NGE Level 2-4 registration opens October 1, 2025.
The National German Exam (NGE) is administered each year to over 15,000 high school students of German. The Exam, now in its 66th year, provides individual diagnostic feedback, rewards students through an extensive regional and national prize program, and creates a sense of accomplishment. Exam results provide teachers a means of comparing students in all regions of the country, as well as programmatic data to help inform curricular decisions.
A Valuable Diagnostic Tool
Has four levels, each with the same format
Reflects the principles of the World- Readiness Standards for Learning Languages
Levels are in alignment with the 2012 ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines
The NGE measures the performance of students in reading and listening based on what they have typically learned in German classrooms. The Exam is not a proficiency assessment; rather, the Exam provides individual diagnostic feedback for students and their teachers, helping to inform curricula decisions.
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Gold, silver, bronze, achievement, and participation certificates are available in color for teachers to download and print. Just add the student’s name, exam year, exam level, teacher name, and school name! www.nge.aatg.org/awards
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Gold, silver, and bronze medals are awarded to students who achieve the highest percentile rankings on the NGE.
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Students achieving the highest percentile rankings on the NGE are recognized on the NGE Results and Honor Roll page. Winners are searchable by level, state, and AATG chapter. View this year’s NGE Honor Roll here! aatg.org/nge-results-and-honor-roll
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Students who achieve the 90th percentile on the NGE and meet other eligibility requirements can apply for the AATG/PAD NGE Scholarship, a three-week trip to Germany sponsored by the German government in the summer following the exam. www.nge.aatg.org/ngescholarship
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Qualifying seniors, who do not meet the age requirement for the travel scholarship, may apply for the NGE Post-Graduate Scholarship for high school seniors. Recipients are awarded a cash prize to further their German studies after high school. www.nge.aatg.org/seniorscholarship
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In addition to gold, silver, and bronze medals, chapters receive a number of prizes from AATG to distribute to students and teachers who participate in the NGE. These prizes are sponsored annually by AATG Professional Partners.
Student Recognition & Scholarship
AATG’s extensive regional and national prize program awards student achievement at all levels of proficiency. NGE awards create a sense of accomplishment for students and help schools and teachers to promote the local German program.
2026 Exam Fee
The 2026 per-student exam fee is $8.
2026 NGE Title 1 School Grant
The NGE and Lingco have partnered up to offer 100 free exams to Title 1 Schools in 2025. The grant application opens October 1, 2025 and is due November 1, 2025.
2026 NGE Make-Up Testing Period
The 2026 National German Exam will run from December 1, 2025 through January 26, 2026 on Lingco's platform. Make-up testing will be available from January 26, 2026- January 31, 2026 by application only. Applications for make-up testing are due by January 25, 2026 at 11:59pm.
2026 NGE News & Updates
Congratulations to the students of the NGE!
The National German Exam (NGE) is the official German language exam for high school students of German, sponsored by the American Association of Teacher of German (AATG). 