AP Calculus AB and BC: a guide for students in Singapore
What each course covers, how the exam works from May 2027, how many students get a 5, how universities use the scores, and how to register in Singapore. Every fact comes from the College Board, university or test-centre pages.
Four things to know
BC is AB plus two more units
BC covers everything in AB, plus parametric, polar and vector-valued functions, infinite series, and six extra topics such as integration by parts and Euler's method. Both exams have the same format, and you cannot take both in the same year.
A 5 is far more common on BC
In 2026, 46% of BC students got a 5, against 20% on AB. Students who take BC are usually further ahead in maths, so this does not mean BC is easier.
Universities that need maths ask for BC
NUS requires Calculus BC for every programme except Law, and NTU for engineering and most sciences. LSE, UCL and Oxford ask for BC for maths-heavy courses, and Cambridge strongly prefers it.
If your school has no AP, register early
USEIC and Prometric Singapore both take students from any school. Prometric's lower fee ends on 6 November 2026. At an AP school, register through the AP coordinator before the school's deadline.
AB and BC, unit by unit
BC includes all of AB. Units 9 and 10 are BC only, and six topics inside units 6 to 8 are BC only. Percentages are the College Board's weightings for the multiple-choice section.
| Unit | AB | BC |
|---|---|---|
| 1Limits and Continuity | 10–15% | 5–10% |
| 2Differentiation: Definition and Fundamental Properties | 10–15% | 5–10% |
| 3Differentiation: Composite, Implicit, and Inverse Functions | 5–10% | 5–10% |
| 4Contextual Applications of Differentiation | 10–15% | 5–10% |
| 5Analytical Applications of Differentiation | 15–20% | 10–15% |
| 6Integration and Accumulation of Change | 15–20% | 15–20% |
| 7Differential Equations | 5–10% | 5–10% |
| 8Applications of Integration | 10–15% | 5–10% |
| 9Parametric Equations, Polar Coordinates, and Vector-Valued Functions | BC only | 10–15% |
| 10Infinite Sequences and Series | BC only | 15–20% |
BC-only topics inside units 6–8
- 6.11Integration by parts
- 6.12Linear partial fractions
- 6.13Improper integrals
- 7.5Euler's method
- 7.9Logistic models
- 8.13Arc length and distance travelled
The course content has not changed for 2026–27. The College Board still uses the Course and Exam Description effective from Fall 2020, with clarifications from Fall 2026.
Source: College Board, AP Calculus AB and BC course pages and Course and Exam Description
Same format for AB and BC
Both exams take 3 hours 10 minutes. The multiple-choice section is answered in the Bluebook app; free-response answers are handwritten in a paper booklet.
| Part | Questions | Time | Calculator |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section I, Part A (multiple choice) | 29 | 62 min | Not allowed |
| Section I, Part B (multiple choice) | 13 | 38 min | Graphing calculator required |
| Section II, Part A (free response) | 2 | 30 min | Graphing calculator required |
| Section II, Part B (free response) | 4 | 60 min | Not allowed |
Section I (42 questions) and Section II (6 questions) are each 50% of the score.
What the scores mean
- 5Extremely well qualified
- 4Very well qualified
- 3Qualified
- 2Possibly qualified
- 1No recommendation
Changed for May 2027
Part A goes from 30 to 29 questions (60 → 62 minutes) and Part B from 15 to 13 questions (45 → 38 minutes). The content is the same.
Calculators
Bring up to two approved graphing calculators. The Desmos calculator in Bluebook appears only in the calculator parts.
AB subscore
BC students also get an AB subscore (1–5) for the AB part, about 60% of the exam. Some universities give credit for it.
One exam a year
You may not take both AB and BC in the same year.
Source: College Board, AP Calculus AB exam page, CED clarifications (Fall 2026), calculator policy, AB subscore and score scale pages
How many students get a 5?
All students worldwide. Each bar is 100% of the students who took the exam that year.
