When Do AP Awards Come Out?
AP awards—including AP Scholar, AP Scholar with Honor, AP Scholar with Distinction, and other recognitions—are released starting in July each year. For 2025, awards will appear on your official AP score report as soon as scores are available online. If you qualify, you’ll also receive an email notification from the College Board.
- How to check: Log in to your College Board account and view your score report. Awards are listed there if you qualify.
- Colleges: When you send your AP score report to colleges, your awards are automatically included
What Time Do AP Scores Come Out (PST)?
AP scores for 2025 will be released in a rolling fashion by time zone on Monday, July 7. The release typically begins at 7 a.m. Eastern Time and moves westward. For students in Pacific Time (PST), expect your scores to be available between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. PST.
- Don’t stay up all night: There’s no advantage to refreshing at midnight—scores won’t be available until the scheduled time for your region.
- How to access: Log in to your College Board account on release day.
AP Scholar with Distinction: What Does It Mean?
The AP Scholar with Distinction award is the highest standard recognition for high school students excelling in AP courses.
Requirements:
- Scores of 3 or higher on five or more AP Exams
- Average score of at least 3.5 across all AP Exams taken
| Award Level | Criteria |
|---|---|
| AP Scholar | 3+ on 3 or more AP Exams |
| AP Scholar with Honor | 3+ on 4+ AP Exams, average ≥ 3.25 |
| AP Scholar with Distinction | 3+ on 5+ AP Exams, average ≥ 3.5 |
- Recognition: This is an academic distinction only. There is no monetary award, but it is a valuable credential for college applications and resumes.
- How calculated: Only the highest score for each exam counts; subscores (like Calculus AB for BC) are not included
AP Score Distribution 2025
The College Board publishes detailed score distributions for each AP subject, showing the percentage of students earning scores of 1–5.
2025 AP Score Distribution Highlights
| AP Subject | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | % Scoring 3+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP Calculus AB | 20% | 29% | 15% | 23% | 13% | 64% |
| AP Calculus BC | 44% | 22% | 13% | 15% | 6% | 79% |
| AP English Language | 13% | 28% | 33% | 16% | 10% | 74% |
| AP Biology | 19% | 24% | 28% | 21% | 8% | 71% |
| AP US History | 14% | 36% | 23% | 19% | 8% | 73% |
| AP Psychology | 15% | 32% | 25% | 19% | 9% | 72% |
| AP Computer Science A | 25% | 22% | 20% | 10% | 23% | 67% |
AP Awards Requirements
General Requirements
- AP Scholar: 3+ on 3 or more AP Exams
- AP Scholar with Honor: 3+ on 4+ AP Exams, average ≥ 3.25
- AP Scholar with Distinction: 3+ on 5+ AP Exams, average ≥ 3.5
- National AP Scholar: (Discontinued in the US) 4+ on 8+ AP Exams, average ≥ 4 (still appears on old reports)
| Award Name | Criteria |
|---|---|
| AP Scholar | 3+ on 3+ exams |
| AP Scholar with Honor | 3+ on 4+ exams, average ≥ 3.25 |
| AP Scholar with Distinction | 3+ on 5+ exams, average ≥ 3.5 |
| National AP Scholar* | 4+ on 8+ exams, average ≥ 4 (Discontinued in US) |
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FAQ
Question 1: When do AP awards come out?
Answer: AP awards are listed on your score report starting in July, at the same time as AP scores are released.
Question 2: What time do AP scores come out in PST?
Answer: Scores typically roll out between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. PST on release day.
Question 3: How do I qualify for AP Scholar with Distinction?
Answer: You need scores of 3 or higher on five or more AP Exams and an average score of at least 3.5 across all AP Exams taken.
Question 4: Where can I see my AP awards?
Answer: Log in to your College Board account and view your score report online. Awards are listed there if you qualify.
Question 5: Are AP Scholar awards monetary?
Answer: No, these are academic distinctions only and do not come with a monetary prize
Disclaimer:
The information provided in this article is based on publicly available sources, including College Board guidelines and AP exam data as of 2025. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, the release dates, procedures, and eligibility criteria for AP awards may be subject to change. For the most up-to-date information, please refer to the official College Board website or contact their support team. This content is intended for informational purposes only and is not affiliated with the College Board or any official AP program.
