Earn College Credit in High School
Jump-start your college career. Want to save money and graduate faster? You can earn college credit before you even set foot on campus.
Examination Credit Opportunities
Earn credit by exam. Many high schools offer college-level courses that prepare you for Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) exams that can earn you credit at a UW university. Learn more about these types of courses and use our search tool to see how these courses will transfer to the Universities of Wisconsin.
Dual Enrollment Opportunities
Take college classes while still in high school. High schools across Wisconsin and beyond offer students the chance to earn college credit through real college courses—either in your high school or at a college or university. Talk to your high school counselor to explore your options.
Three Options to Enroll In a UW Course While In High School:
Take UW-approved courses at your high school.
Take select college-level courses at your high school—taught by UW-approved instructors in person or online. This option may be referred to as Dual Enrollment in High School or Concurrent Enrollment. Courses are offered at reduced tuition compared to on-campus undergraduate students.
Take UW courses through ECCP.
Qualified students may be able to enroll in pre-approved university courses through the Early College Credit Program (ECCP), which allows students enrolled at Wisconsin public, charter, and private high schools to take up to 18 credit hours of college courses at a UW, private, or Tribal college located in Wisconsin (for high school and college credit or college credit only). As long as a course fulfills a graduation requirement, there is no cost to the student—costs are shared between the state and the school district.
Apply as a High School Special student.
The High School Special program allows qualified public and private high school students to enroll in UW university courses provided they meet course prerequisites and space is available. The family is responsible for the full cost of tuition and fees.
Details on Transcripts And Credits:
- College courses you complete in high school will be recorded and become part of your official university transcript.
- You will need to list these courses on your admission application and then submit this transcript in addition to your high school transcript when applying to colleges.
- If you attend the same UW university from which you earned credits, your coursework may count directly toward your degree.
- Planning to attend another school? Use Transferology to check how your UW credits might transfer.
If you have checked Transferology and you still have questions about how your college credits taken in high school may transfer, reach out to a Transfer Coordinator at the UW university at which you plan to enroll as a first-year student.