- 5
- 4
- 3
- 2
- 1
Calculus AB
2025: 285,891 students · mean 3.21Show as a table
| Year (%) | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | Students | Mean |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 20.4 | 16.1 | 19.1 | 22.6 | 21.7 | 268,352 | 2.91 |
| 2023 | 22.4 | 16.2 | 19.4 | 21.7 | 20.3 | 273,987 | 2.99 |
| 2024 | 21.4 | 27.8 | 15.3 | 22.7 | 12.9 | 278,657 | 3.22 |
| 2025 | 20.3 | 28.9 | 15 | 22.8 | 13 | 285,891 | 3.21 |
| 2026 | 20 | 28 | 17 | 24 | 11 | – | – |
Calculus BC
2025: 160,436 students · mean 3.82Show as a table
| Year (%) | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | Students | Mean |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 41.2 | 15.6 | 20.1 | 16.4 | 6.8 | 120,238 | 3.68 |
| 2023 | 43.5 | 15.9 | 19 | 15.2 | 6.3 | 135,458 | 3.75 |
| 2024 | 47.7 | 21.1 | 12.1 | 13.9 | 5.2 | 148,191 | 3.92 |
| 2025 | 44 | 21.9 | 12.8 | 15.2 | 6.2 | 160,436 | 3.82 |
| 2026 | 46 | 22 | 14 | 14 | 4 | – | – |
AB subscore of BC students, 2025: 47.7% got a 5 and 88% got 3 or more.
2026 figures are the rounded percentages the College Board has published so far; student numbers and means come later. AB scores of 4 rose sharply in 2024; the College Board lists Calculus among the exams with no change to score standards and gives no reason.
Source: College Board, AP Calculus AB and BC score distributions (2022–2026) and 2025 AB subscore distribution
What a score earns at US universities
Each university sets its own policy. Some give credit, some only placement, and some neither.
| University | Calculus AB | Calculus BC | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| MIT | No credit. A 5 opens the accelerated 18.01A/18.02A sequence. | 5: credit for 18.01 (Calculus I) | A 5 on the AB part of the BC exam also opens 18.01A. Class entering 2026. |
| Stanford | 5: 6 units (MATH 19/20) | 4: 6 units; 5: 10 units (MATH 19/20/21) | AB subscore 5: 6 units. Credit for one Calculus exam only. 2026–27 entrants. |
| Columbia (Columbia College) | 4 or 5: 3 credits, after Calculus II or III with C or better | 4: 3 credits; 5: 6 credits, after Calculus III or an accelerated course with C or better | 2026–27 Bulletin. The maths department page lists AB credit for a 5 only. |
| University of California | 4 quarter units | 8 quarter units (8 at most for both exams) | An AB subscore of 3+ earns the AB units even if the BC score is lower. Each campus decides how credit counts. |
| Carnegie Mellon | 5: 21-120 (10 units); 4: 21-111 in some colleges only | 5: 21-120 and 21-122 (20 units); 4: no credit | The AB subscore counts as an AB score. |
| University of Michigan (Engineering) | 5: Math 120 (4 credits) | 4: Math 120 (4 credits); 5: Math 120 and 121 (8 credits) | No credit for the AB subscore. |
| Harvard | No degree credit | No degree credit | AP results can help placement; every first-year takes Harvard's maths placement exam. |
| Caltech | No automatic credit | No automatic credit | Placement out of first-year maths only through Caltech's own summer exams. |
Sources: each university's credit or placement page, checked October 2026
Applying with a US high school diploma and APs
UK and Singapore universities do not accept a US high school diploma on its own. They ask for APs, often with SAT or ACT, and maths courses usually want Calculus BC.
| University | APs needed | Calculus |
|---|---|---|
| Cambridge | 5 APs at grade 5, plus SAT 1500 (Maths 750+) or ACT 33 for most sciences and Economics (2027 entry) | BC strongly preferred for courses that ask for A Level Maths and Further Maths |
| Oxford | Set by course. Mathematics: 4 APs at 5 including Calculus BC, or 3 including BC plus ACT 33 or SAT 1480 | Computer Science: 4 APs at 5 including BC. Medicine: take BC if you can. AB and BC count as one subject. |
| Imperial | 5 APs at 5, 5, 5, 4, 4, or 3 APs at 5, 5, 4 plus SAT 1460 or ACT 31 | Department pages set subject rules |
| LSE | 5 APs at 5 for A*AA and AAA programmes, with GPA and SAT/ACT conditions | Calculus BC at 5 for programmes with a maths requirement. Only one of AB or BC counts. |
| UCL | 3 to 5 APs, or 2 APs plus a high SAT or ACT score (2027 entry) | BC for Computer Science and other courses that require A Level Maths; AB or BC for Economics and Engineering |
| NUS | 5 APs at 3+, or SAT (Reading and Writing 600, Maths 650) or ACT 29 plus 3 APs at 3+ | Calculus BC is compulsory for every programme except Law |
| NTU | 3 or more APs with scores of 4 and 5 | Calculus BC is compulsory for Engineering, Applied Computing in Finance and most science programmes |
These rules are for applicants with an American high school diploma. IB students apply with the IB Diploma; see the next section.
