Frequently Asked Questions

The UMSL Advanced Credit Program (ACP) is a dual credit program. Dual credit is a type of early college credit in which students taking an eligible high school course can simultaneously earn high school and college credit. Courses are taught in students' normal classroom setting by a high school instructor who has been certified to teach dual credit.

Students who opt into the ACP receive college credit for the equivalent course(s) at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Students are given an official UMSL student account and access to UMSL student resources. They pay a tuition fee that is heavily discounted from the full-time undergraduate rate.

At the conclusion of a course, students will receive a final letter grade, typically mirroring the grade they earned for the course at their high school. This grade will appear on an official UMSL transcript. Students can either matriculate to UMSL with that credit or transfer their UMSL credit to another institution by requesting an official transcript.

Courses are only offered at schools that have an established partnership with the UMSL ACP. For a list of our established partners, see High School Partners. 

Specific course offerings will vary by school. Even if a school is partnered with the ACP, not every class may be offered for college credit. Consult your high school for information about which courses are available for UMSL dual credit. For a complete list of courses that schools can potentially offer for UMSL dual credit, see ACP Courses.

Advanced Placement (AP) credit is another common form of early college credit. Certain high schools may offer both AP and ACP credit.

Students earn AP credit by taking the AP Exam. Based on their performance, students receive a score of 1-5. These scores are reported by the College Board. Colleges and universities award credit for the equivalent courses based on these scores.

Rather than one high-stakes exam, students enrolled in an ACP credit are graded based on their performance throughout the entire course. The high school instructor calculates final letter grades, which will appear on students' official UMSL transcript. UMSL credit may be transferred to other institutions by requesting an official transcript. Colleges and universities will evaluate transfer credit for the equivalent courses based on the UMSL grade. 

Other factors such as cost, registration deadlines, accessibility, and transferability will vary.

The current tuition rate for UMSL Advanced Credit courses is $72 per credit hour. Courses range from 1-5 credit hours. The standard course is 3 credit hours.

At the conclusion of the course, the high school instructor will assess a final letter grade to students.  Instructors will then submit this letter grade to UMSL, and the grade will appear on the student's official UMSL transcript. Specific information about how grades are calculated can be found on the syllabus provided by the teacher. 

UMSL grades typically mirror the final letter grade that appears on the student’s high school transcript. Exceptions are necessary for high schools that use a different grading system than UMSL. In those cases, instructors will decide how the high school grades translate to UMSL letter grades. All letter grades submitted to UMSL must follow UMSL's Grading System and will be weighted according to UMSL's GPA scale.

Consider your plans after graduating high school. If you plan to attend a post-secondary college, university, or other institution, visit their website, find their course bulletin, and review their core curriculum and general education requirements.

For example, UMSL's Core and Explore general education program requires students to take a total of 42 credit hours across various proficiency areas. Most four-year liberal arts institutions will require a similar breadth of content.

You may notice: 42 credit hours is a lot! At most liberal arts schools, your first two years of study will be devoted to general education courses.

By earning early college credit, students can arrive at college having already fulfilled many of these general education requirements. Students can more quickly begin taking courses that are directly relevant to their majors—perhaps even graduate early, saving both time and money. 

If you are enrolled in a high school course that is eligible for UMSL dual credit and debating whether or not to enroll, consider your plans after graduating high school. If you have a shortlist of colleges/universities, visit their website, find their course bulletin, and review their core curriculum and general education requirements. Compare these courses to the courses that are available to you for dual credit. 

For example, if you have the opportunity to enroll in UMSL HIST 1001/1002: American Civilization, ask yourself: Does US History satisfy one of the general education requirements? Likewise, if you have the opportunity to enroll in UMSL SPANISH or FRENCH, consider whether your college/university requires students to take a foreign language. If your high school offers UMSL MATH 1105/1320: Statistics, consider whether you will have to take a statistics course in college. 

Students who earn UMSL credits can transfer their credits by requesting an official transcript. The receiving college/university will evaluate the transfer credit based on course equivalency, grades, and other institutional policies.

