AP Exam Guide 2027: Dates, Schedule, Scores and Key Rules

AP Exams can feel complicated because dates, digital formats, registration rules, score releases, and college credit all work differently.

Here we cover what students actually need to know: when the 2027 AP Exams take place, how the schedule works, what AP scores mean, when scores come out, how registration works, and what to expect on exam day.

What are AP Exams?

AP Exams assess the knowledge and skills taught in Advanced Placement courses.

Most exams:

• Take about 2 to 3 hours
• Include multiple-choice questions
• Include free-response questions or another assessed component
• Are taken near the end of the school year

Some subjects also use:

• Portfolios
• Performance tasks
• Digital submissions
• Recorded responses

AP scores can be used by colleges for credit or advanced placement, depending on each college's individual policy.

2027 AP Exam dates

The regular 2027 AP Exam administration runs across 2 weeks:

• Week 1: May 3 to May 7, 2027
• Week 2: May 10 to May 14, 2027

Late testing takes place from May 17 to May 21, 2027.

2027 AP Exam schedule

Students should always confirm their exact reporting time and testing location with their AP coordinator.

What time do AP Exams start in 2027?

For 2027, College Board describes exam periods as Session 1 and Session 2.

For most schools in the lower 48 U.S. states, Hawaii, and Washington, D.C.:

• Session 1: 8:00 a.m. local time
• Session 2: 12:00 p.m. local time

Start times may differ in other locations because the schedule now considers the school's time zone.

Students outside these areas should not assume that their exam starts at 8:00 a.m. or 12:00 p.m. The AP coordinator provides the correct local time.

When is late testing in 2027?

The official late-testing period is:

May 17 to May 21, 2027

Late testing may be available when a student cannot attend the regular exam for an approved reason, including certain scheduling conflicts.

Students cannot simply choose the late-testing date themselves. They need to speak with their AP coordinator.

Different exam versions are used during late testing.

Important 2027 submission deadlines

Some AP subjects require work to be submitted before the main exam period.

Key deadlines include:

• April 30, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. ET: AP Computer Science Principles, AP Seminar, and AP Research final submissions
• April 30, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. ET: required Personalized Project Reference submissions for applicable AP World Language and Culture students
• May 7, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. ET: AP Art and Design portfolio submission

Missing a submission deadline can affect the student's assessment, so these dates should be treated as part of the exam schedule.

What were the 2026 AP Exam dates?

The 2026 AP Exam administration has already ended.

Regular exams took place:

• May 4 to May 8, 2026
• May 11 to May 15, 2026

Late testing took place:

• May 18 to May 22, 2026

In 2026, morning exams generally started at 8:00 a.m. local time, while afternoon exams generally started at 12:00 p.m. local time.

Students preparing now should use the 2027 schedule, not the 2026 dates.

How do students register for an AP Exam?

AP Exam registration is normally handled through the student's school.

Students generally need to:

• Join their class or exam-only section in My AP
• Confirm that they want to take the exam when required
• Follow their school's registration instructions
• Pay any applicable exam fee through the school

The school's AP coordinator places the exam order.

Schools may set their own student deadlines before College Board's final ordering deadline, so students should follow the date provided by their school.

For the 2026-27 school year:

• Preferred ordering deadline: October 2, 2026
• Final ordering deadline: November 13, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ET

A late-order fee may apply after the final deadline when late ordering is permitted.

How much does an AP Exam cost in 2027?

For on-time orders, the standard College Board fee is:

• $99 per exam in the U.S., U.S. territories, Canada, and DoDEA schools
• $129 per exam at schools outside these areas

Some international test centers may charge different amounts.

Other possible costs include:

• $40 late-order fee for eligible exams ordered after the regular deadline
• Reduced fees for students who qualify for financial assistance

College Board provides a $37 fee reduction for eligible students, while additional state or local support may lower the final amount further.

Are AP Exams digital in 2027?

AP testing is now largely digital.

Depending on the subject, an exam may be:

• Fully digital
• Hybrid digital
• Based on a digital portfolio or performance submission

Fully digital exams

Students complete both multiple-choice and free-response sections in Bluebook.

Hybrid digital exams

Students use Bluebook for the digital portion of the exam, but handwritten answer booklets are still used for some free-response work.

For 2027, several exams move further toward fully digital testing.

Important changes include:

• AP Statistics becomes fully digital
• AP Music Theory becomes hybrid digital
• AP Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish Language and Culture become fully digital
• AP Spanish Literature and Culture becomes fully digital
• Speaking responses for applicable language exams are recorded in Bluebook

Students taking a Bluebook exam should test their device and login credentials before exam day.

What should students bring on AP Exam day?

