Last reviewed: July 26, 2026. College Board has now published the official 2027 dates, so the projected window in earlier versions of this page has been replaced with the confirmed schedule below.

You came here for a date. Here is the short version, straight from College Board: 2027 AP exams are administered in schools over two weeks in May, May 3–7 and May 10–14, with late testing the following week, May 17–21.1 Most exams begin at 8 a.m. or 12 p.m. local time.1

The harder question is what those dates mean for your specific subjects, and that is where this guide earns its place.

When Are the 2027 AP Exams?

The 2027 AP exams run over two weeks in May: May 3–7 and May 10–14, 2027, with late testing May 17–21. Every AP subject is offered at one fixed date and time nationwide. You cannot move an exam to a more convenient slot, so read down this grid for the subjects you are taking and note anything that lands in the same block.1

Week 1: May 3–7, 2027

Monday, May 3

  • Morning: Human Geography, Physics C: Mechanics
  • Afternoon: Biology, Italian Language and Culture

Tuesday, May 4

  • Morning: Business with Personal Finance, U.S. Government and Politics
  • Afternoon: European History, Microeconomics

Wednesday, May 5

  • Morning: Cybersecurity, English Literature and Composition
  • Afternoon: Physics 1: Algebra-Based, Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism

Thursday, May 6

  • Morning: French Language and Culture, Physics 2: Algebra-Based, World History: Modern
  • Afternoon: African American Studies, Chemistry

Friday, May 7

  • Morning: German Language and Culture, U.S. History
  • Afternoon: Macroeconomics, Networking (2026–27 pilot schools only)

Week 2: May 10–14, 2027

Monday, May 10

  • Morning: Calculus AB, Calculus BC
  • Afternoon: Music Theory, Seminar

Tuesday, May 11

  • Morning: Japanese Language and Culture, Precalculus
  • Afternoon: Statistics

Wednesday, May 12

  • Morning: English Language and Composition
  • Afternoon: Art History, Computer Science A

Thursday, May 13

  • Morning: Spanish Language and Culture
  • Afternoon: Chinese Language and Culture, Environmental Science

Friday, May 14

  • Morning: Comparative Government and Politics, Computer Science Principles, Spanish Literature and Culture
  • Afternoon: Latin, Psychology
Did You Know

Some subjects share a single slot, and that is how same-time conflicts happen. Two exams on your list in the same block is not something you can swap your way out of. You handle it through late testing, arranged by your school, not by picking a different day.1

New AP Exams Debuting in May 2027

If you are scanning the grid and see subjects you have never heard of, you are not imagining it. Three career-focused courses reach the exam table for the first time in 2027 through College Board's AP Career Kickstart program.2

AP Business with Personal Finance and AP Cybersecurity both launch in the 2026–27 school year, so May 2027 is their first live exam.2 A qualifying score can earn college credit and advanced placement, and these two also offer an employer-endorsed credential, which is unusual for an AP subject.2

AP Networking is still in a pilot for 2026–27 and appears on the grid for pilot schools only, with a full launch planned for 2027–28.2 AP African American Studies, which finished its multi-year pilot, now sits on the schedule as a standard exam.

The takeaway if you are enrolling in one of these: confirm with your AP coordinator that your school is actually administering the exam, since a first-year or pilot course is not offered everywhere yet.

Digital Portfolio Deadlines Come Before Exam Week

Several AP subjects are scored on work you submit online, and those deadlines land days before the written exams. Miss one and there is no makeup for the portfolio.1

  • AP Computer Science Principles, AP Seminar, AP Research, and AP world language exams: submissions due April 30, 2027 (11:59 p.m. ET)
  • AP Art and Design: portfolio due May 7, 2027 (11:59 p.m. ET)

If you are in any of these courses, put the submission date in your calendar as its own hard deadline, separate from the exam.

Handling Same-Time Exam Conflicts

True conflicts (two of your exams offered in the same slot) are uncommon but real, and the grid above is how you catch them early. When they occur, College Board provides a late-testing seat for the affected exam, arranged through your AP coordinator.1

Situations your school can resolve through late or alternate testing:

  • Two exams scheduled in the same time block
  • Documented religious-observance conflicts
  • School-sponsored academic conflicts, such as a state competition
Important

A social event like prom does not qualify as an exam conflict. College Board's conflict rules are narrow, so plan personal and family commitments around your exam dates rather than expecting to move an exam.1

If you are genuinely overloaded, talk to your AP coordinator early about which exams to keep. Self-studying one subject and sitting it in a future year is a legitimate option, as is taking a transferable community-college course instead of stacking exams in one subject area.

