How to Prepare for the New 2027 AP German and Italian Exams: Identical Structures for Both, Along with a Comparison of the Six Redesigned Language Exams

AP German Language and Culture and AP Italian Language and Culture are two AP foreign language courses. Based on our experience, they are offered by relatively few schools in China. Along with Chinese, Japanese, French, and Spanish, they are being revised starting from the 2026–27 academic year, with the first administration of the new exams in May 2027.

The new exam structures for these two courses are identical, so they are covered together in this article. A comparison table of all six revised foreign language courses is included at the end. For general revision details (course project timeline, themes, exam-only students, AI policy), see How to Take the New 2027 AP Chinese Exam; for courses with the same structure, you can also refer to AP Spanish and AP French.

I. New Exam Format (Same for German and Italian)

• Fully digital exam; speaking responses are recorded in Bluebook, requiring wired headphones with a microphone;
• The course project resource pack will be released in January 2027. The "Personal Project Reference" (PPR) must be submitted by April 30 (11:59 p.m. ET);
• 2026–27 academic year project theme: Music as a starting point ("Art and Creativity" unit);
• 2027 Exam Dates: German on Friday, May 7 (Administration 1); Italian on Monday, May 3 (Administration 2);
• Both courses are roughly equivalent to intermediate-advanced college language courses (typically the third or fourth semester), with no official prerequisites.

II. 2026 Score Distributions (Pre-Revision)

III. How to Prepare

Below are some practical tips based on our experience.

• Project: For German, focus on music from German-speaking regions such as Germany, Austria, and Switzerland; for Italian, explore angles like opera, pop music, and local musical traditions. Start as soon as you get the resource pack in January and organize it into a structured outline;
• Argumentative Essay: For German, pay attention to case declensions and verb placement (verbs at the end of subordinate clauses); for Italian, focus on verb conjugations, articles, and the subjunctive mood. Cite multiple sources and address different perspectives;
• Listening: This section is 40 minutes long and accounts for 25% of the score. Listen to news, podcasts, and interviews frequently. For German, expose yourself to accents from different German-speaking regions;
• Typing: Familiarize yourself with typing German characters (ä, ö, ü, ß) and Italian characters (à, è, é, ì, ò, ù) in advance;
• School Course Availability: Few schools offer these two courses. Exam-only students must still complete the course project. The College Board states that these students can still use AP Classroom and the AP Digital Portfolio.

IV. Appendix: Comparison of the Six Revised Foreign Language Courses

Common features of all six courses: Presentation 20% + Presentation Q&A 15%, 25% each for multiple-choice listening and reading, PPR due April 30, and fully digital exams. The 2026 score distributions are all from the pre-revision exams.

Final Thoughts

Few schools offer German and Italian, but the new exam requirements are the same as for the other foreign languages: the course project accounts for 35% and preparation should start in January. Confirm your registration channel and project preparation methods, then practice the argumentative essay, listening, and reading sections step by step.

If you need tutoring for AP foreign languages, feel free to chat with our counselors. For the overall AP scoring system, see How to Get a 5 on the AP Exams; for registration and fees, see AP Course Selection and Exam Schedule.

Verification Note: This article was verified against the College Board website in September 2026. The new exam structures, question details, timing, weightings, and 2027 exam dates for German and Italian are from the exam pages for these two courses on AP Central; the corresponding college course and prerequisite descriptions are from the course pages on AP Students; general revision details, equipment requirements, project themes, and instructions for exam-only students are from the "AP World Language and Culture Revisions" page on AP Central; information on the other four courses in the comparison table is from their respective AP Central exam pages (verified in articles 153–156 on this site); score distributions are from the 2026 AP Score Distributions page on AP Students (all from pre-revision exams). Statements about "fewer students taking the courses and fewer schools offering them" and the preparation tips are based on our practical experience.

References:

• AP Central: AP German Language and Culture Exam
• AP Central: AP Italian Language and Culture Exam
• AP Central: AP World Language and Culture Revisions
• AP Students: 2026 AP Score Distributions