Letter grades appear on students' official UMSL transcript and are weighted according to UMSL's GPA scale. If the student matriculates to UMSL, dual credit grades will factor into their GPA. Likewise, if the student attends another school in the UM System, transfer credits from UMSL will factor into the student's GPA. 

Outside of the UM System, transfer policies will vary. Some institutions will incorporate transfer credit grades into the student's new GPA.

Other institutions evaluate transfer credit as pass/fail. If the student passed the course, the credit is accepted but does not factor into their overall GPA. For transfer credit, grades of "C" and above are typically considered passing. Selective institutions or specialized degrees may have different requirements. Students should consider the impact of their dual credit grade. Unsatisfactory grades will appear on the student's UMSL transcript unless the course is dropped by the appropriate deadline.

To confirm an institution's transfer policy, visit their website or contact an admissions counselor.

UMSL credits are widely transferable, but every college/university will have its own transfer credit policies. The college/university receiving the transfer credit has final say over whether or not to accept the transfer credit from UMSL. Institutions will consider both course equivalency (Is the UMSL course equivalent to a course offered at that institution?) and grades (Generally, grades of "C" and above are considered passing, but more selective or specialized programs may have other requirements). 

To learn more about how your UMSL credits would transfer to other institutions, utilize the following resources: 

• Transferology: Students can find out how their college credits will transfer by searching for their desired colleges/universities and entering the UMSL course number. Transferology is a free service, but students must create an account.

• Course Equivalency Database: UMSL maintains its own Course Equivalency Database, showing how UMSL credits have historically transferred to other institutions. Select "I'm a University of Missouri-St. Louis student looking for an equivalent course somewhere else," enter your UMSL course information, and see if your desired institution is listed.

• Core 42: Some UMSL courses are part of the Missouri Core 42 Curriculum. These courses are guaranteed transferable to any public college or university in Missouri (plus any private institutions that have opted into CORE 42). Core 42 courses are identified with a Missouri Transfer (MOTR) number (e.g. Math 1030: College Algebra is MOTR MATH 130). If attending another public college in Missouri, find the course with the same MOTR number. These courses are equivalent and easily transferred between the two institutions. 

• Contact your institution: After searching the databases, you may or may not have found the answer you were looking for. It is always a good idea to visit your desired institution's website or contact an admissions counselor to clarify their transfer credit policy. As policies change, the most reliable and up-to-date information will always come directly from the institution.

The Missouri Higher Education Core Transfer Curriculum (CORE 42) is a standardized curriculum for several lower-division courses that are offered across all Missouri public colleges and universities.  

Any UMSL course that is part of the CORE 42 curriculum is guaranteed to be seamlessly transferrable to any public college or university in Missouri (plus any private institutions that have opted into CORE 42).  

Curious which UMSL ACP courses are part of the CORE 42 curriculum? See our list of ACP Courses and look for courses that have the “MOTR” (short for Missouri Transfer) designation. These courses are part of the CORE 42 curriculum. 

Generally, students can enroll in as many dual credit-eligible courses as are available to them at their high school. However, students should not simply try to enroll in as many dual credit courses as possible. Students should think strategically about their college plan and enroll in dual credit courses that may help them on their academic career path. 

In extreme cases, students with too many transfer credits may encounter the 150 Rule.

The 150 Rule applies to federal financial aid. Students must complete their college degree within 150% of the minimum timeframe. Most 4-year degrees require 120 credit hours, so students should complete their degree within 180 credit hours, or else they may no longer be eligible for federal financial aid.

This should caution high school students against simply trying to earn as much early college credit as possible, without regard for whether the credits will help them with their intended academic plan.

Imagine an extreme scenario where a student takes 40+ credit hours of superfluous dual credit. The student transfers that credit to their college. They now have 40+ hours that count toward their total credits but do not actually contribute to their graduation requirements. If the student later decides to change majors, or needs to retake a few classes, they may reach 180 credit hours, after which they would be cut off from federal financial aid.

This is an extreme example. Most students will not have that many credits to transfer. Nevertheless, students should prioritize credits that are relevant to their academic plan or are likely to satisfy a general education requirement.

