How Modern States Helps Learners Earn College Credit for Free

Modern States is a nonprofit that offers free, online, college-level courses taught by professors from world-class universities. The path to credit is straightforward: sign up, complete a course, then take the corresponding CLEP exam. Modern States covers the exam fee, and CLEP scores are recognized for credit by nearly 3,000 colleges and universities. This route suits self-directed learners who want to test out of freshman-level material rather than pay tuition for it.

The Step-by-Step Path

1. Create an account

Use the Sign Up option on modernstates.org. The site distinguishes between individual learners and those participating in a group learning experience, so pick the one that matches your situation.

2. Enroll in a course

Modern States offers over 30 courses covering content taught in freshman-level college classes. Popular options include:

• CLEP College Composition
• CLEP College Algebra
• CLEP Spanish Language
• CLEP American Government
• CLEP Biology
• CLEP History of the United States I

3. Complete the coursework

Work through the free online course at your own pace. The instruction is designed to prepare you for the subject matter tested on the matching CLEP exam.

4. Take the CLEP exam

After finishing a course, you can sit the exam through the College Level Examination Program (CLEP). Modern States states that learners who complete its courses can take these exams for free.

5. Apply your score for credit

CLEP exams are recognized for credit by nearly 3,000 colleges and universities. Confirm that your target school accepts the specific exam before relying on it.

What "Free" Covers

The site's central claim is that any learner, anywhere, can take college-level courses and earn college credit for free. In practice this means:

Before You Start: Two Things to Verify

1. Your school's CLEP policy. Nearly 3,000 institutions recognize CLEP for credit, but acceptance rules and score thresholds vary. Check with your registrar or use the site's CLEP Acceptance Tool.
2. Which login system you use. Modern States notes it is moving to a new learning management system. Returning learners are asked to click the login screen image (D2L or Open edX) that matches their normal one so they land in the system holding their course progress.

Who This Is For

Modern States reports that nearly 1,000,000 learners have used the platform. It fits learners who are comfortable studying independently, want to reduce the cost of freshman-level requirements, and attend (or plan to attend) a school that grants CLEP credit. If your target institution does not accept CLEP, the exam route will not convert to credit even after you pass.