Fullerton Union High School AP and IB: Grade Levels and Exams

Fullerton Union High School offers both AP courses and the IB Diploma Programme. The official UC A-G course list for 2026-27 includes 22 AP courses and 20 IB courses at the school; the school’s AP page lists 19 AP courses, and the 2026-27 AP/IB parent meeting slides set out the grade levels for each course. The school has not published subject-level AP or IB exam results, so this page does not rank courses by pass rate. Instead it brings together the structure of the two systems, the grade levels of each course, exam logistics and suggested combinations, to help parents decide before grade 10 course selection.

Who Fullerton Union High School’s AP and IB Programs Suit

At Fullerton Union High School the two are not an either-or choice but two ways of combining courses on the same honors route. The school’s four-year honors plan lists AP and IB courses side by side in grades 11 and 12, and some are taught together: AP English Literature with IB English Literature HL 2, and AP Physics 2 with IB Physics HL.

Program	Who it suits and what it requires
AP (22 courses on the UC list)	One exam per course, one year per course, with the most flexible combinations. The school says AP is open to any student regardless of grades. Students can start with AP Human Geography in grade 9 and take AP European History in grade 10; the rest are concentrated in grades 11 and 12. There are no diploma-level requirements
IB Diploma (20 courses on the UC list)	The IB Diploma consists of six courses taken over grades 11 and 12, with one exam in each subject group: 2 or 3 Standard Level (SL) exams and 3 or 4 Higher Level (HL) exams. HL courses run two years and SL courses one year. Candidates also complete Theory of Knowledge, a 4,000-word Extended Essay and 150 hours of Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) across grades 11 and 12
IB individual certificates	Students who do not pursue the full diploma can choose one or more IB courses, as with AP, and sit the same exams as diploma candidates
Entry requirements	There is no entrance exam. The school recommends that interested students apply to its honors program by submitting transcripts before grade 9; the IB coordinator presents the diploma program in honors English classes and reviews transcripts and teacher recommendations for students interested in the full diploma. Taking honors courses in grades 9 and 10 is not required for IB courses in grades 11 and 12
College credit	Both can earn college credit, as each university decides; the school recommends that students research the AP and IB credit policies of the universities they plan to apply to

Fullerton Union High School AP and IB Exam Results: Not Published by the School

Fullerton Union High School AP Course Grade Levels

The table below follows the 2026-27 AP/IB parent meeting slides and the school’s four-year honors plan.

Grade	AP courses available
From grade 9	AP Human Geography: the school says it is typically taken in grade 9 but can be taken in any grade. The sample grade 9 schedule also lists "AP Comp Science" without saying whether it means Computer Science Principles or Computer Science A
Grade 10	AP European History: placed in grade 10 in the school's four-year honors plan
Grade 11	AP English Language and AP US History
Grades 11-12	AP Spanish Language, AP Spanish Literature, AP French Language, AP Biology, AP Physics 1, AP Calculus AB, AP Statistics, AP Environmental Science, AP Art, AP Music Theory (offered every other year) and AP Psychology
Grade 12	AP English Literature, AP Calculus BC, AP Government and AP Physics 2

The school website and course selection materials do not publish score cutoffs for AP courses. The district says honors prerequisites are met through an honors testing program for incoming freshmen or performance reviews for current students, so specific AP requirements should be confirmed with teachers and counselors before February course selection.

Fullerton Union High School IB Diploma Programme: Exam Subjects and Requirements

IB subject group	Fullerton Union High School exam subjects
Group 1: Language and Literature	English Literature HL (taught together with AP English Literature)
Group 2: Language Acquisition	Spanish HL or SL, French HL or SL
Group 3: Individuals and Societies	History of the Americas HL
Group 4: Sciences	Physics HL (taught together with AP Physics 2), Environmental Systems and Societies HL or SL
Group 5: Mathematics	Math Analysis and Approaches SL
Group 6: Arts and electives	Social and Cultural Anthropology SL, Theatre HL or SL, Visual Arts HL or SL

Theory of Knowledge meets on Mondays after school in the spring semester of grade 11 and the fall semester of grade 12; Students in grade 11 may take no more than two IB exams; students in grade 12 have no limit. HL courses run two consecutive years and the exam covers both years; SL courses run one year. The UC A-G list also includes Chemistry IB SL, Biology IB HL 2 and Music IB HL 2, but none of these appears among the exam subjects listed at the 2026-27 parent meeting, so families should confirm with the IB coordinator whether they run that year.

