Penn State Office of the University Registrar
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The Office of the University Registrar will be closed for Winter Break, beginning at 4:30 p.m. (EST) on Dec. 23, 2025. We will reopen at 8:00 a.m. (EST) on Jan. 5, 2026.

Please note: many transcript orders placed via Parchment will be fulfilled automatically, but paper transcript orders, and any orders requiring manual review by Registrar staff, will be processed in the order received when the University reopens on Jan. 5, 2026. Requests for reissued diplomas, minor certificates, and certificates must be received by Dec. 16 in order to be processed before the end of this year.

Credit by Examination

A student may request a challenge examination as a substitute for completing the usual requirements of a course. If the examination is successfully completed the credits received are described as "credits by examination" (policy 42-50).

  • May not be used to earn credit for a course previously completed with a quality letter grade (including courses that were failed).
  • May not be attained on the satisfactory grading system.
  • Credit by Examination may not be possible for some courses.
  • Grades of "C" or above must be attained to receive credit for the course.
  • No notation is made if a grade of "D" or "F" is earned.

Process:

  1. Access the Credit by Examination (Prior Learning) request in LionPATH under Transfer Credit.
  2. There is a $100 flat fee for Credit by Examination.