AP Test Dates 2025–26 | When Are AP Exams and How to Register

AP Test Dates 2025–26 — When Are AP Exams and How to Register

AP exams for the 2024–25 school year run from May 5–16, 2025. All AP exams are administered by the College Board during a two-week window each May. Registration for AP exams happens through your high school — students enroll in AP courses in September/October and the school submits exam orders by the College Board deadline (typically in November). The AP exam fee is $98 per exam in 2025, with fee reductions available for qualifying low-income students. This guide covers the complete AP exam schedule by date, how registration works, late registration rules, and what to do if you need to change your exam.

AP Exam Schedule — May 2025

AP exams are administered during a two-week period each May. Each exam is scheduled at a specific date and time — there is no choice in when you take a specific subject exam. All students nationwide take the same AP exam at the same time.

Week 1: May 5–9, 2025

May 5 (Monday): AP Art History (8 AM); AP Human Geography (12 PM)
May 6 (Tuesday): AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC (8 AM); AP Chinese Language and Culture (12 PM)
May 7 (Wednesday): AP English Literature and Composition (8 AM); AP Japanese Language and Culture (12 PM)
May 8 (Thursday): AP Biology (8 AM); AP Music Theory (12 PM)
May 9 (Friday): AP US Government and Politics (8 AM); AP Statistics (12 PM)

Week 2: May 12–16, 2025

May 12 (Monday): AP Computer Science A (8 AM); AP Environmental Science (12 PM)
May 13 (Tuesday): AP English Language and Composition (8 AM); AP Physics C: Mechanics (12 PM)
May 14 (Wednesday): AP Comparative Government, AP Macroeconomics (8 AM); AP US History (12 PM)
May 15 (Thursday): AP Chemistry (8 AM); AP World History: Modern (12 PM)
May 16 (Friday): AP European History, AP Microeconomics (8 AM); AP Psychology (12 PM)

Note: This schedule reflects College Board's standard 2025 AP exam calendar. Confirm exact dates and times at collegeboard.org as the College Board publishes the official schedule annually. Some exams (Spanish, French, Italian, German, Latin, Korean, French Literature) follow their own scheduling slots.

AP Exam Registration — Key Facts

🔴 Exam Window – May 5–16, 2025

2025 AP exam dates: May 5–16, 2025 (standard administration)
Late testing: May 19–30, 2025 (approved late testing only)
2026 AP exams: Typically first two weeks of May 2026

🟠 Registration – Through School

How to register: Through your high school AP coordinator
Student deadline: Typically November 15, 2024 (school sets exact date)
School order deadline: November 15, 2024 (College Board deadline)

🟡 Exam Fee – $98 per exam

Standard fee (2025): $98 per AP exam
Fee reduction: $34 per exam for qualifying low-income students
Late fee: $40 added per exam after November deadline

🟢 Score Release – Mid-July

2025 score release: Mid-July 2025 (exact date announced by College Board)
Score range: 1–5 (3, 4, or 5 qualify for most college credit)
Score report: Free to send to one college; $15 per additional

How to Register for AP Exams

AP exam registration does not happen directly through the College Board website for most students — it happens through your high school. Your AP coordinator manages exam orders and submissions.

Registration process for enrolled AP students:

Enroll in AP courses in the fall — most schools require you to confirm AP exam intent when registering for the course in August/September
Join My AP — your teacher gives you a join code for the College Board's My AP platform. Create an account at myap.collegeboard.org and join your AP class
Indicate exam intent — in the My AP platform, confirm that you plan to take the AP exam for each course. This signals to your school's AP coordinator that you need an exam ordered
Pay the exam fee — pay your school's AP coordinator (fee collection method varies by school — some collect online, some collect directly)
Deadline: Complete this process by your school's deadline, which typically aligns with the College Board's November 15 school ordering deadline

Registering for AP exams as a home-schooled student:

Home-schooled students and students at schools that don't offer AP must find a local school willing to administer the exam
Contact schools in your area in September/October — many will accommodate outside students but require early arrangement
The process: contact the AP coordinator at a local school, confirm they can test outside students, register through their school by their deadline
Use the College Board's AP Coordinator locator to find nearby testing sites

Late Registration and Exam Changes

Missing the November registration deadline is costly but not necessarily final. Here is what your options are:

Late registration (after November 15, 2024):

A $40 late fee per exam is added to the standard $98 fee
The school must submit a late order to the College Board — the deadline for late orders varies but is typically by early March
Late registrations are not guaranteed — contact your AP coordinator immediately if you missed the deadline

Canceling an AP exam:

You can cancel an AP exam before the exam date and receive a partial refund of $15 per exam (the rest covers the College Board's administrative costs)
To cancel: notify your school's AP coordinator — they submit cancellations to the College Board
Do not simply skip the exam — a no-show still incurs the fee with no refund

Unused exam scores:

You control which scores are sent to colleges — a bad score on one AP exam will not automatically go to your colleges
You can withhold or cancel individual scores after seeing them in July for a small fee ($10 per score cancellation)

AP Exam Preparation Checklist

Confirm your AP exam registration with your school's AP coordinator by November — missing the deadline adds a $40 late fee per exam

Join your AP class in My AP at myap.collegeboard.org using your teacher's join code — this links you to the College Board's registration system

Know your AP exam date and time well in advance — each subject has a fixed slot in the May schedule; arrive at least 30 minutes early

Bring required materials on exam day: pencils (No. 2) for multiple-choice, pens (black or dark blue ink) for free-response, your school-issued ID

No calculators on most exams — only AP Calculus, AP Statistics, AP Chemistry, AP Physics, and AP Computer Science Principles permit approved calculators

Review the official AP Course and Exam Description (CED) for your subject — free from College Board and defines exactly what the exam tests

Take official AP practice exams from College Board — past free-response questions are posted publicly and are the best exam prep resource available

Check College Board's AP Score Requirements page for your target colleges to understand which scores earn credit

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AP Test Dates Questions and Answers

When are AP exams in 2025?

AP exams in 2025 are held May 5–16, 2025, with late testing May 19–30, 2025. Each AP subject is assigned a specific date and time during this two-week window — students do not choose when they take their exam. All students in the US take the same AP exam at the same time. Confirm the complete schedule at collegeboard.org.

How do I register for AP exams?

AP exam registration is handled through your high school's AP coordinator, not directly through the College Board website. Enroll in AP courses in the fall, join your AP class in My AP (myap.collegeboard.org) using your teacher's join code, indicate your exam intent in the platform, and pay the exam fee through your school. The deadline is typically November 15 — after this date, a $40 late fee per exam applies.

How much do AP exams cost?

AP exams cost $98 per exam in 2025 for most students. Students from low-income families may qualify for a College Board fee reduction, bringing the cost to $34 per exam. Some states have additional subsidies that further reduce or eliminate the fee — your school's AP coordinator can confirm if your state has additional fee assistance available.

When are AP scores released for 2025?

AP scores for the May 2025 exams are typically released in mid-July 2025. The College Board announces the exact score release date annually. Scores are available through your College Board account at collegeboard.org. You can view your scores for free; sending scores to colleges costs $15 per score report (one free score report is included at time of exam registration).

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