Academic grading in Spain

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Academic grading

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Contents
[hide]

1Elementary, high schools, and vocational schools

2Universities

3References

4External links

Elementary, high schools, and vocational schools [edit]

Spain uses a 10-point grading scale for elementary and high schools:

9.0-10 is the best possible grade and is called "sobresaliente" ("outstanding"). A 10 grade
may also include a distinction called "Matrcula de Honor" or "Mencin de Honor," but usually
only a limited number of students per group may benefit from it. Distinctions may imply tuition
waivers for the following course.
7-8.9 is called "notable" ("notable"). Sometimes a distinction is made between "notable
bajo" (low) and "notable alto" (high).

6-6.9 is called "bien" ("good").

5-5.9 is the lowest passing grade and is called "suficiente" ("sufficient").

3-4.9 is called "insuficiente" ("insufficient").

0-2.9 is the lowest possible grade and is called "muy deficiente" (literally translated as
"very deficient").

The term "suspenso" ("fail") includes both "insuficiente" and "muy deficiente".

Universities[edit]
Spanish universities use two different grading scales. The students' performance is assessed
using a 10-point grading scale, where 10 corresponds to the 100% of the academical contents of
the course which in turn are regulated by the Ministry of Education as established in the Spanish
Constitution (Article 149)[1] and in the Organic Law for Universities.[2] In consequence, it is not rare
to find courses where it is necessary to reach the 60% of the content and only a 20% of the
students passes the course, specially in sciences, health related and engineering degrees. The
grades can be expressed in words as follows:

10 with distinction: "Matrcula de Honor". (The number of students eligible for this grade is
usually limited by statute to less than 5% for a given assessment, or, in small groups, to 1
student in 20[citation needed], except in doctoral thesis qualifications, that may not have any limit.)
9-10: "Sobresaliente" ("outstanding").
 7-8.9: "Notable" ("remarkable").

5-6.9: "Aprobado" ("pass").

0-4.9: "Suspenso" ("failed").

Furthermore, when a student has passed a subject according to this 10-point scale, her or his
grade is converted to the following 4-point scale and recorded in her/his transcript of records:

"Matrcula de Honor": 4.
"Sobresaliente": 3.

"Notable": 2.

"Aprobado": 1.

Since the grades are evaluated according to the percentage of academical contents reached by
the student, the percentage of students for each mark varies depending on the difficulty of the
course and the generation of students. Therefore, there is no direct correspondence to the ECTS
grading scale, which is based on the class percentile of passed students in a given assessment. For
this reason, the following table is an approximation:

Grade in
Spanish 10-points Estimated Estimated
Definition Definition
Academic grading scale percentage ECTS Grade
Records

Matrcula de Topper in Class or

4 10 95 to 100% A+
Honor Subject

3 Sobresaliente 9 90% Contents assumed 90 to 95% A

2 Notable 7 70% Contents assumed 70 to 89.9% B

1 Aprobado 6 60% Contents assumed 60 to 69.9% C

1 Aprobado 5.5 55% Contents assumed 55 to 59.9% D

1 Aprobado 5 50% Contents assumed 50 to 54.9% E

Less than 50% contents

Suspenso assumed (60% in many 49% or below FX-F
cases)

References[edit]
 1. Jump up^ Constitucin Espaola de 1978, Artculo
149, http://www.congreso.es/consti/constitucion/indice/titulos/articulos.jsp?ini=149&tipo=2
2. Jump up^ Ley Orgnica 6/2001, de 21 de iciembre, de
Universidades. http://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2001-24515

External links[edit]
The "Matrcula de Honor" in the Universidad de Alicante, Spain