DSST stands for DANTES Subject Standardized Tests. DANTES itself is an acronym for Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support, a program run by the U.S. Department of Defense. While the exams were originally created to help military service members earn college credit, DSST exams are now available to civilians as well.
What DSST Exams Actually Do
DSST exams let you earn college credit by proving you already know a subject, without sitting through an entire semester-long course. Each exam covers material equivalent to an introductory or lower-level college course. If you pass, the American Council on Education (ACE) recommends that colleges award you 3 credits per exam. That recommendation carries real weight: many colleges and universities accept DSST scores as transfer credit toward a degree.
The concept is straightforward. If you’ve gained knowledge through work experience, military training, self-study, or just personal interest, a DSST exam gives you a way to convert that knowledge into credits on a transcript. This can shave months off a degree timeline and save thousands of dollars in tuition.
Subjects You Can Test Out Of
DSST offers exams across a wide range of disciplines, covering both general education requirements and elective courses. The major categories include:
- Business and Management: Human Resource Management, Organizational Behavior, Money and Banking, Introduction to Business, Principles of Supervision, Principles of Finance, Business Ethics and Society
- Humanities and Social Sciences: Ethics in America, Introduction to World Religions, Principles of Advanced English Composition, Introduction to Law Enforcement, Foundations of Education, General Anthropology, Lifespan Developmental Psychology, Fundamentals of Counseling
- History: The American Civil War and Reconstruction, A History of the Vietnam War, History of the Soviet Union
- Science and Technology: Environmental Science, Introduction to Geology, Astronomy, Computing and Information Technology, Fundamentals of Cybersecurity, Health and Human Development, Ethics in Technology
- Mathematics: Fundamentals of College Algebra, Principles of Statistics, Business Mathematics, Math for Liberal Arts
Each of these exams carries the same ACE recommendation of 3 credits. Some subjects, like Fundamentals of Cybersecurity or Criminal Justice, reflect more specialized career knowledge, while others like College Algebra or Statistics can knock out common general education requirements.
How Much DSST Exams Cost
Each DSST exam costs $100. On top of that, the testing center where you sit for the exam may charge its own administration fee, which varies by institution. Even with an added fee, the total cost is a fraction of what you’d pay for a 3-credit college course at most schools.
Active-duty military members may be eligible to take DSST exams at no personal cost through DANTES funding. Service members should check with their installation’s education center, since eligibility details and funding for first-time versus retake exams can vary. The program’s military roots mean that education counselors on base are typically familiar with the process and can help identify which exams align with a specific degree plan.
How DSST Differs From CLEP
DSST exams are often mentioned alongside CLEP (College-Level Examination Program), and the two serve the same basic purpose: earning credit by exam. The key difference is scope. CLEP, administered by the College Board, offers about 34 exams that tend to cover broad introductory subjects. DSST fills in gaps with more specialized topics you won’t find on CLEP, like cybersecurity, the Vietnam War, or counseling fundamentals. Many students use both programs together to maximize the number of credits they can earn by exam.
Will Your College Accept the Credit?
Not every college accepts DSST credit, and those that do may limit which exams they recognize or cap the total number of credits you can earn through testing. Some schools accept DSST scores for elective credit but not for core requirements. Others may require a minimum score higher than the standard passing threshold.
Before registering for any exam, contact your school’s registrar or admissions office to confirm three things: whether they accept DSST credit at all, which specific exams they’ll grant credit for, and what minimum score they require. If you’re a military service member, your installation’s education counselor can also help verify that an exam fits your degree plan. Taking this step first prevents the frustration of passing an exam only to discover your school won’t count it.
How To Prepare and Register
DSST exams are computer-based and typically consist of multiple-choice questions, though some exams may include other question formats. You can register and find testing locations through the official DSST website at getcollegecredit.com. Many college campuses serve as testing centers, and some Prometric testing sites administer the exams as well.
For preparation, free study guides called “fact sheets” are available on the DSST website for each exam, outlining the topics covered and their approximate weight on the test. Beyond that, many test-takers use college textbooks, online courses, or third-party study guides geared specifically toward DSST content. Since each exam covers roughly one semester of material, most people spend a few weeks studying before sitting for a test, though that timeline depends on how much you already know about the subject.