How to Register for AP Exams
Bellevue School District (BSD) provides AP Exam opportunities for current BSD students as well as private and home-schooled students living within the district boundaries. BSD is committed to making AP exams accessible to all students by offering scholarships and fee waivers. Families can apply for reduced exam fees by submitting the Scholarship Request Form.
Please choose the relevant category below to review detailed registration steps
- AP Exam Registration for BSD Students
- AP Exam Registration for Private School and Home School Students
- Scholarships and Fee Waivers
AP Exam Registration for BSD Students
For students attending school in BSD registration for AP Exams takes 3 steps:
- Sign in to your College Board account at myapcollegeboard.org.
- Submit the Join Code provided by your AP teacher or AP Coordinator in your College Board account.
- Login to your payment account in Touchbase, choose your student and shop Items at Student’s school, then select the Advanced Placement category. Select the exam(s) and make payment. The fee per exam for early registration is $99. After November 14 the cost of the exam is $139 until March 14 when registration for exams closes.
College Board Account: Students must be able to login to their College Board account. The College Board account lasts for the entire time a student is in high school and is associated with SAT, PSAT and AP exam scores. This College Board support page provides help creating a College Board account. If students don't remember their login/password, they should not create a second account. Students can call the College Board student help line at 866-315-6068 if they are not successful with “forgot password” help.
Students enrolled in AP classes in BSD:
- In September, AP Teachers provide a “Join Code” to students in their AP class. Students must submit that Join Code in their College Board account giving students access to learning resources in AP Classroom. This does not result in a test order until payment has been made.
- Students discuss plans for taking AP exams with family members. Use the College Board AP Credit Search to find out if a college accepts AP scores for college credit or advanced placement. Keep in mind this year’s AP Test Schedule, May 5-16, 2025, to assure that you can manage taking the tests on the days offered. If two tests are given at the same time, the AP Coordinator will reschedule one of the tests for the late testing schedule, May 19-23.
- Families use Touchbase Shop and Pay to select and pay for AP tests. The early registration fee is $99/exam. Be mindful that some tests have very similar names (AP English Language and Composition, AP English Literature and Composition), so select with care. Fee waiver eligible students will see a price of zero for all AP tests. The student's test order is not complete until they add the test to their cart, complete the transaction, and obtain a receipt.
- Payment for exams at the early of $99 is due by November 8, 2024. AP coordinators will reconcile the payments with the online AP Test Order. Any test that is not paid will be changed to “No exam ordered” in the student’s College Board account and will not be included in the order placed to the College Board on November 15.
- Late registration of AP exams resumes on November 18 at a cost of $139 per exam, including a $40 late fee levied by the College Board. The final date for schools to submit an AP exam order is March 14, 2025.
BSD Students who self-study for exams:
Students may self-study and take an AP exam without taking an AP course. BSD will administer AP tests requested by students even if the course is not offered at any high school. Tests not administered at the student’s school will be provided at another location in the district. The school AP Coordinator will inform students and families of the location of the exam.
- Use Touchbase Shop and Pay to select exams, pay, and save a receipt.
- Print and show or email receipt to the school AP Coordinator. The AP Coordinator will provide an “Exam Only” Join Code(s) or provide further direction.
- Student submits Join Code(s) in their College Board account. This gives students access to learning resources in AP Classroom and places the exam on the AP Test online order.
Refunds: BSD does not provide refunds for AP tests cancelled after November 15 unless there are extenuating circumstances such severe illness, student is unable to complete the class, family tragedy, etc.
AP Exam Registration for Private School and Home School Students
Students must reside within the geographic boundaries of BSD. Proof of residency is required.
BSD provides AP exam administration to students who are residents of the Bellevue School District and attend private school or home school. Submit requests to APTesting@bsd405.org
Please refer to AP Exam General Information and Important Dates for additional information.
- Student/family: The first step is to provide proof of residency in the Bellevue School District. Please email APTesting@bsd405.org with your request to participate in AP exams. Attach two recent consecutive months of Puget Sound Energy bill, Republic bill or the Declaration page of the homeowner insurance policy for your residence.
-BSD will send a reply email to verify that the student resides in BSD. If the residence is not in the BSD attendance region, no registration for AP exams will occur. - Student/family: Create a Guest Account in the BSD Touchbase payment system and provide requested information.
-BSD will send reply email once fees have been placed on the account. Each AP Exam has a cost of $99 plus a $20 Handling Fee per test. - Student/family: Make payment and reply email a receipt.
-BSD will reply email with Join Codes for your student to submit through their College Board account. - Student/family: Your student submits Join Code(s) in their College Board account. The test will appear on the BSD online College Board Test Registration portal.
BSD cannot manually add a test – the Join Code submission by the student is required.
BSD will reply email letting you know that the process is completed, and the test(s) ordered.
BSD will provide test-day details including location of the exam, time to arrive, check-in procedure, what to bring prior to the testing window. Email to student and parent(s) will be sent in late April.
Scholarships and Fee Waivers
Scholarships - How to apply
Bellevue School District will support families who are experiencing financial hardship by reducing fees for AP Tests with the aim that no student is denied access to AP exams due to financial difficulties.
Please complete this Scholarship Request Form and submit by October 25, 2024 to allow time for processing. Once processed, families will be contacted by email with the results of the request. A reduced fee may be placed on the student's Touchbase account. The student test order will not be finalized until the transaction is completed in Touchbase and a receipt is obtained. Payment is due November 8, 2024. The cost of each AP exam is $99. The general scholarship assistance offered reduces the fee to $65 for the first exam and $35 for each additional exam. Full support, to $0.00 payment is offered, if warranted.
Fee Waivers – How to apply
The College Board and OSPI covers the full cost of AP exams for students who qualify.
Make sure that you complete the Free/Reduced lunch application and the Consent to Share Form. Those who qualify will have all fees waived related to AP Testing. Families can go to Touchbase and select the AP exams, put them in your cart and checkout with a $0 balance due. Print a receipt to keep, it assures you completed the process.