Fullerton Union High School AP and IB Exam Registration and Fees

AP exams	The 2027 AP exam fee is $85 per exam, or $5 per exam for students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Students register in each course's AP Classroom site by November 6, 2026, and pay through the school's Red Hawk Web-Store by January 31, 2027
IB exams	The 2027 IB exam fee is $110 per exam, or $10 per exam for students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Registration and payment are both completed on the Red Hawk Web-Store by November 6, 2026
Which exams are offered	The school offers AP exams only for the AP courses it teaches
2027 exam dates	AP and IB exams run from April 28 to May 18, 2027
Contacts	AP coordinator Erin McCarthy (also a counselor); IB coordinator Michael Alvarez

Fullerton Union High School Integrity Code for Honors, AP and IB Courses

Honors, AP and IB courses all follow the school's Honors/AP/IB Integrity Code. Violations accumulate across courses and school years: a first violation earns a zero on the assignment, Saturday School is added from the second violation, the semester grade drops one full letter at the third, and at the fourth the semester grade drops and the student is removed from the course at the end of the semester. The code lists plagiarism, cheating on tests and using AI to produce work without the teacher’s permission as violations; from the second violation on, the teacher involved will not write a letter of recommendation for the student. Students may appeal after each alleged violation.

AP Courses Fullerton Union High School Does Not Offer

AP Chemistry: the advanced chemistry courses on the A-G list are Chemistry - Honors and Chemistry IB SL
AP Precalculus: Pre-Calculus is offered only at the standard and honors levels
AP World History: Modern
AP Macroeconomics and AP Microeconomics: Economics is offered only at the standard and honors levels
AP Physics C
AP Chinese Language and Culture and other AP languages besides French and Spanish
AP Comparative Government and AP Art History
AP Seminar and AP Research

The school’s AP/IB parent meeting slides state that it offers exams only for the AP courses it teaches. Students who want to take these exams need to study the course elsewhere and register with a test site at another school.

Fullerton Union High School AP Course List

English 2 courses

Course	Level	Grades	Prerequisites / Conditions / Notes	UC A-G
AP English Language and Composition	AP	11	—The four-year honors plan lists AP English Language or IB English Literature HL1; Transcript abbreviations: AP Engl Lang, AP-English 3-IB	b
AP English Literature and Composition	AP	12	—Taught together with IB English Literature HL 2; Transcript abbreviations: AP - ENGLISH 4 -IB, AP Engl Lit	b

Social Science 5 courses

Course	Level	Grades	Prerequisites / Conditions / Notes	UC A-G
AP European History	AP	10	—Placed in grade 10 in the four-year honors plan; Transcript abbreviations: AP Eur Hist, AP-Eurp Hist-IB	a
AP Government and Politics United States	AP	12	—Transcript abbreviations: AP GovPol US, AP-GovPol US	a
AP Human Geography	AP	9-12	—The school says it is typically taken in grade 9 but can be taken in any grade; the four-year honors plan places it in grade 9; Transcript abbreviations: AP-Hum Geo, AP-Human Geog	a
AP United States History	AP	11	—IB Diploma candidates also take this course in grade 11; Transcript abbreviations: AP - AMER HISTORY, AP US HIst, AP-AMER/HISTORY, US History-AP	a
AP Psychology	AP	11-12	—Transcript abbreviations: AP-Psychology	g

Mathematics 3 courses

Course	Level	Grades	Prerequisites / Conditions / Notes	UC A-G
AP Calculus AB	AP	11-12	—Transcript abbreviations: AP - CALCULUS, AP Calc AB, AP-CALCULUS AB, Calculus (AP)	c
AP Calculus BC	AP	12	—Transcript abbreviations: AP Calculus BC	c
AP Statistics	AP	11-12	—Transcript abbreviations: AP Stat, AP-Statistics, Statistics (AP)	c

Science 4 courses

Course	Level	Grades	Prerequisites / Conditions / Notes	UC A-G
AP Biology	AP	11-12	—Transcript abbreviations: AP Bio	d
AP Environmental Science	AP	11-12	—Transcript abbreviations: AP Env Sci	d
AP Physics 1	AP	11-12	—Transcript abbreviations: AP-Physics 1	d
AP Physics 2	AP	12	—Taught together with IB Physics HL; Transcript abbreviations: AP PHYSICS 2	d

