Students sitting at computers

Course Challenge

If you feel that you already have the knowledge and skills from your life experience, professional training, or a certification, you can request to take a test to challenge a course at Mt. Hood Community College instead of attending the class. Here are the important things you need to know about this process.

Eligibility and Limits

  • You need to have earned 12 credit hours at Mt. Hood Community College before you can challenge a course.
  • The maximum number of credits you can earn through this method is 22.5, which is 25% of the credits for a degree.

Approval, Payment, and Grades

  • You'll need to get approval from the division dean to challenge a course.
  • You have to pay a fee for each credit before you can take the test.
  • The grades for challenged courses are either Pass or Fail only.
  • Once you've taken the test, you have to accept the grade you get. You can't drop or withdraw from the challenge.
  • If you pass the test, it'll show up on your MHCC record as credit earned from a challenge.

Important Reminders

  • You shouldn't be currently registered for a class you want to challenge.
  • If you're getting financial aid, you can't use it to pay for challenging classes. You should check with the office of financial aid for more information.

Take the next step with Mt. Hood Community College

Have more questions about how to challenge a course?

Contact the student services hub

Not yet a student, but ready to get started?

Talk with an advisor

Apply or request information