Sources: each university's admissions page; entry year as stated on the page (2026 or 2027 entry)
Do IB students need AP Calculus?
Usually not for admission
The UK and Singapore universities above assess IB applicants on the IB Diploma. Their AP rules apply to the US high school diploma route.
NUS Medicine and Dentistry with predicted results
For the May 2027 session, IB applicants with predicted results add UCAT, or SAT or ACT with AP exams, for Medicine, and SAT or ACT with AP exams for Dentistry. This is not needed with actual IB results.
US credit for IB maths
Some US universities credit IB HL maths directly: Columbia gives 3 credits for AA HL 6 and 6 credits for a 7; Stanford gives 6 units for AA HL 6 or 7. Caltech accepts HL Maths 6 or 7 for its calculus requirement, but not SL.
Sources: NUS Office of Admissions (IB Diploma requirements), Columbia mathematics department, Stanford external test credit, Caltech admissions
Where to register
Students at an AP school register through their school. Students whose school does not offer AP register with a test centre in Singapore.
At an AP school
Register through your school's AP coordinator before the school's deadline. Schools must order exams from the College Board by 13 November 2026.
Schools that list AP Calculus
- Singapore American SchoolAB, BC and BC (post-AB, one semester)
- Stamford American International SchoolAB and BC (Grade 12 only)
- International Community SchoolAB and BC
- Canadian International SchoolAB planned from 2027–28
USEIC
United States Education Information Center · Farrer Road- Takes students from any school or country
- May 2026: Calculus AB and BC on Monday 11 May at 8:00
- Fees per exam in 2026: SGD 475 in the first registration period, SGD 525 in the second, plus a rush fee for late registrations
- Own device with Bluebook installed; no accommodated testing
- May 2027 details not yet posted (October 2026)
Prometric Singapore
Authorised by the College Board for May 2027- Takes any eligible student, from any school or country
- Period 1: until 6 November 2026, USD 251 per exam (late testing USD 293)
- Period 2: 18 November 2026 – 5 March 2027, USD 293 per exam (late testing USD 335)
- Get a join code, join it in My AP, then pay Prometric
- Own device with Bluebook; passport, NRIC or MOE card; venue announced in April 2027
Exam day
AP Calculus AB and BC: Monday 10 May 2027, morning session. Late testing: Thursday 20 May 2027, afternoon session. The test centre confirms the exact start time.
Sources: College Board exam dates and ordering deadlines, USEIC test registration page (May 2026, the latest posted), Prometric Singapore AP page (May 2027), school course guides
1:1 AP Calculus AB and BC lessons (new students from May 2027)
Where each fact comes from
Show all sources
- College Board: AP Calculus AB exam (format from May 2027)
- College Board: AP Calculus AB course (unit weightings)
- College Board: AP Calculus BC course (unit weightings)
- College Board: AP Calculus AB and BC Course and Exam Description
- College Board: CED clarifications for Fall 2026
- College Board: calculator policy
- College Board: AB subscore on the BC exam
- College Board: AP score scale
- College Board: AP Calculus AB score distributions
- College Board: AP Calculus BC score distributions
- College Board: 2025 AB subscore distribution
- College Board: 2027 exam dates
- College Board: late-testing dates
- College Board: exam fees and ordering deadlines
- College Board: registering for AP exams
- USEIC: test registration
- Prometric Singapore: AP exams
- NUS Medicine and Dentistry (IB applicants)
- Columbia mathematics: IB credit
Policies and fees change every year. Check the official page before you register or apply.
An AP Calculus course is coming
After AA HL, my online course will add AP Calculus AB and BC. Sign up on the course page to hear when it opens.
This is an independent summary by Math with Alex. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the College Board, any university or any test centre. AP and Advanced Placement are trademarks of the College Board.
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