6 Latin exams from 4 countries compared
Latin has no exam that counts worldwide. Each country tests Latin within its own school system, and the qualifications are tailored to that system.
| Exam | Issued by | Level | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| GCSE and A Level Latin | exam boards such as OCR | language and set literature | school and university entry in the UK |
| AP Latin | College Board | Virgil and Pliny, about 3rd to 4th university semester | credit or placement at US colleges |
| National Latin Exam | American Classical League | exam with awards | school students in the US |
| Latinum | German states under the KMK agreement | demanding passages of Cicero | degrees in Germany |
| Kleines Latinum | German states such as Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia | simple prose such as Caesar | teacher training and some degrees in Germany |
| Latín II | education authorities in Spain | translation into Spanish | university entrance in Spain |
The KMK is the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education of Germany's 16 states. Its 2005 agreement ensures that a Latinum from Bavaria means the same as one from Hamburg. A German examination board does not accept the other countries' qualifications as a Latinum automatically, but checks equivalence case by case.
Why Latin has no CEFR test
The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) describes in six levels from A1 to C2 what someone can say, write, hear and read in a living language. Latin has had no native speakers for many centuries. Latin exams therefore measure reading and translation, and listening or free speaking play no part.
The University of Regensburg in Germany roughly matches its basic Latin level to A2 and the Kleines Latinum to B1. This matching is the university's own guide, not an official rating.
A course that certifies you a CEFR level in Latin issues the provider's own rating. Schools and universities ask instead for one of the national qualifications in the table.
Living Latin courses, in which lessons and conversation take place in Latin, usually end with a certificate of attendance. They help your reading speed for the exams, but they do not replace translation practice.
Which Latin exam fits which goal
The right exam follows from where and for what you need the qualification.
- School in the UK: GCSE and A Level Latin are school qualifications set by exam boards such as OCR.
- High school in the US: AP Latin can earn credit or placement at colleges, and the National Latin Exam gives awards.
- Degree in Germany: The examination regulations name basic Latin, the Kleines Latinum or the Latinum. Adults earn the last two through a supplementary exam to the German school-leaving certificate.
- School in Spain: Latín II is tested in the university entrance exam.
- Reading for pleasure: You need no exam, and a reading course without a final test suits you better.
Choose the lowest level your school or degree regulations require. If you need only basic Latin and study for the full Latinum, you lose several months.
Preparing for a Latinum of 180 words in 180 minutes
The German Latinum exam tests translation of a demanding Latin text into appropriate German. In Bavaria, candidates translate about 180 words in 180 minutes with a dictionary approved by the ministry of education. North Rhine-Westphalia allows a bilingual dictionary without grammar tables.
Three skills decide the result.
- Dictionary use: Look up only what you do not know for sure, and choose the meaning that fits the context. If you look up every word, you will not finish in 180 minutes.
- Error count: For Latinum exams taken with the school-leaving exams, Bavaria grades by a fixed error key, and up to 24 errors still earn a 4, the lowest pass grade.
- Oral exam: After 30 minutes of preparation you translate a text of about 50 words and discuss text and author for 20 minutes.
The written and oral parts count in a ratio of 2 to 1. You can retake the exam only once, so register only when your mock exams pass reliably.
Preparing for AP Latin, A level and the National Latin Exam
AP Latin from the College Board reads Virgil's Aeneid and letters of Pliny the Younger. The 2027 exam takes place on 14 May 2027, and the school's AP coordinator confirms time and place. The College Board sets no prerequisites, but students typically take the course in their fourth year of high-school Latin, and it compares the course to the third or fourth semester of university Latin. An online AP course therefore trains questions on content, style and metre of the required texts as well as translation.
GCSE and A Level Latin test language and set literature. The National Latin Exam of the American Classical League runs its 2027 testing window from 1 to 19 March, on paper or online.
For AP and A level, work with the syllabuses and sample questions of the exam boards. An online tutor should know these documents and mark your answers by their mark schemes.
Online preparation with marking by the rules of the exam
You sit most Latin exams in person, the German Latinum before an examination board. Most of the preparation, however, can be organised online.
- ✓Private video lessons mark your translations and count errors as the exam does.
- ✓Online you find a tutor for a specific exam wherever you live.
- ✓Past papers and sample questions from exam boards give realistic practice.
- ✗Self-study lacks marking by the exam's criteria.
- ✗You can hardly train an oral exam alone.
- ✗German distance courses for the Latinum are taught in German and cost about 800 to 1,700 euros (as of 2026).
In the final weeks before your exam, sit at least two complete mock exams under real conditions, with the time limit and the permitted aids.
Frequently asked questions about online Latin test preparation courses
Is there an internationally recognised Latin test like the TOEFL?
No internationally recognised Latin test like the TOEFL exists. Each country tests Latin in its own school system, for example with GCSE and A level in the UK, AP Latin in the US, the Latinum in Germany and Latín II in Spain.
When is the AP Latin exam in 2027?
The AP Latin exam in 2027 takes place on 14 May 2027. The College Board sets no prerequisites, but students typically take it in their fourth year of high-school Latin. The school's AP coordinator confirms time and place.
When is the National Latin Exam held in 2027?
The National Latin Exam of the American Classical League runs its 2027 testing window from 1 to 19 March. Students can take it on paper or online, and the exam gives awards.
Which Latin exam do I need for a degree in Germany?
For a degree in Germany you need the Latin qualification your examination regulations name, meaning basic Latin, the Kleines Latinum or the Latinum. Adults earn the Kleines Latinum and the Latinum through a state supplementary exam, which requires translation into German.
How many errors are allowed in a Latinum translation in Bavaria?
A Latinum translation taken with the school-leaving exams in Bavaria still earns a 4, the lowest pass grade, with up to 24 errors. From 24.5 errors it is graded poor, and more than 30 errors are insufficient.
Does the German Latinum test speaking and listening?
The German Latinum tests neither free speaking nor listening. It measures the translation of a Latin text into appropriate German, and the oral exam consists of a translation followed by a discussion of text and author.
Sources
The information is based on these sources. Check fees and dates with the provider before you register.