AP Exam Centre

The Advanced Placement (AP) Programme: A Gateway to Global Opportunities

The Advanced Placement (AP) Programme, offered by the College Board in the USA, provides passionate secondary school students with the opportunity to experience university-level learning while still in school. By registering for the AP courses and taking the corresponding examinations, students can potentially earn university credits, secure advanced placement, or sometimes both, thus giving them a valuable head start in higher education.

A Brief Background

The AP programme was first launched in 1955 in the United States as a pathway for students to challenge themselves with university-level material while they are still enrolled in school. Over time, its reach has grown remarkably, and today, students across the globe can pursue AP courses in more than 40 subjects. Each course concludes with a standardised end-of-course examination, designed to measure mastery of the subject content.

Global Recognition

What makes AP especially compelling is its international recognition and acceptance by renowned universities. Nearly every college and university in the United States, along with over 4,000 institutions across 100 countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Singapore and several in the Middle East, regard AP qualifications as a benchmark of academic excellence. Many institutions have established credit and placement policies that give AP students an advantage in admissions and university coursework.

Why Choose AP?

Participating in the AP Programme offers far more than just academic credits. It provides students with several advantages, such as—

• Weightage in Applications – Universities value the rigour of AP coursework.
• Advanced Learning – Students can skip introductory courses and sign up for higher-level classes ahead of their schedule.
• Time-savvy and Cost-effective University Course – AP exam candidates can earn credits that may reduce the course duration. It helps them avoid tuition costs for specific semesters.
• Key Skill Development – Students develop 21^st-century skills, like critical thinking, time management, etc., and independent study habits, as they navigate through the course.
• Discovery of Passion – Exposure to diverse disciplines helps students identify their interests, leading them to the future fields of study.

A Head Start in University Life

Research has consistently shown that students who take AP courses are not just more likely to succeed in university but also to graduate on time, perform well academically, and remain engaged in their studies. Beyond exam results, AP equips students with the discipline and intellectual curiosity necessary for higher learning.

You can learn more about student success stories with AP here: Times of India – AP Student Experiences.

AP Exams in India: Authorised Test Centres

In India, AP exams are administered exclusively at authorised centres. CMS Gomti Nagar I Campus in Lucknow is one such centre, accredited to conduct AP Exams. Each test centre sets its own deadlines, fees, and administrative policies, so students must follow the specific instructions of their chosen centre.

Click here to discover the list of International Universities Recognising AP and SAT exams.

Learn more about the International College Board here.  

Exam Timelines and Registration

AP Exams are conducted once a year, during the first two weeks of May. Students are advised to register well in advance, typically between September and November of the preceding academic year, ensuring sufficient preparation time.

AP Exam Schedule 2026

The 2026 AP Exams (Regular Testing) will be held in two sessions:

Provision for Late-Testing

If an applicant is unable to take the AP Exam on the scheduled date due to unforeseen circumstances, or if they have two exams falling at the same time, then the AP test centre may provide them with the option of late testing. These exams are administered in line with the official late-testing dates and times, as published by AP. The complete information is as follows.

**Please note: Late-testing dates are available only under specific circumstances, and early testing is not permitted.

For full details, students can visit the College Board’s official AP information portal.
For subject-specific details, visit the AP Course Descriptions (Each description explains the topics covered in the AP course and the exam pattern.)

2026 AP Exam Eligibility

Secondary school students may register for AP Exams at any authorised AP school or test centre if they meet one of the following criteria:

• The student is currently enrolled in a secondary school, is homeschooled, is registered in a virtual school, or is pursuing independent study.
• The student is enrolled in school and academically prepared to take an AP Exam before entering Year 9 (Grade 9).
• The student is a recent secondary school graduate who requires a specific AP Exam score for university admission.

Testing Policies

• A student can take any or all of the 4 Physics exams in the same year.
• He/she cannot retake the same exam in the same year, although they may retake it in the subsequent year.
• He/she cannot take both Calculus AB and Calculus BC in the same year.
• He/she cannot take 2 exams scheduled on the same date and time. They need to decide which exam they wish to take first and then take the other exam during the next testing window.

ID Policy For Test Centres In India

Students willing to take the AP exams must plan the ID processing and applications early. They must ensure that they have an acceptable ID proof to bring to the test site on the exam day, or they will not be able to take the test.

• AP-authorised test centres in India only accept an original, valid passport as ID for entry to the AP Exam.
• The ID must bear a recent, recognisable photograph that clearly matches the student’s appearance on test day and the photo submitted at the time of registration.
• If an original, valid passport is not available, then the student must have the Aadhaar in either original coloured Letter format or the PVC version with hologram only (both received from UIDAI). No other Aadhaar versions will be accepted.
• A sample of the letter version of the Aadhar card is shown on the left side of the image below. The Aadhar is printed in its standard size on the entire length of the paper, including the information on top and the card portion at the bottom. The PVC card sample is on the right of the image below. Both these copies are accepted.
• No Digital copies or photocopies of the ID Proof will be accepted.

Students must have a College Board account to register and take digital exams.

Link to the Reference AP account: https://myap.collegeboard.org/login

Students are requested to create an account only if they do not already have one. In case they already have an account in use for SAT, PSAT, or AP, they can use that for registration.

Please note: Each year, students face issues with the digital exam on exam day because they did not use their legal name on their College Board account and AP Profile. To avoid such problems, students are requested to always create and update their legal first name (i.e., given name) and legal last name (i.e., family, surname) in their College Board account, the same as it appears on the passport or ID proof that they plan to bring to the authorised test centre on the exam day.

Read more about AP Exams Calculator Policy to understand what types and brands of calculators students can and can’t use during the exam,  the AP Exams that permit the usage of calculators, and other essential tips.

AP Exams – Digital Policies

• The student must bring their OWN APPROVED TESTING DEVICEto the test centre on exam day, or else they will not be able to take the test.  Click to read about device requirements  here: https://bluebook.collegeboard.org/students/approved-devices
• To learn more about testing on Bluebook and their digital testing requirements, click here https://bluebook.collegeboard.org/students

Students are instructed to download Bluebook on the approved testing device before the exam day.
Please note: Practice exams in the Bluebook are now available.

Registration for the AP Exams – General Instructions

Students must register for each AP Exam using the ‘Join Code’ provided by their chosen test centre, follow the registration steps within the given deadlines, and pay the exam fee directly to the centre.

Deadline extensions will not be granted.

Please find detailed information about CMS Gomti Nagar I Test Centre‘s AP Exam policy, registration process, and exam fee in this PDF file— Registration Policy

Registration Timeline

Student Acknowledgement for Taking the AP Exam

• I hereby acknowledge that to take AP Exams, I meet at least one of the eligibility categories mentioned below and have a legitimate need for AP testing:
  1. I am actively enrolled in secondary school, or I am a secondary-level homeschooled student, or participating in independent study, or attending a virtual school.
  2. I am an actively enrolled student who is taking the exam before the ninth grade.
  3. I am a recent secondary school graduate who needs to clear a specific AP Exam for university admission.
• I acknowledge that I will pay the test centre directly and register online with the College Board by the stated test centre deadline to complete my AP Exam registration process and receive an Admission Ticket from the test centre (or I will not be able to take the test).
• I acknowledge that I have read and agreed to the test centre’s policies above, including the ID Policy, Payment deadline, payment instructions, refunds and cancellations T&C, digital testing policies, etc.

Click here to see the list of AP exam 2025 CMS exemplars. https://cmseducation.org/ap-exam-2025-results/