F=MA EXAM REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!!

REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS JANUARY 20, 2026!

PLEASE NOTE that the test date for the F=ma exam is February 12, 2026 ONLY! The exam window on the 12th is 1pm to 4pm EST ONLY!!

NEW for 2026, the F=ma and USAPhO exams will be conducted online via Educational Vistas only. There will be no printable versions of the exams available.

EXAM INFORMATION

  • Students must be either U.S. citizens, legal permanent residents of the United States (green card holders), or currently attending a U.S. school to participate in the F=ma exam. IMPORTANT: Students must also be located within the U.S. to take the F=ma exam. Because of the time difference, U.S. Territories, except Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, would not be considered within the U.S.
  • Students must be either U.S. citizens, or legal permanent residents of the United States (green card holders), to take the USAPhO exam. IMPORTANT: Students must also be located within the U.S. to take the USAPhO exam.
  • Due to security concerns, for-profit test prep centers, and for-profit educational services will no longer be allowed to proctor the F=ma or USAPhO exams.
  • If you are not the proctor for the exam, you will need to provide your proctors contact information when you register. You will need to provide the proctor's email address, company, and mailing address.

FEE STRUCTURE

School Registration Fee - $75 ($37.50 for AAPT Members) PER SCHOOL plus, $15.50 per student (You do not need to supply the names of students who will participate at this time; only the number of students.)

It is preferred that one person register all students from a school.

The F=ma exam proctors will receive email instructions from Educational Vistas (EdVistas). They will be instructed on how to have their students register on EdVistas website prior to the exam date. Please be sure that the proctor information that you provide during registration is correct, and that proctors are aware that EdVistas will be contacting them.

REGISTRATION

Reg_button_sm17

REGISTER ONLINE with a credit card!

F=MA EXAM REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS JANUARY 20, 2026!

PDF Registration Form for checks or purchase orders! (If mailing form, please also email the form to programs@aapt.org)

Proctoring Requirements for the F=ma and USAPhO exams

  • Both the F=ma and USAPhO exams must be proctored in person. Parents, relatives, or close friends and acquaintances of students are not acceptable proctors. It is expected and preferred that competitors will take the exam at their local school, though they may take the exam elsewhere if needed.
  • For-profit test prep centers and educational services are no longer allowed to proctor the F=ma or USAPhO exams.
  • Homeschooled students should contact community colleges, universities, or libraries to ask if they have proctoring services. PARENTS OR RELATIVES OF HOMESCHOOLED STUDENTS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE PROCTORS. Parents of homeschooled students may register their children for the exam, but they must provide information for an alternative proctor.
  • In order to verify the identity of exam proctors, we ask that email addresses be official school email addresses, ideally associated with a school district or an accredited private school. Personal email addresses are not acceptable.
  • If you are unable to provide an official school email, then you will need to provide additional contact information for your organization in order to verify your identity and the identity of the organization
  • Proctors cannot be relatives of the student(s) taking the exam. Proctors should have at least a 2-year degree, though this degree does not need to be related to physics. Libraries may proctor the test at a public library, provided they can observe the test to ensure the integrity of the process.
  • Testing centers will need to acknowledge that they are a testing center, and provide a web address to verify their Non-Profit status.

PLEASE NOTE: The American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) does not have any affiliation with, does not endorse, and does not recommend any test centers, schools, or other locations that offer proctoring services.

Furthermore, please be aware that AAPT does not facilitate or arrange test centers, teachers, or proctors for the F=ma or USAPhO exams. We do not maintain a shareable listing of centers or teachers that have participated or will participate in the exams.

The American Association of Physics Teachers may change the program rules, regulations, and conditions of participation in whole or in part. Whenever possible, teachers will be notified of these changes ahead of time.