Advanced Placement Awards

Advanced Placement Awards

  • AP Art History
  • AP Biology
  • AP Calculus AB
  • AP Calculus BC
  • AP Chemistry
  • AP Chinese Language and Culture
  • AP Computer Science A
  • AP Computer Science Principles
  • AP English Language and Composition
  • AP English Literature and Composition
  • AP Environmental Science
  • AP European History
  • AP French Language and Culture
  • AP German Language and Culture

The College Board offers several awards to selected students who take Advanced Placement (AP) exams.

AP Scholar Designations

Each year, the AP program recognizes students who have performed exceptionally well on AP examinations. Exams are taken in May and awards are usually granted in September. The following designations can be earned:

AP Scholar Awards
Designation Criteria
AP Scholar Scores of 3 or better on three or more AP exams.
AP Scholar with Honor Scores of 3 or better on four or more AP exams and an average of 3.25 on all* AP exams taken.
AP Scholar with Distinction Scores of 3 or better on five or more AP exams and an average of 3.5 on all AP exams taken.
National AP Scholar Scores of 4 or better on eight or more AP exams and an average of 4 on all AP exams. Must be a student in the United States.
National AP Scholar (Canada) Scores of 4 or better on five or more AP exams and an average of 4 on all AP exams taken. Must be a student in Canada.
National AP Scholar (Bermuda) Scores of 4 or better on five or more AP exams and an average of 4 on all AP exams taken. Must be a student in Bermuda.
State AP Scholar Top male and female student in each U.S. state (and the District of Columbia) ranked first by the greatest number of exams with a score 3 or higher and then by highest average on all* AP exams taken.
DoDEA AP Scholar Top male and female student among all DoDEA (Department of Defense Education Activity) schools, ranked first by the greatest number of exams with a score 3 or higher and then by highest average on all AP exams taken. Any recipient of this award must also at least meet the criteria for an AP Scholar.
International AP Scholar Granted to the one male and one female student attending a school outside the United States and Canada that is not a DoDEA school with the highest average score on the greatest number of AP Exams. The minimum requirement is a score of 3 or higher on three exams.

Note: "All AP exams taken" refers to all AP exams taken in any year. It is not restricted to the year in which the award is issued.

AP International Diploma

The AP program also awards the AP International Diploma for Overseas Study (APID) to students who have applied to colleges outside of the United States that have completed a sequence of AP exams with satisfactory scores. Prior to May 2006, a student had to earn a score of 3 or better on five or more AP exams in three of the five subject areas shown in the table below, with certain subject area requirements. As of May 2006, the College Board had implemented new requirements for awarding the AP International Diploma.

AP International Diploma
Course Area Exams
Languages
  • English Language & Composition
  • English Literature & Composition
  • French Language
  • German Language
  • Latin: Vergil
  • Spanish Language
  • Spanish Literature
  • Chinese Language and Culture
  • Italian Language and Culture
  • Japanese Language and Culture
Sciences
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Environmental Science
  • Physics 1
  • Physics 2
  • Physics C: Mechanics
  • Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism
Mathematics
  • Calculus AB
  • Calculus BC
  • Statistics
  • Computer Science A
  • Computer Science Principles
Social Studies
  • Human Geography
  • Comparative Government and Politics
  • United States Government and Politics
  • European History
  • United States History
  • World History
  • Macroeconomics
  • Microeconomics
  • Psychology
Fine Arts
  • Art History
  • Music Theory
  • Studio Art