Computer Science & Engineering 2 courses

Course	Level	Grades	Prerequisites / Conditions / Notes	UC A-G
AP Computer Science A	AP	—	—Not among the AP courses listed for grades 11 and 12 at the 2026-27 parent meeting; the sample grade 9 schedule lists "AP Comp Science" without naming the course; Transcript abbreviations: AP-CompSci A, AP-CompSciA, AP-Computer Science A	c
AP Computer Science Principles	AP	—	—Not among the AP courses listed for grades 11 and 12 at the 2026-27 parent meeting; the sample grade 9 schedule lists "AP Comp Science" without naming the course; Transcript abbreviations: AP-CompSci/Princ	d

World Language 3 courses

Course	Level	Grades	Prerequisites / Conditions / Notes	UC A-G
AP French Language and Culture	AP	11-12	—Transcript abbreviations: AP-French Lang	e
AP Spanish Language and Culture	AP	11-12	—Transcript abbreviations: AP Span Lang, AP-SPANISH 4-IB, SpanishLang AP	e
AP Spanish Literature and Culture	AP	11-12	—Transcript abbreviations: AP Span Lit, SpanishLiter-AP	e

Visual & Performing Arts 3 courses

Course	Level	Grades	Prerequisites / Conditions / Notes	UC A-G
AP 2D Art and Design	AP	11-12	—Listed as AP Art in the parent meeting slides; Transcript abbreviations: AP 2 DIMEN DES, AP Art 2D	f
AP 3D Art and Design	AP	11-12	—Listed as AP Art in the parent meeting slides; Transcript abbreviations: AP-Art 3D	f
AP Music Theory	AP	11-12	—Offered every other year; Transcript abbreviations: AP Music, AP-MUSIC THEORY	f

Fullerton Union High School IB Course List

English 2 courses

Course	Level	Grades	Prerequisites / Conditions / Notes	UC A-G
English IB HL1	IB	11	—IB Group 1; first year of the two-year HL course; Transcript abbreviations: English-IB HL 1	b
English IB HL2	IB	12	—IB Group 1; taught together with AP English Literature; Transcript abbreviations: English-IB HL 2	b

Social Science 2 courses

Course	Level	Grades	Prerequisites / Conditions / Notes	UC A-G
History of the Americas IB HL2	IB	12	—IB Group 3; the four-year honors plan lists IB History of the Americas or AP Government; Transcript abbreviations: His-Amer IB HL2	a
Social and Cultural Anthropology IB SL	IB	—	—The school lists it under IB Group 6 (electives); Transcript abbreviations: SCAnthrpgy-IBSL	g

Mathematics 1 course

Course	Level	Grades	Prerequisites / Conditions / Notes	UC A-G
Math Analysis and Approaches IB SL	IB	11	—IB Group 5; one-year SL; the four-year honors plan lists IB Mathematics or Pre-Calculus Honors; Transcript abbreviations: Anlys&App IB SL	c

Science 6 courses

Course	Level	Grades	Prerequisites / Conditions / Notes	UC A-G
Biology IB HL2	IB	12	—IB Group 4; biology is not among the IB exam subjects listed at the 2026-27 parent meeting; Transcript abbreviations: Biology-IB HL 2	d
Chemistry IB SL	IB	—	—IB Group 4; chemistry is not among the IB exam subjects listed at the 2026-27 parent meeting; Transcript abbreviations: Chemistry-IB	d
Environmental Systems & Societies IB SL	IB	—	—IB Group 4; Transcript abbreviations: Envi Syst-IB SL	d
Environmental Systems and Societies IB HL2	IB	12	—IB Group 4; Transcript abbreviations: Envi Syst-IB HL	d
Physics IB HL2	IB	12	—IB Group 4; taught together with AP Physics 2; Transcript abbreviations: Physics-IB HL 2	d
Physics IB SL	IB	—	—IB Group 4; Transcript abbreviations: Physics-IB SL	d

World Language 4 courses

Course	Level	Grades	Prerequisites / Conditions / Notes	UC A-G
French IB HL1	IB	11	—IB Group 2; Transcript abbreviations: French-IB HL1	e
French IB SL	IB	—	—IB Group 2; Transcript abbreviations: French-IB SL	e
Spanish IB HL1	IB	11	—IB Group 2	e
Spanish IB SL	IB	—	—IB Group 2; Transcript abbreviations: Spanish-IB SL	e

