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AP International Diploma

The AP International Diploma (APID) is a globally recognized certificate awarded to students who display exceptional achievement across a variety of disciplines. Available to international students attending secondary schools outside the U.S. and to U.S. high school students applying to universities outside the country, the APID certifies outstanding academic excellence with a global perspective. (But it’s not a substitute for a high school diploma.)

Students don’t need to apply for the APID; it’s automatically awarded in the year all eligibility requirements are met. College Board notifies students by email after the award has been conferred. Students may self-print an APID certificate from AP Scores. School administrators with access to AP Score Reports for Educators may identify APID students using the AP Scholars Report. 

The 2024-25 school year is the last year the letter of proficiency will be accepted for Content Area 1. Any test taker planning on submitting a letter of proficiency for a non-AP language must submit the letter by September 30, 2025, so it can be on their record. All other subject requirements for earning the APID remain unchanged.

APID Eligibility Requirements

  • Students must score a 3 or higher on 5 or more AP Exams.
  • Exams taken multiple times only count once—the highest score will be used for award calculation.
  • Students must either attend a school outside the U.S., U.S. territories and the DoDEA network or they must send AP scores to a university outside the U.S.  
  • Exams must fulfill 4 content areas, outlined below.

Content Area 1

Students must meet one of the following requirements:

  • Any two eligible AP world language or English exams if the exams are across two different languages
  • Any one AP world language or English exam, a letter of proficiency in a language not available as an AP Exam, and one additional AP Exam (can’t be English or any of the world languages)

Examples of accepted APID world language requirements: 

  • French Language and Culture + German Language and Culture 
  • Chinese Language and Culture + English Language and Composition 
  • Chinese Language and Culture + English Literature and Composition 

Not accepted: 

  • English Language and Composition + English Literature and Composition
  • Spanish Language and Culture + Spanish Literature and Culture

Through September 30, 2025: A letter of proficiency verifying the student’s mastery of a language not available as an AP Exam satisfies the requirement for one AP Exam in the world language category. However, a student who chooses this option must submit an additional AP Exam from another content area to meet the overall requirement of five AP Exams with scores of 3 or higher to qualify for the APID. See instructions for how to submit a letter of proficiency at the end of this article.

Examples when substituting an AP world language exam:

  • English Literature and Composition Exam + letter of proficiency in Arabic + 4 other qualifying AP Exams 
  • Chinese Language and Culture + letter of proficiency in Korean + 4 other qualifying AP Exams

Eligible AP Courses

World Languages

English

Content Area 2

One AP Exam offering a global perspective

Eligible AP Courses

Content Area 3

One AP Exam from either math and computer science or the sciences 

Eligible AP Courses

Math and Computer Science

Sciences

Content Area 4

One additional AP Exam (can’t be English or any of the world languages except Latin)

Eligible AP Courses

AP Capstone

Arts

History and Social Sciences

Math and Computer Science
See above.

Sciences
See above.

World Languages

Letter of Proficiency Instructions

  • Must be on school letterhead by an administrator at the student’s school and include: 
    • A brief description of the student’s mastery of a non-AP language. 
    • Student’s full name and AP number from most recent testing year. 
  • Must be emailed as a PDF with “APID Letter of Proficiency” in the subject line to: [email protected] 
  • Final deadline: September 30, 2025.   
  • Questions about the APID may be directed to AP Services for Educators. 

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