Delaware students have access to a variety of opportunities to earn early college credit while in high school. The most common early college credit offerings include the Advanced Placement® Program (AP), Dual Enrollment and The International Baccalaureate® (IB).

Students earn early college credit through successfully completing an early college course offered at their high school, local college, or through an early college program.

Advanced Placement® Program (AP)

Dual Enrollment

The International Baccalaureate®

Advanced Placement® Program (AP)

The Advanced Placement® (AP) Program is run by the College Board and allows students to take college-level courses taught by high school teachers. The AP Program develops college-level courses that high schools can choose to offer and corresponding AP Exams that are administered every year in May. High schools determine which AP courses their school will offer each year. Students enrolled in an AP course take a culminating AP examination each year in May. Many colleges and universities grant credit and/or advanced placement based on AP scores on the AP examinations.

There are 38 AP courses offered in the disciplines of Arts, English, History and Social Science, Math and Computer Science, the Sciences, and World Languages and Culture. Learn more about AP course information.

Please review the AP courses offered in Delaware public schools for the 2023-2024 school year. Schools have reported these offerings to the College Board. If you have specific questions about the courses offered at your school, please contact your School Counselor.

Each high school provides students and families with information on their course selection process (i.e. preview nights, pathway presentations, open house, etc.) to learn about the AP opportunities offered at their respective schools. Interested students should contact their School Counselor for more information on incorporating AP into their course schedule.

For the 2023-2024 school year, the College Board charges $146.00 for AP Seminar and AP Research exams and $98.00 for all other exams. The Delaware Department of Education and the College Board provide financial assistance to eligible students through an AP Exam fee reduction program. Learn more about this fee reduction.

Colleges and universities grant students credit, placement, or both for qualifying AP Exam scores. AP Exam scores range from 1–5, with a 3 being the College Board’s minimum qualifying score. Institutions may require scores of above a 3 to earn credit/placement. Students can use the AP Credit Policy Search to see what course credit is given by different colleges and universities for AP Exam scores.

To earn college credit or placement for AP Exam scores, students must request that the College Board send an official AP score report to the college. A student’s score report will include all their scores from all AP Exams. This entire score history will be sent to the student’s designated college, university, or scholarship program unless they choose to withhold or cancel any of their scores. High school seniors entering college in the fall should check their college’s deadline for receiving AP scores. Students are encouraged to send scores as soon as they’re available to ensure they’re received in time.

AP Resources

Dual Enrollment

Dual enrollment (DE) is one of many terms used to describe a program that allows high school students to simultaneously take college courses with an approved postsecondary institution while earning high school and college credit. Similar terms for Dual Enrollment include dual credit, concurrent enrollment, and early college HS. All of these avenues of access afford students the opportunity to receive an officially transcripted transferable college credit towards a recognized postsecondary degree or credential to help expand learning opportunities, accelerate college and career goals and reduce student debt.

In Delaware Dual enrollment credit attainment falls into one of two categories: within an academic subject area (academic) or a CTE program of study (technical).

Academic-Dual enrollment courses are offered outside of a CTE program of study. Academic dual enrollment courses must meet the standard of transferability by being accepted as direct transfer credit (e.g. computer science credit for computer science credit, or math credit as math credit) and NOT as elective credit at a Delaware college other than the college offering the course.

Career Tech Education or CTE- Dual enrollment courses that are approved as CTE dual enrollment courses and meet the standard of “counting toward college graduation” by directly transferring into related degree programs.

Each high school provides students and families with information on their course selection process (ie. preview nights, pathway presentations, open house, etc.) to learn about the dual enrollment opportunities offered at their respective school. Interested students should contact their School Counselor for more information on how to incorporate dual enrollment into their schedule.

The student cost associated with taking an academic dual enrollment course is determined by each high school. However, there are no associated course fees for students who take a dual enrollment course as part of their CTE career pathway programs.

No student shall be denied access to dual enrollment courses because of the student’s or family’s inability to pay. The Delaware Higher Education office will reimburse high schools for costs for any student that qualifies for free/reduced lunch. Please contact your school counselor for more information about dual enrollment course fees.

Participating in Dual Enrollment offers students several academic, financial and personal benefits, including:

  • Exposure to rigorous, advanced coursework
  • Encourage good academic habits and new skills
  • More likely to complete a college degree or credential
  • Develop career-ready skills
  • Accelerated graduation timeline
  • Competitive edge in the college application process
  • Cost savings as a reduction in overall postsecondary expenses

Direct Transfer Credit/Transferability

Confirming the direct transfer credit in advance is important to ensure students are building credits that will accelerate their time to complete their college degree. It is important to confirm transferability of credits when choosing your postsecondary options. Please use our transferability matrix to assist with this process.

The International Baccalaureate®

The International Baccalaureate Program is a choice curriculum offered for middle and high school students at select Delaware schools. High school students across the country and around the world take International Baccalaureate (IB) courses and exams to challenge themselves, explore their interests, earn college credit, and become more knowledgeable global citizens. Students can earn the IB Diploma through successful completion of the 11th and 12th grade Diploma Programme.

Typically taught over two years, the Diploma Programme offers courses across six academic areas: first language, second language, individuals and societies, experimental sciences, mathematics and computer sciences, and the arts.

Each participating high school provides students and families with information on their course selection process (i.e. preview nights, pathway presentations, open house, etc.) to learn about the IB opportunities offered at their respective schools. Interested students should contact the participating school for more information on how to apply to an IB Programme.

The IB Programme is open to students seeking a challenging educational experience with an international focus who attend one of the following participating Delaware schools:

  • Talley Middle School (Brandywine School District)
  • Mt Pleasant High School (Brandywine School District)
  • Sussex Central High School (Indian River School District)
  • Sussex Academy
  • The John Dickinson School (Red Clay Consolidated School District)

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. Students are encouraged to contact their school counselor for more information.

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