When Do AP® Scores Come Out?
AP scores post online in early July and roll out through the morning of release day. See the full timeline, how to check yours, and why a score might be missing.
By Amanda DoAmaral · Updated Sep 1, 2026
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 release started 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.
Estimate your score while you wait →
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, posting through the morning of release day |
| 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 start posting in the morning Eastern time on release day and become viewable through the day. College Board doesn't publish an exact hour or a formal region-by-region schedule, so treat any specific time you see online as a pattern from past years, not a promise.
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?
College Board hasn't published one. It releases the score access schedule closer to the date 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.
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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. That is a 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. Staying up until midnight won't get you an early look.
Why Your Score Might Be Missing
A blank space where a score should be usually has 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 |
| Release still in progress | Scores keep posting through release day |
| Portfolio submissions | A portfolio submitted or matched late can take longer to process |
If a score is still missing the day after release, 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. AP Services 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 in mid-July, 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.
Your exam registration covers one score report sent to a college of your choice each year, at no extra cost. You designate that college in My AP, and the deadline to add or change it is June 20, before scores are released.
Additional score reports cost $15 each, with a higher fee for rush processing.
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.
If you're already admitted, sending scores in July gives your college time to 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 worth doing.
You can 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 gives you a range.
You can also 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.
If you're taking more AP classes next year, skimming a few units early makes September easier.
You can also put it down for a while. Nothing you do in June changes a score from May, and 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.
How to Prepare for Next May
Starting in the fall gives you months of practice for next May's exams instead of a few weeks in 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. Scores start posting the morning of release day, Eastern time, and become viewable through the day. College Board's score release schedule listed Monday, July 6, 2026, as the first day for 2026 scores.
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 College Board doesn't publish an exact hour, 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 release 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?
Scores post gradually through release day rather than all at the same second, and College Board doesn't publish a formal schedule by state or region. 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 date of birth 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 several weeks after the release, 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. If you used your no-cost score send by the late-June deadline, your college should have them in early July. Reports you order later are sent electronically, and College Board lists the delivery timeline on its score-send page.
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.