Washington AP Exam Fee Assistance
Funding for Washington Schools for May 2027 AP Exams
Washington AP Exam Fee Subsidies Reinstated For 2026-27
Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill (ESSB) 5998 (2026) provides $1 million in 2026-27 to subsidize dual credit exam fees for students from low-income households. Because this appropriation will not cover all eligible Advanced Placement (AP), Cambridge International (CI), and International Baccalaureate (IB) exams, subsidies will continue through Form Package 686 in the Education Grants Management System (EGMS).
Because the $1 million proviso is insufficient to fully subsidize all eligible exams, awards will depend on the number of applicants, eligible students, and exams taken. Local education agencies (LEAs) should not assume full reimbursement and must determine in advance whether they will:
- Cover the full exam cost for eligible students and absorb the amount not covered by the grant award;
- Require exam payment in full of students/families and reimburse them a portion of the cost based on the grant award; or
- Require a deposit or partial exam payment of subsidy-eligible students to ensure the cost of all exams will be met through a combination of payments and grant funds.
The grant will open in October, and eligible LEAs may apply to supplement local exam subsidies or reimburse eligible students/families for out-of-pocket costs. The application will remain open until March for LEAs to update requests after identifying eligible test-takers. Please do not submit the grant until the LEA exam numbers are final. Only one district-level application is allowed, so schools should coordinate with their district to ensure inclusion.
For AP Exams, fee-reduction eligibility may be indicated in AP Registration and Ordering when exams are ordered. Although LEAs have historically updated low-income status as late as April, the grant process requires earlier identification. Awards will be based on eligible students identified upon applying, so LEAs should indicate eligibility during exam registration to support equitable fund distribution and provide timely participation data for 2027 legislative advocacy.
The 2026-27 Low-Income Verification Form for students whose low-income status is not already captured in LEAs’ student information systems is available on the Exam-Based Dual Credit web page. For technical support with your grant application or EGMS, please consult the EGMS Resources web page or contact Director of Operations, Clarisse Leong.
AP Exam Fees for Washington State Students
For qualifying low-income students, College Board provides a fee reduction of $37 per AP Exam. Schools are expected to forgo their $9 rebate for these students. For eligibility criteria, visit AP Exam Fee Reductions.
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.
Fees for Washington Students
| AP Exam | $9 Rebate Collected from Students? | |
|---|---|---|
| Fee-Reduced Students | $53* | No |
| Standard-Fee Students | $99 | At school's discretion |
| *Eligible LEAs may apply for FP 686 grants toward this amount, but reimbursement is not guaranteed and may be partial due to limited funding. | ||
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. Washington asks AP coordinators to indicate each student's fee reduction status at the time you submit your exam order in the fall, since earlier identification supports the state's grant timeline, equitable fund distribution, and 2027 legislative advocacy data. At the latest, status must be indicated in AP Registration and Ordering before your LEA submits its FP 686 grant application, due March 31, 2027. Grant award amounts depend on identified eligible students at that time.
- College Board’s fee reduction of $37 per exam is available to all eligible students, independent of Washington's grant timeline. AP Registration and Ordering will continue to accept fee reduction status updates through April 30, 2027 (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.
- Schools will be responsible for paying College Board for all AP Exam fees, including $53 per AP Exam for fee-reduced students.
- June 15, 2027, is the postmark deadline for payment due to College Board.
For More Information
Contact Tim McClain at OSPI.