Massachusetts AP Exam Fee Assistance
Funding for Massachusetts Schools for May 2026 AP Exams
College Board provides a fee reduction of $37 per AP Exam for qualifying low-income students. Schools are expected to forgo their $9 rebate for these students.
Note: It remains a school-level decision whether to keep or forgo the $9-per-exam school rebate from standard-fee students. For more information on rebate policy and procedures, please see State AP Exam Fee Assistance.
Fee-Reduced Students
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts provides additional funding for public school students who qualify for College Board fee reductions. For eligibility criteria, visit AP Exam Fee Reductions. For these students, the Commonwealth will contribute $31 per AP Exam. This brings the final fee for all AP Exams taken by low-income public school students down to $22.
STEM AP Access Expansion Opportunity (SAPAO) Grant Students
The MA state subsidies do not apply to low-income students participating in virtual STEM AP courses through the STEM AP Access Expansion Opportunity (SAPAO) grant, as the exam fees are already fully covered through that grant.
Standard-Fee Students
“Standard-fee students” are those who don’t qualify for College Board fee reductions. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts doesn’t provide additional funding for these students.
Fees for Massachusetts Public School Students
| AP Exam | $9 Rebate Collected from Students? | |
|---|---|---|
| Fee-Reduced Students | $22 | No |
| Standard-Fee Students | $99 | At school’s discretion |
Steps for AP Coordinators
Before the Exams
- For your invoice to accurately reflect any fee reductions, the AP coordinator must indicate the fee reduction status for each eligible student in AP Registration and Ordering.
- For each student who is eligible for the College Board fee reduction, check the Reduced Fee box next to their name in the student roster.
- For students who aren't eligible for the fee reduction, no action is needed.
- Fee reduction status is indicated only once per student, not for each exam.
- If possible, indicate each student’s status by the time you submit your exam order. This ensures you have time to plan for and collect the appropriate exam fees.
- However, if you need more time to verify this information, the deadline to indicate students' fee reduction status in AP Registration and Ordering is April 30, 2026 (11:59 p.m. ET).
After the Exams
- Your invoice will be automatically generated and emailed to you after late-testing administration ends. At that point, you can also access and print your invoice through AP Registration and Ordering.
- June 15, 2026, is the postmark deadline for payment due to College Board.
- College Board will bill the Commonwealth directly for $31 per each AP Exam qualifying for the Massachusetts subsidy.
- To assist the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (MA ESE) with billing, MA subsidies will be categorized as follows on your invoice:
- MA subsidy for fee-reduced students (STEM)
- MA subsidy for fee-reduced students (ELA)
- MA subsidy for fee-reduced students (Other Subjects)
- MA subsidy for fee-reduced students (Capstone)
- AP coordinators don’t need to submit a copy of their invoice to MA ESE.
For More Information
For more information, visit the MA ESE website or contact Nyal Fuentes, College & Career Readiness Specialist, Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.