Visual & Performing Arts 4 courses

Course	Level	Grades	Prerequisites / Conditions / Notes	UC A-G
Music IB HL2	IB	12	—Music is not among the IB exam subjects listed at the 2026-27 parent meeting; Transcript abbreviations: Music IB, Music-IB HL 2, Music-IB HL2	f
Theatre Arts IB HL2	IB	12	—IB Group 6; Transcript abbreviations: Theatre Arts-IB HL 2	f
Theatre IB HL1	IB	11	—IB Group 6; Transcript abbreviations: Theatre Arts-IB HL 1	f
Visual Arts IB HL2	IB	12	—IB Group 6; Transcript abbreviations: Vis Arts-IB HL2	f

IB Core 1 course

Course	Level	Grades	Prerequisites / Conditions / Notes	UC A-G
Theory of Knowledge IB	IB	11-12	—IB Diploma core course: spring of grade 11 and fall of grade 12, Mondays after school; Transcript abbreviations: Theory of Knowledge IB (H), THR KNOWLEDGE - IB	g

Fullerton Union High School AP and IB Combinations by Intended Major

The combinations below use only courses whose grade levels the school has published.

EDUBUS Assessment

At Fullerton Union High School, AP courses are concentrated in grades 11 and 12: of the 18 listed at the parent meeting, only AP Human Geography can start in grade 9, and AP European History sits in grade 10. UC calculates GPA from grades 10 and 11 only, so the courses that really shape a UC application are English 2 Honors, Chemistry Honors and AP European History in grade 10, and AP English Language, AP US History, AP Physics 1 and IB Math SL in grade 11. The value of the IB Diploma lies in its completeness: six subjects plus Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay and 150 hours of CAS suit students willing to spend two years on a complete academic program; students who want to show depth in only a few subjects can take individual IB courses and sit the same exams. Because the school offers exams only for the AP courses it teaches, students aiming at chemistry, Physics C or economics need to arrange outside courses and test sites early.

Fullerton Union High School AP and IB: Frequently Asked Questions

How many AP courses does Fullerton Union High School offer, for Irvine families comparing options?

Fullerton Union High School's AP count depends on the source: the official UC A-G list for 2026-27 includes 22; the school's AP page lists 19; and the 2026-27 AP/IB parent meeting lists 18 that juniors and seniors may take, plus AP European History in grade 10. The differences come mainly from whether AP Computer Science Principles, AP Computer Science A and the two AP art courses are counted separately. The school says AP courses are open to any student, not just students with straight A's.

Irvine families ask: how do students register for AP and IB exams at Fullerton Union High School, and what do they cost?

Fullerton Union High School's 2027 AP exams cost $85 each, or $5 each for students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch; students register in each course's AP Classroom site by November 6, 2026, and pay on the school's Red Hawk Web-Store by January 31, 2027. IB exams cost $110 each, or $10 with the reduction, and registration and payment are both due by November 6. The school offers exams only for the AP courses it teaches.

What does a child from an Irvine family need to complete for the IB Diploma at Fullerton Union High School?

Fullerton Union High School's IB Diploma is completed over grades 11 and 12: one exam in each of six subject groups, with 2 or 3 SL exams and 3 or 4 HL exams; Theory of Knowledge, which meets on Mondays after school in the spring of grade 11 and the fall of grade 12; a 4,000-word Extended Essay; and 150 hours of Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) over the two years. Students in grade 11 may take no more than two IB exams.

What should Irvine families know about AP courses Fullerton Union High School does not offer?

Fullerton Union High School's 2026-27 UC A-G list does not include AP Chemistry, AP Precalculus, AP World History, AP Macroeconomics, AP Microeconomics, AP Physics C, AP Chinese, AP Comparative Government, AP Art History, or AP Seminar and Research. The school's AP/IB parent meeting slides state that it offers exams only for the AP courses it teaches, so students who want these subjects must take the course elsewhere and arrange an exam at another test site.

Does Fullerton Union High School publish AP pass rates, for Irvine families researching the school?

Fullerton Union High School does not currently publish subject-level AP or IB exam counts or pass rates. The School Profile page on the school website reads "Please check back soon" and has no downloadable file, and the 2024-25 SARC does not include AP exam results either. This page therefore lists no pass rates, only the grade levels, exam subjects and fees the school has published.

Data verified on 2026-11-14. Course catalogs are updated each spring; prerequisites follow the school's current Course of Study.