Late Testing: May 17–21, 2027

Late testing is not a second chance for unprepared students. It is a separate administration, held May 17–21, 2027, the week after the main window, for students with documented conflicts such as a same-slot collision, illness with physician documentation, or a religious observance.3 It uses an alternate version of each exam, and your AP coordinator must request it on your behalf.3

Because the deadlines and documentation rules are strict, raise any anticipated conflict with your coordinator as soon as you know about it rather than waiting until exam week.

A Study Timeline You Can Start Now

You have your dates, so build backward from your first exam. For most students that first exam is in the May 3–7 week.

January 2027: Take a diagnostic in each subject and map your weakest units.

February 2027: Drill the weak units first and start full-length, timed sections. Our subject-by-subject prep guide is a good place to structure this.

March 2027: Practice connecting concepts across units and rehearse free-response strategy with official released questions.

April 2027: Sit official past exams under real timing to build endurance, and keep your strongest subjects warm. Watch the April 30 portfolio deadline if it applies to you.

The pattern that separates strong scores from weak ones is starting early enough to take more than one timed practice exam per subject. Cramming in the final two weeks rarely moves a score by a full point.

Registration Deadlines to Watch

You commit to AP exams months before testing. The two windows that matter most:

Fall 2026: Your school sets an internal deadline (often in the fall) to enroll in AP courses and order exams. Miss it and you may lose your seat for the year.4

Spring 2027: A final ordering and fee deadline, after which late-order and cancellation fees apply.4

Expert Tip

Confirm your school's specific deadlines with your AP coordinator in writing. Internal school deadlines are usually earlier than College Board's national ones, and they are the dates that actually decide whether you can sit an exam. If your school does not offer your subject, our guide on how to register for AP exams walks through finding an outside test center.4

AP exams cost about $99 each in the U.S., with separate late-order and cancellation fees and a fee reduction available for eligible students.4 Confirm the current 2027 amounts on College Board's site, since fees are set each year.

When Will 2027 AP Scores Come Out?

AP scores are released online in July, several weeks after the exams.5 Based on recent years, expect 2027 scores to start appearing in early July 2027, with scores sent to the colleges you designate later that month.5 Our full breakdown of when AP scores come out covers how the release rolls out by region.

Two things students forget: you choose which colleges receive your scores, and colleges you send to will see all of your AP scores, including low ones. If you are unsure about a score, you can wait to send it until after you see it.5

International Students

International testing follows the same overall calendar, but registration deadlines run earlier, testing locations are limited to authorized centers, and late-testing options can be more restricted.1 If you test outside the U.S., confirm your center's deadlines well in advance and plan as though makeup testing may not be available.

FAQ

What are the official 2027 AP exam dates?

The 2027 AP exams run over two weeks in May: May 3–7 and May 10–14, 2027. Late testing is held May 17–21. Each subject has one fixed nationwide date and time, and most exams start at 8 a.m. or 12 p.m. local time.1

What happens if I have two AP exams scheduled at the same time?

A same-slot conflict qualifies you for late testing for one of the exams, arranged through your AP coordinator. You sit one exam on its regular date and the other during the May 17–21 late-testing window using an alternate version.3

Which new AP exams are offered for the first time in 2027?

AP Business with Personal Finance and AP Cybersecurity give their first exams in May 2027, both part of AP Career Kickstart. AP Networking is offered at pilot schools only for 2026–27, with a full launch planned for 2027–28.2

Can I take AP exams if I'm homeschooled or my school doesn't offer AP?

Yes. You arrange testing through a participating school or authorized test center that offers the specific exam. Contact potential schools early in the fall, since many limit outside registrants, and expect to pay the exam fee plus any host-school administrative fee.4

How much do AP exams cost in 2027?

AP exams cost about $99 each in the U.S., with separate late-order and cancellation fees. A fee reduction is available for eligible students. Confirm the current 2027 amounts on College Board's site, since fees are set annually.4

When do 2027 AP scores come out?

AP scores are released online in July, typically starting in early July, with scores sent to your designated colleges later in the month.5

Footnotes

  1. College Board. (2026). 2027 AP Exam Dates. AP Central. https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/exam-administration-ordering-scores/exam-dates ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9

  2. College Board. (2026). AP Career Kickstart. AP Central. https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-career-kickstart ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  3. College Board. (2026). 2027 AP Exam Late-Testing Dates. AP Central. https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/exam-administration-ordering-scores/exam-dates/late-testing-dates ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  4. College Board. (2026). AP Exam Fees and Ordering. https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/exam-policies-guidelines/exam-fees ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6

  5. College Board. (2026). When Do AP Scores Come Out. https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/scores ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4