Free and cheap college credit for homeschoolers

Start here: ask the college first

Each college sets its own rules for exam credit and outside courses. Before your teen studies for any exam or course below, check the target college's own credit page or ask its registrar, and save the answer.

Modern States plus CLEP: free courses, free exam

Modern States offers free online courses that cover freshman college classes. Learners who complete a course can take the matching CLEP exam for free. Modern States says CLEP exams are recognized for credit by nearly 3,000 colleges. Source: Modern States (opens in a new tab).

Saylor: free courses, $5 per exam

Saylor courses are free to take. Courses with an ACE credit recommendation cost a $5 proctoring fee per exam attempt, and Saylor says that is the only cost. Saylor works with partner colleges that accept the credit, and suggests you confirm with your school first. Source: Saylor ACE Recommended Credit (opens in a new tab).

CLEP vs DSST: what each exam costs

• CLEP: $97 per exam, plus the test center or remote proctoring fee. College Board offers 34 exams. Source: CLEP registration (opens in a new tab).
• DSST: $100 per exam, plus any fee the testing site charges. Source: DSST questions and answers (opens in a new tab).

Pairing a free Modern States course with its CLEP exam can bring the CLEP exam fee to $0.

Sophia: $99 a month for self-paced courses

Sophia membership is $99 a month, $299 for 4 months or $799 for 12 months, before tax, with up to two courses at a time. Sophia courses carry ACE credit recommendations, and Sophia says each college decides whether to accept them. Source: Sophia plans and pricing (opens in a new tab).

Study.com: $95 a month College Saver plan

Study.com's College Saver plan is $95 a month for 80+ general education courses, two at a time. College Saver Pro is $235 a month. Study.com says the receiving college decides whether the credit counts. Source: Study.com college FAQs (opens in a new tab).

Dual enrollment basics

Dual enrollment means a high school student takes a real college class, often at a local community college, and can earn high school and college credit at once. Rules, costs and who can join are set by each state and college, so ask your local community college how homeschooled students sign up.

Keep a record

Write down every exam, score and where the score report went. Our high school curriculum page lists programs by subject.