← AP Prep

The 2026 AP Exam schedule, week by week.

The 2026 AP Exams are administered in schools over two weeks in May — May 4–8 and May 11–15. Below is the full schedule by date and time slot, plus start-time rules and AP Digital Portfolio submission deadlines.

Test Ninjas Research · Updated March 10, 2025 · 5 min read

Every AP Exam has a fixed date and time slot set by the College Board, and the same subject is given at the same time in every participating school. Use the tables below to find your subjects, then work backward to plan your prep — you can practice free with our free AP practice questions and estimate where you stand with our AP score calculators.

01

Week 1: May 4–8, 2026

The first week of AP Exams runs Monday, May 4 through Friday, May 8, 2026. Morning exams begin at 8 a.m. local time and afternoon exams begin at 12 p.m. local time.

Week 1 of the 2026 AP Exams — morning and afternoon sessions by date.
Date8 a.m. Local Time12 p.m. Local Time
Monday, May 4, 2026Biology, LatinEuropean History, Microeconomics
Tuesday, May 5, 2026Chemistry, Human GeographyUnited States Government and Politics
Wednesday, May 6, 2026English Literature and CompositionComparative Government and Politics, Physics 1: Algebra-Based
Thursday, May 7, 2026Physics 2: Algebra-Based, World History: ModernAfrican American Studies, Statistics
Friday, May 8, 2026Italian Language and Culture, United States HistoryChinese Language and Culture, Macroeconomics
02

Week 2: May 11–15, 2026

The second week of AP Exams runs Monday, May 11 through Friday, May 15, 2026, following the same 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. local-time slots.

Week 2 of the 2026 AP Exams — morning and afternoon sessions by date.
Date8 a.m. Local Time12 p.m. Local Time
Monday, May 11, 2026Calculus AB, Calculus BCMusic Theory, Seminar
Tuesday, May 12, 2026French Language and Culture, PrecalculusJapanese Language and Culture, Psychology
Wednesday, May 13, 2026English Language and Composition, German Language and CulturePhysics C: Mechanics, Spanish Literature and Culture
Thursday, May 14, 2026Art History, Spanish Language and CultureComputer Science Principles, Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism
Friday, May 15, 2026Environmental ScienceComputer Science A
Double-booked? If two of your exams share the same time slot, you take one during the regular administration and the other during the late-testing period. Your AP coordinator arranges this — you do not have to skip a subject.
03

Start Times

AP Exams must begin between:

  • 8 and 9 a.m. local time for morning exams.
  • 12 and 1 p.m. local time for afternoon exams.

Your school chooses the exact start time within those windows, so confirm your schedule with your AP coordinator and plan to arrive early.

04

AP Digital Portfolio Submission Deadlines

The following subjects require work to be submitted through the AP Digital Portfolio by the deadlines listed below:

  • AP Seminar and AP Research: April 30, 2026 (11:59 p.m. ET) is the deadline for students to submit performance tasks as final.
  • AP Computer Science Principles: April 30, 2026 (11:59 p.m. ET) is the deadline for students to submit their Create performance task as final.
  • AP Art and Design: May 8, 2026 (8 p.m. ET) is the deadline for students to submit their 3 portfolio components as final.
Note: Submit Digital Portfolio work by the deadlines above. Late submissions are not accepted. Confirm exact requirements in the AP Digital Portfolio for your course.
05

Registration and More Information

AP exams are administered at your school or at a designated testing center. Registration is typically handled through your school; check with your AP coordinator for deadlines and fees. For the most up-to-date official dates and policies, visit the College Board AP Exam Dates page and AP Central.

Once you know your dates, get a feel for how your raw performance maps to a 1–5 score with our AP score calculators and AP score range guide, or see how the courses stack up in our AP tier list.

Want to see AP dates alongside SAT, ACT, and LSAT schedules? Check out our Exam Date Calendar for a unified view of all upcoming test dates.

06

Frequently Asked Questions

The 2026 AP Exams are administered in schools over two weeks in May: Week 1 runs Monday, May 4 through Friday, May 8, and Week 2 runs Monday, May 11 through Friday, May 15. Each day has a morning session that begins at 8 a.m. local time and an afternoon session that begins at 12 p.m. local time.

AP Exams must begin between 8 and 9 a.m. local time for morning exams, and between 12 and 1 p.m. local time for afternoon exams. Your school sets the exact start time within those windows, so confirm the schedule with your AP coordinator and plan to arrive early.

If two of your exams are scheduled in the same time slot, you take one during the regular administration and the other during the late-testing period. Your AP coordinator arranges the late-testing exam — you do not need to choose between the two subjects.

AP Seminar, AP Research, and AP Computer Science Principles performance tasks are due April 30, 2026 (11:59 p.m. ET), and AP Art and Design portfolio components are due May 8, 2026 (8 p.m. ET). Late submissions are not accepted, so submit well before the deadline.

AP Exam registration is typically handled through your school, not directly with the College Board. Check with your AP coordinator for your school's registration deadline and fees, since ordering an exam usually happens in the fall for a May administration.

AP® and Advanced Placement® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse, this guide. For the most up-to-date 2026 AP exam dates and policies, visit the official College Board AP Students site.

Prep before your exam date

Know your date, then walk in ready for it.

Test Ninjas gives you AP-style practice questions with an explanation on every one, plus score calculators to track where you stand. Create a free account and start prepping for your May exams today.