AP, IB, ACT, and SAT Fee Waiver Programs for New York State Students
Fee waiver programs exist for eligible New York State students for the following exams: ACT, Advanced Placement (AP) Exams, and International Baccalaureate (IB) Exams. These fee waiver programs either reduce or eliminate student fees for the exams.
Information includes:
- ACT Fee Waiver Program
- Advanced Placement (AP) Exam Fee Waiver Program
- International Baccalaureate (IB) Exam Fee Waiver Program
- SAT Fee Waiver Program
- Student Qualification Guidelines
- Alternate Funding Source
Student Qualification Guidelines
Eligibility for the AP / IB Exam Fee Waivers is based on students' Free and Reduced Price Lunch (FRPL) Eligibility. The New York State Education Department will reimburse a portion of exam fees for students' who qualify for either free or reduced price meals.
Alternate Funding Sources
Title IV
Under Title IV, section 4104 (b) of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), states may choose to utilize a portion of their Title IV formula funds for various state activities, which may include paying all or a portion of “accelerated learning” exam fees for low-income students.
Title I
The United States Department of Education has indicated that local educational agencies (LEAs) may use Title I, Part A funds to pay the cost for low-income students to take an AP or IB exam in limited circumstances.
- Title I, Part A funds may be used to pay the cost of taking an AP or IB exam for a student from a low-income family who is participating in a Title I, Part A program, provided that paying for those costs is otherwise the responsibility of the student’s parents. In other words, Title I, Part A funds may be used to pay the cost of taking the exam if, absent the Title I, Part A funds, the student would not be able to access the exam.
- To the extent that the LEA covers the cost of the exams for all students or the LEA has a fund to pay the cost for students from low-income families in general, Title I, Part A funds may not be used.
LEAs interested in using Title I, Part A funds for this purpose should reference:
- C-4 in United States Department of Education’s February 2008 non-regulatory guidance titled Title I Fiscal Issues
- B-4, B-7, and C-4 in United States Department of Education's September 2009 non-regulatory guidance titled Using Title I, Part A ARRA Funds
Additional questions can be directed to emscurric@nysed.gov or (518) 474-5922.