Advanced Standing Exams

If you feel that you have already mastered the material in a particular subject without ever having been registered for or attended a class in that subject at MIT, you may wish to take an Advanced Standing Examination.

Advanced Standing Examinations are given in August/September, December, January/February, and May. The procedures for Advanced Standing Examinations including the exam schedule for a given semester can be accessed from the Registrar's Office web site.

Some important things to note:

• If you are interested in taking higher-level examinations, you should check in advance what preparation is required. If the subject normally involves measures of performance that are qualitatively different from the examination, the subject instructor may require evidence of competence.
  
  
• A passing grade on an Advanced Standing Examination will entitle you to full credit for the subject.
  
  
• If you fail an Advanced Standing Exam, you may not retake it, but may register for the same subject in any subsequent term.
  
  
• Your Advanced Standing Examination grades will not be incorporated in your term or cumulative rating.
  
  
• If you are on academic warning, an Advanced Standing Examination taken during the semester will count toward the your warning credit limit, but examinations taken in September or February will not count toward your credit limit.
  

For more information on AS exams and petition procedures, see the appropriate department's undergraduate administrator and read more about Advanced Standing Exams in the Academic Guide.