Requirements depend on the exam, but students may need:

• A fully charged approved device for digital exams
• The device charger
• Their College Board account credentials
• Pens or pencils where required
• Up to 2 approved calculators when the exam permits calculators
• A school-issued or government-issued photo ID when required

Students should check the instructions for their individual AP subject before exam day.

Items that are generally prohibited

Students should not bring unauthorized materials into the testing room, including:

• Phones
• Smartwatches
• Unauthorized electronic devices
• Notes
• Books
• Personal scratch paper
• Mechanical pencils where prohibited

Food and drinks are generally not allowed in the exam room unless permitted through an approved accommodation.

AP calculator rules

Calculator rules depend on the subject.

Where calculators are permitted:

• Students may normally bring up to 2 approved calculators
• Calculators cannot be shared
• Some Bluebook exams include a built-in Desmos calculator

A calculator being allowed on one AP Exam does not mean it is allowed on every exam.

Students should check the policy for their specific subject before testing.

AP accommodations

Students who need testing accommodations must receive approval in advance.

The process is normally handled with the school's Services for Students with Disabilities coordinator.

For the 2027 AP administration, accommodation requests and required documentation must be submitted by:

January 22, 2027

Students should begin the process early because using an accommodation that has not been approved can create problems with the exam or score.

How are AP Exams scored?

AP Exam scores range from 1 to 5.

For most AP Exams, College Board combines performance across the different exam sections into a composite score and converts it to the 1 to 5 scale.

Multiple-choice responses are computer-scored.

Free-response answers and applicable performance tasks are evaluated by experienced AP teachers and college faculty.

Is a 3 a passing AP score?

There is no universal college-credit rule that makes a score of 3 automatically "pass" everywhere.

Many U.S. colleges may award credit or advanced placement for a score of 3 or higher, but every institution sets its own policy.

A college may:

• Accept a 3
• Require a 4
• Require a 5
• Give placement without credit
• Give different credit depending on the AP subject

Students should therefore check the AP credit policy of each college they are considering.

When do 2027 AP scores come out?

College Board currently states that 2027 AP scores will be released in July 2027.

A specific student score-release date has not yet been announced.

For reference, 2026 AP scores became available on July 6, 2026, but students should not assume that the same date will apply in 2027.

Some scores may also appear later because of late testing or processing delays.

How do students check their AP scores?

Students access their scores through their College Board account.

They should use the same account connected to My AP.

Creating a second account can make it harder to access the correct score history.

How do AP scores get sent to colleges?

Students taking AP Exams receive 1 free score send per year.

For the 2027 administration, the deadline to select or change the institution receiving that free score report is:

June 20, 2027

Additional online score reports currently cost $15 each.

A normal score report includes the student's AP score history unless individual scores have been withheld or canceled.

Can an AP score be canceled or withheld?

Yes, but the 2 options work differently.

Score cancellation:

• Permanently removes the score
• Cannot be reversed
• Can prevent the score from being sent to colleges

Score withholding:

• Does not delete the score
• Prevents a specific score from being sent to a selected institution
• Can involve an additional fee

To stop a score from being included in that year's free score send through cancellation, College Board must receive the request by June 15 of the exam year.

How should students prepare for an AP Exam?

Preparation should stay focused on the structure of the student's actual AP subject.

Useful priorities are:

• Review the official course topics
• Practise both multiple-choice and free-response questions
• Use released free-response questions
• Review scoring guidelines
• Become familiar with Bluebook before a digital exam
• Practise under realistic time limits
• Track weak topics instead of repeatedly studying only comfortable ones

For any supported exam, TestBuddy's approach is built around the same principle: practise regularly, identify weak areas, and measure progress instead of relying on guesswork. Preparation becomes much easier to manage when improvement is visible and structured.

Official information and useful links

• The complete dates and subject schedule come from the official 2027 AP Exam Dates page.
• Details on regional Session 1 and Session 2 timing are explained in the official AP Exam start-time guidance.
• Late-testing dates and rules are available in the official 2027 late-testing schedule.
• Registration requirements are explained in the official AP Exam registration guidance.
• Current fees are listed in the official AP Exam fee information.
• Digital and hybrid formats are detailed in the official AP Exam modes guidance.
• Exam-day materials and restrictions are listed in the official what to bring on AP Exam day guidance.
• Score meanings come from the official AP score scale.
• Score access and release information is available through the official AP score portal guidance.
• College credit policies can be checked through the official AP credit and placement search.
• The historical dates come from the official 2026 AP Exam schedule.
• The supplied TestBuddy internal pages currently point specifically to the CPA Exam rather than AP preparation: practise the CPA Exam with TestBuddy and view the TestBuddy CPA Exam page.

Title (H1): AP Exam Guide 2027: Dates, Schedule, Scores and Key Rules

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Meta description: See the 2027 AP Exam dates, schedule, score scale, registration deadlines, digital testing rules, fees, and exam-day requirements in one clear guide.