To be eligible to receive dual credit through the UMSL ACP, students must (1) attend a high school that has an established partnership with the UMSL ACP, (2) be enrolled in a class that is offered for dual credit, and (3) meet the GPA Eligibility Requirements.

In order to enroll in UMSL dual credit:

1. The student must opt into dual credit by submitting an application during the appropriate registration window.

2. A parent/guardian must approve the student’s application, and

3. A school counselor must verify that the student is eligible to receive dual credit. 

For more information, see Registration.

Students who fail to register for courses during the designated registration period forfeit the opportunity to earn college credit for eligible courses. 

Parents/guardians are responsible for approving their student’s application. When completing the online application, students will provide a parent/guardian email address. After students complete their profile and select their classes, parents/guardians will receive an automatic email asking them to review and approve their student’s application. Applications that do not receive parent approval will not move forward in the registration process, and the student will not be enrolled.  

Students only need to register once per UMSL course.

Some year-long high school classes are equivalent to only one UMSL course. For example, an entire year of high school Spanish 3 will likely be equivalent to UMSL Spanish 1001. In this case, students would only need to register once to receive credit for both semesters.

Other year-long high school classes are equivalent to two UMSL courses. For example, a year-long US History course may be equivalent to UMSL HIST 1001 and 1002. In this case, students would have to register for HIST 1001 in Fall and HIST 1002 in Spring to receive credit for both semesters.

If you have registered with the ACP before, you are likely receiving this message because you are entering different information than what you entered the first time you registered. Returning students must sign into the ACP application portal using the exact same name and email they used in prior semesters. To ensure consistency, always use your full legal name. If you do not remember what information you used originally, contact the ACP office at acp@umsl.edu or 314-516-7005. 

If you have not registered with us before and are receiving this message, contact the ACP office at acp@umsl.edu or 314-516-7005.

Yes, international students without an SSN can still apply for UMSL dual credit. Since the online ACP application requires an SSN, international students will need to complete a paper application form. Students should consult their high school counselor or dual credit coordinator to locate this form.

After ACP registration closes, enrolled students will receive an email confirming that they are enrolled in the program. Students will then receive their 8-digit UMSL ID number, which they will need to pay tuition, request transcripts, and access various UMSL resources.

If you have your 8-digit UMSL ID number, you can log into your MyView student account to view your UMSL courses.

If the student has their 8-digit UMSL ID number, they can log into their MyView student account by following the steps below:

1. Find your SSO (username)

Your Single Sign On (SSO) is a unique, automatically-generated username that allows you to access various UMSL resources.

To find your SSO, follow the link to the Password Management Tools on UMSL's website. Click "Look Up User ID." Recover your SSO by entering your UMSL Student ID number and date of birth.

Your UMSL email is YOURSSO@umsystem.edu (replace “YOURSSO” with your unique Single Sign On).

2. Set a password

After recovering your SSO, return to the Password Management Tools and click "Change Password/Reset Password."

Using your UMSL email, follow the prompts to verify your identity and reset your password. Verification codes will be sent to the phone number you provided on your ACP application.

3. Log into MyView

After setting a password, navigate to MyView. Log in with your UMSL email and new password. The welcome page will be displayed.

On the welcome page, there will be a link to the UM e-consent page on the menu bar and in the "Welcome to MyView" section. Click one of the UM e-Consent links, read the policy, and click the "Agree" button at the bottom of the page. Agreeing to the e-Consent policy grants students access to their Student Center. After clicking the "Agree" button, you will be signed out of MyView.

Sign back into MyView. A new welcome page will be displayed. This is the welcome page you will see from now on.

Once logged into MyView, click on the “Academic Records” tab to view your course history and grades.

All password-related questions can be directed to UMSL Technology Support Services at 314-516-6034. When you call, be prepared to identify yourself with your UMSL ID number and SSO.

Because UMSL’s scheduling system is built around semester-long courses, ACP courses cannot appear under more than one term in MyView. Otherwise, it would appear as though students repeated the same UMSL course twice.

