Credit By Exam

You can earn credit for prior learning experience by taking an LC State course challenge exam or portfolio assessment. You can also submit national exam scores from CLEP or DSST exams for college credit.

No more than 25% of a degree or certificate may consist of prior learning experience credits. Test scores may not be used to replace or duplicate grades/credits earned through a completed, equivalent course.

Challenge Exams

Challenge Exams are designed by LC State faculty with expertise in the subject area to assess your prior knowledge of the learning outcomes of a particular course. If you believe you have mastered the course learning outcomes through experience, independent study, or other means, you may petition to challenge a course for credit.

Information about the Challenge Exam process can be found on the Prior Learning Assessment Challenge Exam webpage.

Portfolio Assessment

A course Portfolio is a formal means of requesting assessment of your prior work/life experience from which you have developed sufficient college-level learning to earn credit for a specific class.

Information about Portfolio Assessments can be found on the Prior Learning Assessment Portfolio Assessments webpage.

CLEP

  1. Register for your CLEP Exam - Fee is $93 per exam (subject to change by CLEP) when registering on the CLEP website.  **Effective July 1, 2024, the CLEP® exam fee will be $95. 
    1. Additionally, a $25 proctoring fee must to paid to LC State. This fee is paid online with credit or debit card or in person with the cashier in the Administration Building.
    2. The LC State Testing Center is a DANTES Fully Funded site: Eligible active duty military and eligible spouses will have their fees waived (first attempts only). For more information, ask the Testing Center staff when making your appointment.
  2. Make an appointment for your exam with the Testing Center. Fill out the Appointment Request – At LC State Campus Testing Center online form or call 208.792.2100
  3. The day of your CLEP test appointment you must bring the following:
    1. Government issued picture id
    2. Printed test ticket from CLEP
    3. Receipt for $25 proctoring fee paid to LC State - only if paid in person to the campus cashier
      1. If paid online, the receipt will be emailed to the Testing Center

Yes!  You can take a CLEP exam at LC State and have the score sent to other schools.  When registering for your exam with CLEP you will choose the school to receive your score.

DSST

  1. Visit the DSST website to review the available exams and to get information about each exam
    1. Check with your school prior to making an appointment to ensure the DSST exam you want to take will be accepted for credit at your school.
    2. Check the DSST "Find A Test Center" page to find the school code for the location you want your results sent to. This is a four digit code found before the site name when you search for a location.
      Ex. When you search for Lewiston, Lewis- Clark State College comes up in the results and our site code is 7631
  2. Contact the LC State Testing Center at 208.792.2100 or fill out the Appointment Request – At LC State Campus Testing Center to make an appointment for your DSST exam.

Test Fees:

The DSST exam has a fee of $85 (subject to change by DSST) and is paid on the computer at the time of testing with a credit or debit card.

  1. The LC State Testing Center is a DANTES Fully Funded site: Eligible active duty military and eligible spouses will have their fees waived (first attempts only). For more information, ask the Testing Center staff when making your appointment

The LC State Testing Center charges a proctoring fee of $25 for each DSST exam taken. This fee is paid online with credit or debit card or at the cashier window in the Administration Building on the LC State Campus prior to your testing appointment

Bring the following to your appointment:

If you have taken a DSST exam in the past, make sure you know your user name and password for your account.  This information is specific to your DSST testing account.

  • A current, valid physical government issued picture id
  • Credit or debit card to pay the $85 DSST fee on the computer (Visa, MasterCard, or American Express)
  • Receipt for the $25 payment made to the LC State - if paid to the campus cashier
    • If paid online, the receipt has been emailed to the Testing Center
  • School code for the school where you want your results sent
  • Bring your Social Security card, or know your Social Security number for test registration

Yes!  When you are at the Testing Center to test you will choose a location for your scores to be sent.  You must know the four-digit school code when you come to test.

Check the DSST "Find A Test Center" page to find the school code for the location you want your results sent to. This is a four digit code found before the site name when you search for a location.

  • Ex. When you search for Lewiston, Lewis-Clark State College comes up in the results and our site code is 7631

LC State charges a non-refundable service fee for credit/debit card transactions.