Washington AP Exam Fee Assistance

Funding for Washington Schools for May 2026 AP Exams

Washington AP Exam Fee Subsidies have been reinstated for 2026. Local education agencies (LEA) may now apply for Advanced Placement (AP) Exam fee subsidies through FP 686 in EGMS. 

The supplemental operating appropriations bill—Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill (ESSB) 5998—provides $1M in funding to cover dual credit exam fee subsidies for low-income students in 2025-26 and 2026-27. Due to the late and unexpected allocation of these funds, subsidies for Advanced Placement (AP), Cambridge International (CI), and International Baccalaureate exams taken by students from low-income families will be administered through Form Package 686. 

Eligible LEAs may apply for grants to recover local funds used to subsidize exams taken by students from low-income families or reimburse eligible students/families who paid for those exams out of pocket while the subsidy program was suspended.  

Important Information on AP Exams 

Unlike past years, FP 686 grant applications are required for AP Exam reimbursement, as the timing and funding amount do not allow for the development of a direct-billing contract this year. We are working with the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction to investigate options for 2026-27. The deadline for indicating all students' fee reduction status in AP Registration and Ordering is April 30, 2026. 

For technical support with your grant application or EGMS, please consult the EGMS Resources website or contact Director of Operations, Clarisse Leong. Additional information is available on the Exam-Based Dual Credit webpage.

FP 686 is now open in EGMS and applications are due on May 13, 2026. 

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

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.  
• Whenever 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 and will provide College Board and the Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) with timely data on low-income student participation to inform advocacy efforts during the legislative session.
  • 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.
• Schools will be responsible for paying College Board for all AP Exam fees, including $53 per AP Exam for fee-reduced students. 
• June 15, 2026, is the postmark deadline for payment due to College Board.

• Grant funding for exam fee subsidies will be awarded after invoicing. Districts may claim funding on a reimbursement basis until September 20, 2026.  

• Districts that collected fees from students/families must utilize grant funding to reimburse those who paid for AP Exams out-of-pocket and may not be used for any other purpose. 

For More Information

Contact Tim McClain at OSPI.