AP Physics 1 credit at Montana colleges
Every Montana college with a published AP Physics 1 credit policy — minimum score, credit hours, and the course it replaces.
11 of 12 Montana colleges (92%) award credit for AP Physics 1 at a score of 3. 1 requires a 4 and 0 require a 5. The lowest bar in the state is a 3 at Montana State University (4 credit hours). 12 of these colleges link to their own policy page below. Captured July 30, 2026.
| College | Min score | Credits | Counts as | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montana State University Bozeman | 3 | 4 | PHSX205 | Policy |
| The University of Montana Missoula | 3 | 5 | PHSX 205N PHSX 206N | Policy |
| Montana State University Billings Billings | 3 | 4 | PHSX 205/206 | Policy |
| Montana Technological University Butte | 3 | 4 | PHSX 121 | Policy |
| The University of Montana-Western Dillon | 3 | 4 | — | Policy |
| Flathead Valley Community College Kalispell | 3 | 4 | PHSYX205* (lab can be completed as Independent Study) | Policy |
| Great Falls College Montana State University Great Falls | 3 | 4 | PHSX 000 | Policy |
| Rocky Mountain College Billings | 3 | 4 | AP Physics I | Policy |
| Montana State University-Northern Havre | 3 | 4 | PHSX 205 | Policy |
| University of Providence Great Falls | 3 | 8 | — | Policy |
| Dawson Community College Glendive | 3 | — | — | Policy |
| Carroll College Helena | 4 | 4 | PHYS 201 | Policy |
AP Physics 1 credit in other states
How we ranked this
One row per Montana college: the lowest score that earns actual credit under the policy that applies to all students, and the largest credit award published at that score. Placement-only policies — permission to skip a course without earning credit hours — are excluded. Credit hours and course equivalents are reproduced exactly as the college published them; “—” means no value was published and we do not estimate one. A page is published for a state only when at least 8 colleges back it.
Frequently asked questions
Which Montana colleges give credit for AP Physics 1?+
12 colleges in Montana publish a credit-bearing policy for AP Physics 1. 11 of them (92%) award credit at a score of 3, 1 requires a 4, and 0 require a 5. The full list, with credit hours and the course each exam replaces, is in the table on this page.
What is the lowest AP Physics 1 score that earns credit in Montana?+
3. Montana State University in Bozeman awards credit at a score of 3, worth 4 credit hours, counting as PHSX205. 11 Montana colleges in total set their bar at a 3 or lower.
Does in-state residency change AP credit in Montana?+
No. AP credit policy is set per institution and applies to admitted students regardless of residency — residency affects tuition rate, not credit awards. What does vary is the school within a university: engineering and nursing colleges commonly set higher bars than arts and sciences. The rules shown here are the ones that apply to all students at each college.
How do I verify these Montana AP credit policies?+
12 of the 12 colleges on this page link to their own published AP credit page in the Source column; our snapshot was taken July 30, 2026. The college's page is authoritative and can change between admission cycles, so confirm there before building a graduation plan around the credit.
Keep exploring
Data sources: Each college's own published AP / advanced-standing credit page (captured July 30, 2026) · IPEDS institution directory (names, control, location). Figures are the most recent values published in each federal dataset; cells with no published value are shown as “—” and never estimated. CertiHomes Education does not sell rankings or accept placement fees.