Denmark to Let Students Use AI in English Oral Exams Starting 2026

TDT | Manama

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High school students in Denmark will soon be allowed to use artificial intelligence when preparing for their English oral exams, the Education Ministry announced on Friday.

The new rule will take effect in 2026 and is part of an experiment to explore how AI can be used in classrooms without lowering academic standards.

Under the plan, students will receive a topic for their oral English exam and then have one hour to prepare. During that time, they can use any tool available—including AI programs. However, the presentation itself must still be delivered in person before an examiner.

Education Minister Mattias Tesfaye said the goal is to strike a balance between embracing digital tools and preserving strong teaching methods.
“Students grow up in both analogue and digital worlds,” he explained. “We must prepare them for the reality they will face after school.”

For written exams, though, Denmark is taking the opposite approach. Students will be required to handwrite parts of their English test to ensure independent thinking and reduce the chance of cheating. This will mark a change from previous years, when students typed their answers on internet-connected computers.

“It’s important that some parts of the exam remain completely non-digital,” Tesfaye said. “That way, students develop their own language skills.”

Denmark has allowed internet use during exams since 2008, but this new step makes it one of the first countries in Europe to officially integrate AI into its school exams.