Can a High School Student Take AP Classes Online?
- Stephen Turban
- 3 hours ago
- 4 min read
Yes, and this comes up for a few different reasons. Maybe your school does not offer a subject you want. Maybe you are homeschooled. Maybe you just want to get ahead over a break. The path looks slightly different depending on which of these describes you.
Key takeaways
You can take an AP exam even without ever sitting in a formal AP class, according to CollegeBoard's own policy, though the CollegeBoard recommends taking the course first when possible.
There is no official summer AP exam. The exam is only administered in May, so "taking AP over the summer" really means studying an online course to prepare for the following spring's exam.
Students who self-study still register through a physical school's AP coordinator, since individual students cannot order an AP exam directly from CollegeBoard.
Homeschooled students and students at schools without a given AP course follow the same independent registration path, contacting a local school willing to host them as an outside test taker.
Can you actually take an AP exam without taking the class?
Yes. According to CollegeBoard's own FAQ, taking the AP course first is recommended, but not required. This policy exists specifically so that homeschooled students, and students whose schools do not offer a particular AP subject, still have a path to earn an AP score.
To prepare without the class, CollegeBoard recommends studying the official course and exam description for your subject, which outlines exactly what content and skills are assessed, and working through released free-response questions from past exams along with their scoring guidelines.
Is there such a thing as taking AP classes over the summer?
Not in the sense of a summer AP exam. AP exams are administered only once a year, in May. What people usually mean by "AP classes over the summer" is enrolling in a self-paced or scheduled online AP course during the summer months to prepare for the following spring's exam, either because their school does not offer the subject during the school year or because they want a head start before the fall term begins.
How does registering as an independent or self-study student actually work?
You cannot order an AP exam directly from CollegeBoard as an individual. According to CollegeBoard's own guidance for independent study students, you need to be enrolled in an "exam only" section at a school willing to administer the test, arranged through that school's AP coordinator.
The practical steps look like this. First, search the AP Course Ledger to find schools near you that are authorized to administer AP exams. Then contact that school's AP coordinator directly to ask whether they can host an outside student for the specific exam you want to take. If they agree, they will create an exam-only section for you, provide a join code so you can enroll in My AP, and submit your exam order along with your fee. This process has real deadlines, generally in mid-November, so starting in September gives you the most room to find a willing host school.
Do homeschooled students follow a different process?
No, homeschooled students follow the same independent registration path as any other self-study student. There is no separate homeschool-specific registration system. You contact a local school, ask to be added as an outside student for the exam, and pay the same standard fee as any other test taker.
What resources actually help if you are studying independently?
All students, including those in exam-only sections, get access to AP Daily videos and some course resources in AP Classroom, though assignment-based resources that a teacher would normally distribute are not available without an enrolled class section. Beyond that, the official course and exam description for your subject and CollegeBoard's released past free-response questions are the most directly useful materials, since they come straight from the organization that writes and scores the exam.
If your school simply does not offer AP at all
Colleges evaluate your transcript against your own school's offerings, so a limited AP catalog at your school is not held against you. That said, if you specifically want to demonstrate independent academic initiative beyond what your school can offer, self-studying a subject you are genuinely interested in is one path. Independent research is another, and it does not depend on your school offering a particular course at all.
Programs like the Lumiere Research Scholar Program let students design and complete an original research project with a PhD mentor, entirely outside your school's own course catalog, which can be a strong option if your school's AP offerings are limited.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take an AP exam without taking the class?
Yes. CollegeBoard allows this, though it recommends taking the course first when possible. You will need to register through a school willing to host you as an outside test taker.
Is there a summer AP exam?
No. AP exams are only given in May. Online summer AP courses exist to help students prepare in advance, not to sit a summer exam.
Do I need my own school to register for an AP exam?
You need to enroll in an "exam only" section at a school authorized to administer AP exams, arranged through that school's AP coordinator. You cannot order an exam directly from CollegeBoard as an individual.
Can homeschooled students take AP exams?
Yes. Homeschooled students follow the same independent registration process as any other self-study student, contacting a local host school and paying the standard exam fee.
What is the deadline to register for an AP exam as an independent student?
Deadlines are generally in mid-November for the following May's exam, though this can vary by host school. Starting the process in September gives you the most time to find a school willing to host you.
Resources
Official AP resources
Register for AP Exams, including the AP Course Ledger to find a host school.
Ordering AP Exams for Independent Study Students, CollegeBoard's official process for outside test takers.
Can I take the AP Exam if I haven't taken an AP course?, CollegeBoard's direct answer.
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Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a graduate of Harvard College, where he earned an A.B. in Statistics. He founded Lumiere as a PhD student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.