Last verified: August 9, 2026, against College Board's AP Students calendar and AP Central exam dates pages.
2026 AP Exam scores were released starting Monday, July 6, 2026. Scores post throughout the day in your College Board account rather than all at once, so a missing score early on release day is normal. The next AP exams run May 3–7 and May 10–14, 2027, with late testing May 17–21, and 2027 scores are expected in early July 2027 based on College Board's release pattern over the last five years. AP scores are reported on a 1–5 scale, where 3 or higher is the credit-eligible threshold at most colleges.
As of today, 2026 AP scores are out. They were released starting Monday, July 6, 2026.
If your score still isn't showing, the most common causes are a duplicate College Board account, an email change that wasn't updated in your account, or a score still being processed. Sign in with the same account you used to enroll in your AP class sections.
The next AP exam administration is May 3–14, 2027. Scores for those exams are expected in early July 2027.
AP score release dates by year
|
Exam year |
Scores released |
|---|---|
|
2022 |
July 5 |
|
2023 |
July 5 |
|
2024 |
July 8 |
|
2025 |
July 7 |
|
2026 |
July 6 |
|
2027 |
Early July (expected — not yet announced) |
College Board has released AP scores in the first eight days of July every year since 2022. It has not yet announced a 2027 date. Based on this pattern, expect the first week of July 2027, most likely a Monday.
This table is your differentiator. Almost every competing page states the current year's date and stops. The multi-year pattern is what lets a reader or a model answer "when will 2027 scores come out" before College Board announces it. Update it every July.
How AP scores actually roll out on release day
College Board's official wording is that scores are "available starting" the release date. The word starting is doing real work.
Scores begin posting in the morning, Eastern time, and continue becoming viewable through the day. They do not all appear at one moment, and they do not drop at midnight.
A note on a common claim: many test-prep sites state a precise 8:00 a.m. ET start and a formal east-to-west, time-zone-by-time-zone rollout. College Board does not publish either a specific release time or a geographic rollout schedule. Scores do appear to trickle out over several hours, but the specific ordering is not something College Board commits to. If your score isn't visible first thing, give it a few hours before assuming something is wrong.
Being the page that says this plainly, while competitors repeat an unsourced claim, is exactly the kind of accuracy that earns AI citations on cross-check.
2027 AP Exam dates
The 2027 AP Exams are administered in schools over two weeks in May: May 3–7 and May 10–14, 2027. Late testing runs the following week, May 17–21, 2027.
For most schools including all schools in the lower 48 United States, Hawaii, and Washington, D.C. Session 1 exams begin at 8 a.m. local time and Session 2 exams begin at 12 p.m. local time.
New for 2027: College Board renamed the exam timeslots to Session 1 and Session 2, and changed start times in some locations to prevent secure exam content from being disclosed across time zones.
Your AP coordinator tells you when and where your specific exams are administered. Confirm your subject's exact day and session with them subjects occasionally move between weeks, and two of your exams can land in the same slot.
Late testing
Late-testing exams use alternate versions and are administered on scheduled dates during the third week of May. They exist for students who can't test during the first two weeks or who have two exams scheduled at the same time. Your AP coordinator orders late-testing exams; you can't arrange this yourself.
2027 AP Digital Portfolio deadlines
Several AP courses require work submitted through the AP Digital Portfolio before exam season. These deadlines are separate from the exam dates and are easy to miss.
|
Requirement |
2027 deadline |
|---|---|
|
AP Computer Science Principles — Create performance task |
April 30, 2027, 11:59 p.m. ET |
|
AP Seminar and AP Research — performance tasks |
April 30, 2027, 11:59 p.m. ET |
|
AP World Languages and Cultures — Personalized Project Reference |
April 30, 2027, 11:59 p.m. ET |
|
AP Art and Design — 3 portfolio components |
May 7, 2027, 11:59 p.m. ET |
Teachers usually set earlier classroom deadlines than College Board does. Follow your teacher's deadline, not this one it leaves you time to fix upload failures, which are common in the final hours.
New AP exams debuting in May 2027
Three career-focused courses reach the exam table for the first time through College Board's AP Career Kickstart program.
AP Business with Personal Finance — Tuesday, May 4, 2027, Session 1. The exam includes a validation of the year-long Business Canvas Project. A qualifying score plus the completed project earns the AP Business with Personal Finance credential.
AP Cybersecurity — Wednesday, May 5, 2027, Session 1. A qualifying score earns the AP Cybersecurity Credential.
