Your AP scores are already worth something
AP Scholar awards are decided purely by your exam scores — no application, no essay, no deadline to miss. Most students find out they qualified months after the fact, when it is too late to have planned for the next tier up.
Which AP Scholar tier are you on track for?
Add the AP exams you have taken or expect to take, with the score you expect on each.
Every tier needs a 3 or higher on at least three exams.
For AP Scholar: 3 more scores of 3+.
All three tiers, and the rule people get wrong
- AP Scholar with DistinctionAn average of at least 3.5 across every exam you have taken, and a 3 or higher on at least five of them.
- AP Scholar with HonorAn average of at least 3.25 across every exam you have taken, and a 3 or higher on at least four of them.
- AP ScholarA 3 or higher on at least three exams. There is no average requirement for this tier.
The rule people get wrong: the average is over every exam you have taken, not just the ones you passed. A 2 still lands in the denominator, which is why an extra exam can move you down a tier rather than up.
Sign in and this fills in from your own practice scores automatically.
Scholarships worth your time
16 national programmes, each linking straight to the organisation that awards the money.
From the College Board
Entered by taking the PSAT/NMSQT in your junior year — the one test that genuinely matters for a scholarship rather than for admission.
Entries are earned by completing college-planning steps rather than by grades, so it is open to students a merit award would pass over.
Financial need
High-achieving students from low-income households, matched to partner colleges. One of the few programmes that covers the full cost rather than a slice.
Pell-eligible minority students in the top of their class.
High-achieving students with financial need. Heavily weighted toward evidence of stretching yourself — which is exactly what a hard AP load shows.
Students who have overcome significant adversity and have critical financial need.
Students who have shown grit and determination through hardship. Unusually, it keeps supporting you after you enrol rather than writing one cheque.
Leadership & service
High school seniors, judged on leadership and service rather than grades alone. Opens in the summer before senior year and closes early — diary it now.
High school seniors across the US and Canada. Lower-effort application than most on this list, which makes it worth the hour.
Community-specific
Black/African American high school seniors with academic promise and community commitment.
Students of Hispanic heritage, high school seniors through graduate students.
Native American and Alaska Native students.
STEM
Women entering engineering, engineering technology or computer science.
For later — sophomores and juniors already in college who intend a research career in maths, science or engineering. Worth knowing about now if that is your direction.
Students under 18 who have completed a significant piece of work in science, technology, mathematics, music, literature or philosophy. A strong fit if you have done real AP Research or Capstone work.
Links last opened and checked 2026-08-01. We are not affiliated with any programme listed and do not benefit from your applying — there are no referral links on this page.
The fastest way to move a tier is to move one score from a 2 to a 3.