Year-long ACP courses that are equivalent to one UMSL course will only appear under the semester in which students register. For example, a year-long SPANISH 1001 course that registers in Fall will only appear in MyView under the Fall term. Though the class only appears under one term, it represents the entire year of coursework. Since SPANISH 1001 is 5 cr. hrs., students earn 5 cr. hrs. for the year.

Year-long classes that are equivalent to two UMSL courses are more likely to appear under both semesters. For example, high school US History is often equivalent to HIST 1001 (3 cr. hr.) and HIST 1002 (3 cr. hr.) In this case, HIST 1001 would appear under the Fall term, and HIST 1002 would appear under the Spring term. Since both courses are 3 cr. hrs., students earn 6 cr. hrs. for the full year of coursework.

Online payments can be made through the ACP Online Payment Portal. Physical checks can be mailed to the address below. Be sure to include your student’s name and UMSL ID number with your payment.

Yes, there are a variety of scholarship opportunities available to ACP students.  

Students demonstrating financial need may be eligible to receive a dual credit scholarship from the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development (MDHEWD). To be considered for this scholarship, students must submit an application to MDHEWD. Please note that this is separate from the UMSL ACP application and has its own deadlines for Fall and Spring. For more information, visit the MDHEWD website.  

The UMSL ACP also offers in-house scholarships for students. Every semester, partnered schools are allotted a limited number of student scholarships, which schools then distribute among their students. Each scholarship can cover the cost of one dual credit course (regardless of total credit hours) for one student. For more information, please contact your school counselor or dual credit coordinator. 

Individual ACP teachers are also awarded one student scholarship for their attendance of an ACP professional development workshop. Each certificate can cover the cost of one dual credit course (regardless of total credit hours) for one student. You may consult your dual credit teacher to see if a certificate is available for use. 

No payment is due at the time of registration. After being officially enrolled, students will receive confirmation of their enrollment. Monthly billing statements will be mailed to the address indicated on the student’s ACP application.

Billing statements will outline a payment plan leading to the full tuition being paid by November 10th (for courses that register in Fall) or April 10th (for courses that register in Spring).

Students who do not pay the minimum amount by the due dates will be assessed for late fees. Students who do not pay full tuition amount by the final payment deadline risk having the entire semester of credit canceled.

Students who have not paid their full tuition by the payment deadline risk being dropped from their ACP courses and having the term cancelled. Any partial payment made toward the course(s) will be refunded (excluding late fees and finance charges).

Yes, semesters dropped for non-payment can be reinstated upon receipt of the full amount. Students cannot pick and choose classes within a semester to reinstate; they can only reinstate entire semesters. For additional guidance and /or clarification on the balance owed, contact the ACP office at 314-516-7005 or acp@umsl.edu.

Certain schools/districts do cover their students’ ACP tuition. Examples include St. Louis Public Schools and the Ferguson-Florissant School District. Policies will vary by school. Some schools cover tuition such that you will never have to make an out-of-pocket payment; others will have you pay upfront and reimburse you at the end of the year. Some schools cover full tuition; others cover partial tuition. Some cover tuition universally; others cover tuition conditionally (e.g. the school will only pay for passing grades). Consult with your high school to confirm their policies and procedures.

Yes, students are able to drop their ACP courses for any personal or academic reason. For specific deadlines, see the Dropping Courses.

Reasons for dropping include:

• The student has dropped the course at their high school and is no longer enrolled in a dual credit-eligible course. The student MUST communicate this to the ACP to ensure they are dropped from dual credit.

• The student anticipates that they will not receive a satisfactory grade. 

• The student decides that the dual credit no longer fits with their post-high school plans. 

Email the Advanced Credit Program at acp@umsl.edu to request to drop a course. See Dropping Courses for more information on how to format this request.

No, students who drop UMSL credit for personal or academic reasons cannot be added back, even if they have completed the high school course. For example, if a student drops the UMSL credit early in the year because they are concerned about their grade, they cannot reinstate the UMSL credit if they end up doing well in the course by the end.