Taking AP in China
General Information: AP Exams
AP Exams are administered in schools and test centers over the first two full weeks in May each year. Some schools and test centers may offer late testing during the third week of May if students cannot test during the first two weeks of May. Early testing or testing at times other than those published by College Board is not permitted under any circumstances. Schools and test centers choose which exams to offer, so check with each test provider for their subject availability.
How are AP Exams Administered?
Taking AP in China
College Board Advanced Placement (AP) Program is internationally recognized and offered worldwide. The program consists of college-level courses that high schools authorized by AP can choose to offer, as well as corresponding exams that are administered once a year—around the world, including in China.
To meet the needs of AP students in China, there are two types of testing locations:
- International schools that are authorized as AP testing sites can administer AP Exams to their own students, who are generally citizens of countries other than China. Typically, these schools don’t administer exams to students who aren’t enrolled in their school.
- Local test centers only administer AP exams to students enrolled in local public or private Chinese schools authorized to offer the AP Program, as well as self-study students who are not affiliated with an AP school. College Board partners with global testing provider Prometric to manage AP exam registration and administration for local test centers throughout China. Students must follow Prometric’s timeline for China to register in the fall prior to exams in May. Instructions will be sent directly to the AP school coordinators. Students can visit https://www.prometric.com.cn/apchina.
Students should be aware that international schools and Prometric–managed test centers may have different AP Exam registration periods. If you need to test in China in May, we recommend contacting the school’s AP coordinators before October the year prior. Students who miss the local registration windows may explore testing at authorized AP test centers in other countries.
Moving to China
If you’re a student who plans to enroll at a high school in China, you can use the AP Course Ledger to find schools that offer AP courses. Once enrolled, you’ll work with your school’s AP coordinator to arrange your exams. The same process applies if you’re a student traveling in China during the AP Exam Administration.