College Board Announces Key AP Program Updates for the 2026–27 School Year
2026-09-04
College Board has announced several important updates to the Advanced Placement (AP) Program for the 2026–27 school year. The changes include the introduction of new AP courses and the continued expansion of digital AP Exams.
Beginning in the 2026–27 school year, the following courses will be introduced as part of the AP Career Kickstart™ program:
Starting in May 2027, the following AP World Languages and Cultures exams will be delivered as fully digital AP Exams through the Bluebook digital testing application:
These courses have been revised for 2026-27 to ensure a smooth digital exam-taking experience and to prepare students for authentic speaking tasks.
Students will complete both multiple-choice and free-response questions in Bluebook, with all responses automatically submitted at the end of the exam.
The speaking section will also take place in Bluebook, where students will listen to audio prompts and record their own responses, requiring a center-provided wired headset with a microphone to take the exam.
CD players, language labs, handheld digital recorders, the Digital Audio Capture (DAC) app, and the DAS portal will no longer be used.
Additionally, for these subjects, students must submit a Personalized Project Reference (PPR) through the AP Digital Portfolio by April 30, and AP coordinators will need to print it before exam day to provide to the students.
Starting in May 2027, AP Spanish Literature and Culture will transition to a fully digital AP Exam.
Students will take all questions in Bluebook, where audio materials will also be provided. Accordingly, CD players will no longer be used, and a wired headset provided by the center is required for listening to the audio.
Beginning in May 2027, AP Music Theory will be administered as a hybrid digital AP Exam.
Multiple-choice questions are taken in Bluebook, and free-response questions are written on paper exam booklets. The Sight-Singing assessment is recorded and submitted through Bluebook.
A wired headset with a microphone is required to take the exam (Section I and Section II Part A), but for the Sight-Singing assessment, the use of headsets and earphones is strictly prohibited, and you must use the device’s built-in speaker/microphone or a wired external speaker and microphone.
Regarding the World Languages and Cultures and Music Theory exams transitioning to digital starting in 2027, the College Board has announced the following detailed audio equipment policies.
Prohibition of wireless devices: All forms of wireless headsets and wireless earphones, including Bluetooth, are strictly prohibited, and only compliant wired devices (such as USB or 3.5mm audio jacks) are allowed.
Restriction on personal devices: Bringing personal headsets is not allowed at international test centers outside the US, so students must use the devices provided by the center.
AP Spanish Literature and Culture: As it only assesses audio listening, a compliant wired headset can be used regardless of whether it has a microphone.
For more detailed audio equipment policies, please refer to the College Board Headset Guidelines.
Beginning in May 2027, the AP Statistics Exam will be delivered as a fully digital AP Exam through Bluebook.
The exam will no longer use a hybrid format or require paper free-response booklets. Students will complete the entire assessment digitally.
Beginning with the 2027 AP Exam administration, the submission deadline time for AP Art and Design will be extended from 8 p.m. ET to 11:59 p.m. ET.
To simplify calling AP Services, there is now a single phone number for both educators and students. Please refer to the consolidated contact numbers below for any inquiries or support:
United States and Canada: 866-630-9305