are released in the summer, in early- to mid-July. 2026 AP scores will be released starting July 1st, 2026. IB scores will be released starting July 5th, 2026. Once received, they will appear on the Course Petitioning Page.

What should I do if my orientation session is before scores are released?

Bring a list to orientation of any scores you do already have, as well as a list of exams for which you're waiting on results. This will assist with initial advising and fall course selection.

Where can I see my scores?

You can see all scores the University has on file for you on our website. As any future scores arrive, this page will be updated. Students who have taken a large number of exams may have multiple pages of results. You can view your Course Petitioning Page here (you will need to sign in with your EID). We STRONGLY recommend waiting until you meet with an advisor in your college or major before claiming credit for any courses using your test scores. There is no advantage to claiming credit for test scores prior to orientation, as courses will not become part of your academic record at UT until classes start in August.

I didn't take any AP or IB exams in high school. Can I still earn credit by exam?

Absolutely! We offer several other exams for UT students which provide students the opportunity to try to test out of many of the same courses awarded by AP or IB exams and more. You can view a complete list of tests we give and general administration periods throughout the year on the yearly testing schedule page.

When should I claim credit for my AP, IB, or other exams I've completed?

It is always best to discuss your credit by exam options with your advisor.  They can help you make the most informed decision about how to best use credit by exam taking into account the specific requirements of your degree program. It is VERY important to check your degree requirements and consult with your advisor prior to claiming credit in order to ensure you are only claiming credit for coursework you need to complete degree requirements and that aligns with future plans you may have, such as graduate or professional programs. There may also be courses that your major or program requires that you take in-residence or for a letter grade. Once a course has been added to your UT transcript it becomes part of your permanent academic record and cannot be removed. There is a $10 per credit hour fee for claiming credit, and excess credit may also impact things like tuition rebates students may be eligible for after graduation.

Students may claim credit for any eligible test scores at any time while at UT. Claiming credit does not need to be finished prior to classes starting in the fall (in fact, we strongly recommend waiting until you meet with an advisor at orientation before claiming credit). If you are eligible for a course that you're not sure about or you know doesn't apply to your degree, you can always return to the petitioning page and claim credit for the course should it benefit you at a later time. You are not obligated to claim credit for a course you don't need, or a course you would prefer to (or are required to) take in-residence at UT.

Courses claimed over the summer by incoming students for the fall 2026 semester will be written to transcripts when classes begin in August. This is normal. For current students, courses are written to transcripts on a weekly basis.

I didn't do well on one of my tests and the score isn't eligible for credit. Will that hurt me?

No. Any scores received that are too low to be eligible for credit will still appear on the course petitioning page, but they will not appear on your transcript or academic records or hurt your GPA.

 

Orientation Placement Tests

What placement tests are offered during summer orientation?

Placement testing is no longer offered as part of summer orientation. However, there will be many opportunities to take placement tests for various subjects, including languages, mathematics, sciences, and more in the fall before classes begin as well as throughout the academic year. You can see a complete list of tests we offer and general time periods throughout the year when they are administered on the Yearly Testing Schedule page. While placement testing will not be part of the summer orientation schedule, we will administer several placement and credit by exams throughout the summer and during the week leading up to classes starting in August. All July test dates will be posted to the Test Schedules and Registration page on June 23rd, and all August dates will be posted on July 23rd. If you have questions about when a particular test will be offered, please don't hesitate to email us.

Do I need to take the UTMA?

Our office does not handle the UTMA (UT Math Assessment). The College of Natural Sciences handles the UTMA (even if you are not a CNS student). You can view a list of UTMA exemptions on their website, and contact them at readiness@cns.utexas.edu with any questions related to the UTMA. If you are trying to meet an exemption requirement and have a qualifying ACT or SAT score that needs to be submitted to the university, you can do so by requesting that your score be reported from College Board (college code 6882) or ACT (college code 4240).

 

Petitioning for (Claiming) Credit

How do I get the credit from my exam(s) added to my transcript?

