When Do AP® Scores Come Out?
AP® scores post online in early July, released in waves by region. See the full timeline, how to check yours, and why a score might be missing.
AP® scores come out in early July, a couple of months after you take the exams in May. College Board posts them online in your College Board account, and the release rolls out over several days by region instead of all at once.
The 2026 scores started going live on Monday, July 6, 2026. College Board confirms each year's exact release date before scores come out, so the 2027 date isn't official yet. Below you'll find the full timeline, how to check your scores, and why yours might not show up right away.
Estimate your score before it drops →
The AP® Score Timeline
Scores follow the same rhythm every year. You test in May, wait about eight weeks, and see results in July.
| Milestone | Typical timing |
|---|---|
| AP® exams | Two weeks in May (May 3–7 and May 10–14, 2027) |
| Late testing | The week after (May 17–21, 2027) |
| Scores post online | Early July, released in waves by region |
| Late and makeup exam scores | Later in July, sometimes early August |
| AP® Scholar Awards | Mid-July online, emails late summer |
What "rolling release" means
College Board doesn't flip a switch and show every score at once. Scores open up over several days, usually starting with East Coast students and moving west, with international students near the end.
Your friend in another state might see scores before you do. That's normal. It doesn't say anything about how you did.
Is there an official 2027 date yet?
No. College Board publishes the score access schedule closer to release each year. Every recent cycle has landed in the first half of July, so plan on early July and check back once the official date posts.
For the exam dates that feed into that timeline, see the full AP® exam schedule →.
~8 weeks
between the May exam and score release
Early July
when scores start posting online
Mid-August
when to contact College Board about a missing score
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How to Check Your AP® Scores
Everything happens through your College Board account. It's the same login you use for AP Classroom and the SAT.
Sign in to your College Board account. Go to the AP score reporting site and log in with the username and password you used to register for exams. Scores live under your online score report.
Use the account you tested under. If you made a second account at some point, your exams might be attached to the older one. Two accounts is the most common reason scores look like they vanished.
Check on a phone or laptop. Both work. Traffic is heavy on release morning, so a page that loads slowly usually just needs another try in a few minutes.
Look at the full report, not just the number. Your report lists every AP exam you've ever taken, plus any awards you've earned.
Scores post in the morning Eastern time, not at midnight. Staying up until 12:00 a.m. won't get you an early look.
Why Your Score Might Be Missing
Seeing blank space where a score should be is stressful. Most of the time there's a simple explanation.
| Reason | What it means |
|---|---|
| Late or makeup testing | Exams taken during the late-testing window are scored after the main batch |
| Testing accommodations | Some accommodated exams need extra processing time |
| Name or birthday mismatch | Info on your answer sheet doesn't match your College Board account |
| Multiple accounts | Older exams are attached to a different login |
| Region hasn't opened yet | Your state's release window hasn't started |
| Portfolio submissions | A portfolio submitted or matched late can take longer to process |
If a score is still missing after your region's window has passed, first double-check the spelling of your name and your date of birth in your account. Then look for a second College Board account under an old email.
College Board asks students who still can't see scores by mid-August to contact AP Services for Students directly. They can match a stray exam to your account.
When AP® Scholar Awards Appear
AP Scholar Awards run on a slower clock than scores. You don't apply for them and there's no fee.
If you qualify, the award gets added to your record automatically. It shows up on your online score report over the summer, and College Board emails recipients in late summer or early fall.
The entry level is AP Scholar, which takes scores of 3 or higher on three exams. Two higher levels exist above it.
See every AP® Scholar Award requirement →
Getting Scores to Colleges
Colleges don't see your scores unless you send them. Here's how the sending piece works.
Your free score send. Every year you get one free score report sent to a college of your choice. You designate it in My AP, and the deadline to add or change it is June 20, before scores are released.
Extra reports cost money. Additional score reports are $15 each, with a higher fee for rush processing.
Your whole history goes together. A score send includes every AP exam you've taken, not just this year's. You can withhold a score from a specific college for $10, or cancel it permanently.
Timing for applications. Most students already admitted send scores in July so their college can award credit or placement before orientation. If you're still applying, self-report scores on your application and send them officially later.
What to Do While You Wait
Eight weeks is a long time to refresh a page. A few things are actually worth doing.
Estimate your score. Plug your rough multiple-choice and free-response performance into a calculator and see where you land. It won't be exact, but it sets expectations.
Try the AP® score calculator →
Look up credit policies. Every college sets its own cutoff. Some award credit for a 3, others want a 4 or 5. Knowing the number you need makes score day less confusing.
Plan next year's schedule. If you're taking more AP classes, get a head start on what's coming. Skimming a few units early makes September easier.
Let it go for a bit. Nothing you do in June changes a score from May. Scores are final once released. Digital exams have no rescore option, and a paid multiple-choice rescore exists only for the few remaining paper exams, like world languages and Music Theory.
If your score lands lower than you hoped, you can retake the exam the following May. Only your highest score counts toward AP Scholar Awards.
Ready to Do Well Next May?
Score day feels better when you walked into the exam prepared. Start earlier this year and give yourself months of practice instead of a panicked April.
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Frequently Asked Questions About AP® Score Release
When do AP scores come out?
AP scores come out in early July, about eight weeks after the May exams. College Board releases them in waves by region over several days rather than all at once. The 2026 scores began posting on Monday, July 6, 2026.
What time of day do AP scores post?
Scores start posting in the morning Eastern time, not at midnight. Access opens gradually through the day and across the following days depending on where you tested, so staying up late won't get you an early look.
Has College Board announced the 2027 AP score release date?
Not yet. College Board publishes the score access schedule closer to release each year. Every recent cycle has landed in the first half of July, so plan on early July and check your College Board account once the official date posts.
Why do some students get their AP scores before others?
The release is regional. Scores typically open for East Coast students first, then the middle of the country, then the West Coast, with international students near the end. Your friend seeing scores first doesn't mean anything about your results.
How do I check my AP scores?
Sign in to your College Board account with the same username and password you used to register for exams, then open your online score report. It lists every AP exam you've taken plus any awards you've earned.
Why is one of my AP scores missing?
The usual causes are late or makeup testing, testing accommodations that need extra processing, a name or birthday that doesn't match your answer sheet, or exams attached to a second College Board account. Check your account details and look for an older login first.
What should I do if my AP score never shows up?
Confirm your name and date of birth match what you wrote on your answer sheet, and check whether you have more than one College Board account. If the score still isn't there by mid-August, contact AP Services for Students so they can match the exam to your account.
When do late-testing AP scores come out?
Exams taken during the late-testing window in May are scored after the main batch. Those scores usually appear later in July, and sometimes in early August.
When do AP Scholar Awards come out?
AP Scholar Awards appear on your online score report over the summer, and College Board emails recipients in late summer or early fall. You don't apply and there's no fee. If you qualify, the award is added automatically.
When do colleges receive my AP scores?
Colleges receive scores after the July release, not before. If you used your free score send by the late-June deadline, your college should have them in early July. Additional reports ordered later are delivered within about a day.
Can I see my AP scores early?
No. College Board offers no early access or preview. Be careful with third-party sites that ask for your College Board login — the safe way to see your scores is signing in at collegeboard.org yourself.
Can I change an AP score after it's released?
Scores are final once released. Digital exams have no rescore option, and a paid multiple-choice rescore exists only for the few remaining paper exams, like world languages and Music Theory. If you're unhappy with a score you can retake the exam the following May, and only your highest score counts toward AP Scholar Awards.