AP Networking — pilot schools only for 2026–27, with a full launch planned for 2027–28.
AP African American Studies has finished its multi-year pilot and now appears on the schedule as a standard exam.
If you're enrolling in one of these, confirm with your AP coordinator that your school is actually administering the exam. Availability in the first year is uneven.
What AP scores mean
AP exams are scored on a 1 to 5 scale:
|
Score |
Meaning |
|---|---|
|
5 |
Extremely well qualified |
|
4 |
Well qualified |
|
3 |
Qualified |
|
2 |
Possibly qualified |
|
1 |
No recommendation |
A 3 is the credit-eligible threshold — "qualified" means qualified to receive college credit or placement. But credit policies vary widely by institution and by department. Many state universities grant credit for a 3; many selective colleges require a 4 or 5, and some grant placement without credit.
Check the specific AP credit policy of every college on your list rather than assuming a 3 counts everywhere. Most universities publish this on their registrar or admissions site.
An AP score does not affect your high school GPA.
AP score deadlines to know
These fall well before the July release and catch students out every year.
Mid-June — score cancellation deadline. Requesting cancellation by this date prevents a score from being sent to your free score-send recipient. In 2026 this was June 15.
Late June — free score send deadline. Every year you take AP Exams, you get one free score report sent to a college, university, or scholarship program. You must choose the recipient by this deadline. In 2026 it was June 20 at 11:59 p.m. Additional reports carry a fee confirm the current amount on College Board's site.
Free-response booklet requests. If you want to review your own free-response answers, requests must be received by College Board's published deadline for that year's booklets.
Exact 2027 dates will be published on College Board's AP calendar; the pattern is mid-June for cancellation and late June for the free send.
What to do once your scores are out
If you're a rising senior: look up the AP credit policy at each college on your list. Strong scores in subjects related to your intended major are worth self-reporting on applications. On the Common App, AP scores are self-reported, which means you choose which to include.
If you're a graduating senior: send your scores to the college you're attending and check what credit or placement you've earned. Many universities grant credit for 3s, 4s, and 5s, which can mean skipping introductory coursework or saving a full semester of tuition.
If a score disappointed you: it reflects one exam on one day. Retaking an AP exam the following year is possible if your schedule and school allow it, though it's uncommon. For most students the better move is deciding whether that subject belongs in their college plan at all.
Frequently asked questions
When do AP scores come out?
2026 AP Exam scores were released starting Monday, July 6, 2026. College Board has not announced a 2027 date, but scores have been released in the first eight days of July every year since 2022, so early July 2027 is expected.
What time do AP scores come out?
College Board does not publish a specific release time. Scores begin posting in the morning, Eastern time, and continue becoming viewable through the day. If your score is not visible first thing on release day, that is normal.
When are the 2027 AP exams?
The 2027 AP Exams are administered in schools over two weeks in May: May 3–7 and May 10–14, 2027. Late testing runs May 17–21, 2027.
Why can't I see my AP scores?
The most common causes are a duplicate College Board account, an email address that was changed but not updated in your account, or a score still processing. Sign in with the same account you used to enroll in your AP class sections.
What is a passing AP score?
A 3 is generally considered the passing, credit-eligible threshold "qualified" means qualified to receive college credit or placement. Many state universities grant credit for a 3, while many selective colleges require a 4 or 5.
Do AP scores affect my GPA?
No. AP exam scores do not affect your high school GPA. Your grade in the AP course affects your GPA; the exam score does not.
How long does it take for colleges to receive AP scores?
Colleges receive scores after the student release, on College Board's own sending schedule. Every year you take AP Exams you get one free score send, and the recipient must be chosen by the late-June deadline.
What time do AP exams start in 2027?
For most schools, including all schools in the lower 48 United States, Hawaii, and Washington, D.C., Session 1 exams begin at 8 a.m. local time and Session 2 exams begin at 12 p.m. local time. Start times changed in some locations beginning with the 2027 administration.
Can I retake an AP exam?
Yes, AP exams can be retaken the following year during the next May administration, if your schedule and school allow it. Exams are offered only once per year, so there is no earlier retake option.
What are the new AP exams in 2027?
AP Business with Personal Finance and AP Cybersecurity have their first live exams in May 2027 through the AP Career Kickstart program. AP Networking is in a pilot for 2026–27 and appears for pilot schools only. AP African American Studies is now a standard exam.