To have a course added to your transcript using one of your exams, you must petition for ("claim") credit on the Student Testing Services website. You can do this on the Course Petitioning Page as your scores arrive. Your results from any credit by exam tests you take while at UT will appear here as well. Please note that it is VERY important to read the information on the course petitioning page carefully, consult your degree requirements, and confirm the information with an academic advisor prior to claiming credit. Again, we STRONGLY recommend waiting to speak with an advisor at orientation before claiming credit. Course registration times are based on degree progress, not number of credit hours, so there is no registration advantage for claiming credit for courses that do not advance your degree.

How do I petition for/claim credit?

On the Course Petitioning Page, locate the row for the exam that will award you credit for the course(s) you wish to claim. You will see two orange buttons: one that says Petition for Credit, and another that says Petition for Placement. In most cases, you will want to select Petition for Credit. It is VERY important to consult your degree requirements and advisor prior to claiming credit to ensure you are only claiming credit for courses you need. We strongly advise against claiming credit for everything available simply to achieve a higher class standing, and courses claimed will not be written to your academic record until classes actually begin. Once those courses have been written to your record, they cannot be removed. You are the only one that can claim credit for your test scores; you must do so with your EID. Academic staff cannot petition for you, and no one else (such as parents, guardians, siblings, or friends) should petition on your behalf. You can claim credit for your test scores at any time while at UT; if you do not need credit for a course now or aren't sure if a course will benefit you, you can always return to the petitioning page to claim credit for it later, should you need it.

You should also be sure to read the terms on the petitioning page. This will tell you how the course will look on your transcript, give fee information, and more. Only finalize your petition for credit for a course once you are absolutely sure you need it. If you need help with the petitioning process or have additional questions, please contact our office.

When can I expect my credits to show up on my transcript?

If you are an entering freshman and have not yet started coursework, any credits that you petition for will not show up on your transcript until the first day of class. Until then, you will see a message that the course has been petitioned and is pending approval. For current and former students, petitioned credits are reported to the Office of the Registrar on the first workday of each week (Monday, unless there is a holiday or university closure).

Is there a fee for claiming credit?

The petition fee is $10 per credit hour, due within 14 days. There are three ways that you can pay:

  • Online through your What I Owe page
  • In person at the Bursar’s Office located in the Main Building, Room 8
  • By mail to the Bursar’s Office, University of Texas at Austin, P.O. Box 7398, Austin, TX 78713-7398.

I went to petition for a course, but my scores aren’t on my Test Results page. What should I do?

Student Testing Services must receive an official score report from the testing agency that provided the examination. If you have not previously sent your scores in to UT Austin, visit the Sending Scores page for information on how to do so. If you have already sent your scores but do not see them on the Course Petitioning Page, please contact our office for assistance. 

I petitioned for credit that I do not need. Is there any way I can have it removed from my transcript?

While it is possible to stop a petition that has not been reported to the Office of the Registrar, credits that are written to your transcript are considered permanent. If you have petitioned for credits that you do not need or want, contact the Student Testing Services office immediately to find out what options may be available to you. We strongly recommend conferring with an academic advisor and checking your degree requirements prior to claiming credit to avoid claiming credit for courses you do not need.

 

Registering for Other Tests

How and when can I sign up to take a test?

Students can register to take other exams outside of orientation on the Test Registration System page (EID required). Incoming students will not be able to register until they attend orientation and upgrade their EID.

I want to sign up for a test, but there is not a test date listed on the test schedule. How and when can I sign up?

Our test schedule only reflects one month’s test dates at a time. There may not be a date listed for the test you are interested in either because the test has already happened for the month or because the testing period in which the test is offered has not yet arrived. Test dates are updated monthly on the 23rd of each month (or next business day). Once a day and time become available through the test schedule for the test you are planning to take, you will be able to register yourself online for that exam. Unfortunately, we are unable to register you for a test before the date is available through the test schedule. If you have a question about when a test will be offered next, contact our office. You can also see the Yearly Testing Schedule for a general idea of when tests are given here.

 

Testing With Accommodations

Student Testing Services works with Disability and Access (D&A) to provide accommodated testing for students with documented disabilities. Before registering to take an exam with us, you must have your accommodations on file with the D&A office. For more information on using accommodations for your credit by exam or placement test, click here. Incoming students can click here specifically for more information on how to register with Disability & Access. If you have any questions, please contact our office for assistance.

 

Other Questions

If you have any additional questions or need clarification regarding anything above, please don't hesitate to contact our office for assistance! You can also view our other FAQ page here.