Advanced Placement (AP)/International Baccalaureate (IB): Test Fees
Answers to questions about Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate test fees.
As part of the Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) FY 2018 Approved Budget, FCPS adopted new fees for high school students: Advanced Placement (AP)/International Baccalaureate (IB) test fees. AP/IB test fees will remain in effect for the current school year. Students who qualify for the free and reduced-price meals program and have submitted the consent to share their free and reduced-price status will not be charged for these fees. These forms can be found on the Food and Nutrition Services, Free and Reduced-Price Meals web page. The payment of student fees is the responsibility of parents and guardians. However, for students and families who are undergoing economic hardships and are financially unable to pay the stated student fees, assistance is available as noted in the current version of Regulation 2135, Assistance to Students. Please contact your child’s school to determine your eligibility.
Advanced Placement (AP)/International Baccalaureate (IB) Test Fees
The fees will be paid by FCPS for the first six AP/IB tests taken by each student for FCPS courses in which they are also enrolled for high school credit. To determine if a student has used six paid tests, the cumulative number of AP/IB tests over a student’s time in FCPS is counted, including all exams taken prior to the current school year.
- Students who choose to take one or more AP/IB tests beyond the six FCPS-funded tests will be charged a fee of:
- $119 per IB test which will be billed in December
- $98 per AP test which will be billed in December
- Students taking one or more AP tests without enrolling in the corresponding course will be responsible for the test fee(s):
- These test(s) will not count towards their six FCPS-funded tests.
- The billing for these test(s) will be a separate billing process from students enrolled in AP/IB courses.
While FCPS encourages all students to take AP/IB tests for courses in which they are enrolled, students have the opportunity to opt out of the test(s) by filling out an opt-out form to be provided by the school. To assist in the decision-making process, students be provided a report with cumulative AP/IB test history and current AP/IB course enrollment.
Fee Payment
The online payment service, MySchoolBucks, is the same portal that many parents and guardians currently use to pay for school meals, providing them a convenient, efficient, flexible and secure way to pay for school-related purchases and fees. Parents and guardians currently enrolled in MySchoolBucks will receive an email notification information them of a bill for the AP/IB test fees for their respective child(ren). Note that each test fee is sent as a separate invoice with a unique invoice number.
Parents and guardians not enrolled in MySchoolBucks will receive an email with instructions on enrolling in MySchoolsBucks.
AP and IB test fees will be billed in December. Students who qualify for the free and reduced-price meals program and have submitted the consent to share their free and reduced-priced status will not be charged for these fees in accordance with their waiver selections on the fee consent form. These forms can be found on the Food and Nutrition Services, Free and Reduced-Price Meals web page.
For information about the fees or eligibility for economic hardship contact your child's school.
New Test Fee Details
YES
FCPS will pay test fees for the first six AP/IB tests taken by each student for courses in which they are also enrolled for high school credit. The test count is cumulative over a student's FCPS academic career.
Students who choose to take one or more AP/IB tests beyond the six FCPS-funded tests will be charged a fee of $98 per AP test and $119 per IB test.
NO
Students who qualify for the free and reduced-price meals program and have submitted the consent to share their free and reduced-price status will not be charged for these fees. These forms are found on the Food and Nutrition Services, Free and Reduced-Price Meals web page.
YES
For students and families who are undergoing economic hardships and are financially unable to pay the stated student fees, assistance is available as noted in the current version of Regulation 2135, Assistance to Students. Students and families who believe they qualify for hardship support should reach out to their school.
YES
AP/IB tests taken prior to the 2023-24 school year for courses in which the student was enrolled in FCPS for high school credit will count towards a student’s cumulative test history.
YES.
Students who request to take one or more AP tests without being enrolled in the corresponding course will be responsible for the test fee(s) and these test(s) will not count towards their six FCPS-funded tests. Schools will communicate the process for registering and paying for these tests.
NO.
The IB program does not allow students to take tests for courses in which they are not enrolled.
No.
High school graduates and non-FCPS students (to include out-of-county and private school students) are not eligible to take AP tests in FCPS schools.
Opt-Out Process
NO. While FCPS encourages all students to take AP/IB tests for courses in which they are enrolled, students will have the opportunity to opt out of the test(s) by completing an out an opt-out form to be provided by the school.
YES. Students auditing AP courses are considered enrolled in the course and must follow the opt-out process if they would like to opt out of the test. If the student chooses to take this test, it will count in the student’s cumulative AP/IB test history.
Students will be provided an opt-out form that lists their cumulative AP/IB test history for courses taken in FCPS and current AP/IB course enrollment for courses that have an associated test. Only courses that have an associated AP/IB test will show in the current course enrollment list. Students choosing to opt-out of one or more AP/IB tests will complete the opt-out form and return it to the Student Services office at their school.
NO. The opt-out form only needs to be submitted to the school if a student is requesting to opt out of one or more AP/IB tests for a course in which he/she is currently enrolled.
YES. Based on Regulation 2462, students earn weighted credit through successful completion of an AP/IB course.
The curriculum for these three AP courses is assessed through two separate tests. The two tests for each course will be considered as one test for the FCPS-funded test count and fees.
YES. Students who request to take an AP test for a course in which they are NOT currently enrolled will pay $98 for each test. The AP Test Coordinator will continue to collect these test fees and provide receipts as they have in the past. These test fees will not be reflected in the centrally generated invoices sent to parents and guardians since those invoices will be based upon current enrollment in an AP/IB course(s) with an associated test.
YES. Parents or guardians of home instructed students must provide the Director of Student Services at the local school a copy of the FCPS Home Instruction acknowledgement letter prior to registering their child for AP tests, fees apply. The AP Test Coordinator will collect fees and provide receipts. For registration information, visit the Home Instruction Exam Information page.
Fee Billing and Collection
A central billing and fee collection process has been developed by the Office of the Comptroller, Department of Financial Services to manage the invoicing and collection of AP/IB test fees. The payment of student fees is the responsibility of parents or guardians. Parents or guardians will be billed in December for AP/IB test fees. Note that each test fee is sent as a separate invoice with a unique invoice number and test number.
Parents or guardians will receive an invoice following test registration for tests beyond the first six paid for by FCPS. Parents and guardians can pay for fees online using a debit or credit card, or electronic check through MySchoolBucks, the same vendor many parents or guardians currently use to pay for school lunches. Cash or money order will be accepted onsite at the school.
For questions regarding the MySchoolBucks website or app, please see the MSB Frequently Asked Questions page.
Payment for AP/IB test fees should be submitted within 30 days of receiving the invoice.
AP and IB test fees are nonrefundable.
NO. These are IB core fees and FCPS will continue to pay these fees for IB Diploma students.
NO
The cost for each AP test is $98 and each IB test is $119 with no rate reduction for students who take multiple tests.
Students who drop an IB or AP course by the opt-out form due date will not be sent a bill for the associated test. Any student that drops an AP/IB course after the op-out date will receive an invoice for exam numbers six and beyond in their test sequence.
AP and IB test fees are non-refundable.
AP Exams
Students who cancel or do not sit for an AP exam will not be charged the College Board $40 cancellation fee.
IB Exams
Students who do not sit for an IB exam or do not submit an Internal Assessment for a course will not be charged a fee for exams 1-6. For exam number 7 and beyond, a non-refundable full test fee will be charged.
