A level - German Abitur Grade equivalents

Does anyone know, which are the equivalent grades of A levels to the German Abitur?

A levels are:
A*,A,B,C,D,E and U for not passed

in Germany it is:
1,2,3,4 and 5,6 for not passed

so would it mean an E is a 4, because they are the lowest grade availble to pass or is an E a 5?

Help would be very much appreciated! Thanks :smile:

Reply 1

Kallisto

Entertainment Forum Helper

22

Original post by antrum95

x

In Germany, the best marks are 1 and 2, the German education system does not use letters. 5 and 6 are the worst ones. So Germany divides the marks in six numbers, but the British education system by the look of it in seven letters.

I guess A* is equivalent to 1+ in Germany, but I have never heard or seen that 1+ is given in German Abitur. 1 is the highest in German Abitur as far as I know. If A* is equivalent to 1+ in Germany, D is a 4 instead of an E.

Passing or not passing in German Abitur is a bit complicated in Germany, as 16 states (= Bundesländer) have 16 different education systems with different conditions (does it sound odd and wacky? welcome to the German education system!). In some states, students have passed with a 5, if they are able to 'equalize' the 5 with a 3. Even with a 6 in a written examination, students have a chance to pass by an oral aditional test. In other states students have not passed the tests, if they have got a 6 in written examination, so no chance to come in additional tests.

As a rule students have passed with marks from 1 to 4, as long as the numerus clausus is not worse than 3,8 (In Germany the average mark of a degree is not stated in three letters, but in a number). That is to say you need two 3s at least to pass.

If you have another questions, let me know! :smile:

Reply 2

amo.canem

1

Hey!

there is no national rule on how A-levels are recognised in Germany because as Kallisto has already said the different "Bundesländer" all have different education systems.
But this is how one A-level it is recognised in NRW: (assuming that you have done your A-levels in June 2010 or later)
A* - 1,0
A - 1,6
B - 2,2
C- 2,8
D - 3,4
E - 4,0

However, this is just for one grade, to calculate your overall "Durchschnitt" you will have to use a comoplicated formula which I don't understand :colondollar:

Anyway, here's more information: http://www.brd.nrw.de/schule/schulrecht_schulverwaltung/pdf/Merkblatt_GB_01_02_2013.pdf (it's in german though)

Original post by Kallisto

1 is the highest in German Abitur as far as I know.

this isn't quite right. If you are an outstanding student you may get a grade lower than 1,0. for example 0,7. However, this hardly ever happens.

Reply 3

Kallisto

Entertainment Forum Helper

22

Original post by amo.canem

(...)
this isn't quite right. If you are an outstanding student you may get a grade lower than 1,0. for example 0,7. However, this hardly ever happens.

Yeah, I remember me that I have written an article in a newspaper where such an outstanding student really did that. But that is very rarely. In most of the cases 1 as mark is the highest, both in exams and in graduation.

Reply 4

antrum95

OP

3

Original post by amo.canem

Hey!

there is no national rule on how A-levels are recognised in Germany because as Kallisto has already said the different "Bundesländer" all have different education systems.
But this is how one A-level it is recognised in NRW: (assuming that you have done your A-levels in June 2010 or later)
A* - 1,0
A - 1,6
B - 2,2
C- 2,8
D - 3,4
E - 4,0

However, this is just for one grade, to calculate your overall "Durchschnitt" you will have to use a comoplicated formula which I don't understand :colondollar:

Anyway, here's more information: http://www.brd.nrw.de/schule/schulrecht_schulverwaltung/pdf/Merkblatt_GB_01_02_2013.pdf (it's in german though)

this isn't quite right. If you are an outstanding student you may get a grade lower than 1,0. for example 0,7. However, this hardly ever happens.

So an A would be just a 1.6 and therefor marked down to a 2? Sounds really harsh!!!

Reply 5

antrum95

OP

3

Thank you very much, so I would have a follow up Question. If E is a 5 or a 4 depending on the bundesland and A a 1 or 1.6, I need to find the most suitable bundesland to have it converted? Can I convert it in any bundesland I want? Or do I need to register somewhere? As well can I study let's say with an in nrw converted a level in Berlin or Munich? Or can I only use the converted degree to apply for uni where I have converted it? Soooo confusing.:/

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 6

1www1

Original post by amo.canem

Hey!

there is no national rule on how A-levels are recognised in Germany because as Kallisto has already said the different "Bundesländer" all have different education systems.
But this is how one A-level it is recognised in NRW: (assuming that you have done your A-levels in June 2010 or later)
A* - 1,0
A - 1,6
B - 2,2
C- 2,8
D - 3,4
E - 4,0

However, this is just for one grade, to calculate your overall "Durchschnitt" you will have to use a comoplicated formula which I don't understand :colondollar:

Anyway, here's more information: http://www.brd.nrw.de/schule/schulrecht_schulverwaltung/pdf/Merkblatt_GB_01_02_2013.pdf (it's in german though)

this isn't quite right. If you are an outstanding student you may get a grade lower than 1,0. for example 0,7. However, this hardly ever happens.

That's not quite true. In the last two years of school you don't directly use the 1-through-6-system, you switch to the points-system.
The highest grade is 15 points, lowest is 0. 15 is equivalent of a 1+ or a 0.7, 14 is a 1 or 1.0, 13 is 1- or 1.3 etc.
For the Abitur average you convert the point average back to the 1-through-6 system. Here the maximum is a 1.0, so even if you only had 15 points you would get a 1.0 Abitur as this is the highest possible.

Original post by antrum95

Thank you very much, so I would have a follow up Question. If E is a 5 or a 4 depending on the bundesland and A a 1 or 1.6, I need to find the most suitable bundesland to have it converted? Can I convert it in any bundesland I want? Or do I need to register somewhere? As well can I study let's say with an in nrw converted a level in Berlin or Munich? Or can I only use the converted degree to apply for uni where I have converted it? Soooo confusing.:/

Can you convert A*,A,B,C etc. into percentages? In Germany you get an 1 as of 85%, 2 as of 70%, 3 as of 65%, 4 of 50%, 5 of 25% and 6 obviously as of 0%. Maybe that helps :smile:

Reply 7

amo.canem

1

Original post by antrum95

If E is a 5 or a 4 depending on the bundesland and A a 1 or 1.6, I need to find the most suitable bundesland to have it converted? Can I convert it in any bundesland I want? Or do I need to register somewhere? As well can I study let's say with an in nrw converted a level in Berlin or Munich? Or can I only use the converted degree to apply for uni where I have converted it? Soooo confusing.:/

I am not 100% sure, but I think that you can only get it converted in the Bundesland where you want to study. So if you want to study in Berlin or Munich you would probably have to get it converted in both "Bundesländer" before you can apply for University.

And one more thing, I know for sure that if you want to convert it into a "Durchschnitt" you can only do so if you give prove that you want to study something with a NC (Numerus Clausus -> there are some university courses which you can only do with a certain NC, for example medicen.) This simply means that when you go to the "Zeugnissanerkennungsstelle" (where you can get your grades changed) you should take a print out with you which shows a subject which a NC. If you don't do that they will just confirm that your A-levels are equivalent to the Abitur, without stating your Durchschnitt.

Original post by 1www1

That's not quite true. In the last two years of school you don't directly use the 1-through-6-system, you switch to the points-system.

The highest grade is 15 points, lowest is 0. 15 is equivalent of a 1+ or a 0.7, 14 is a 1 or 1.0, 13 is 1- or 1.3 etc.
For the Abitur average you convert the point average back to the 1-through-6 system. Here the maximum is a 1.0, so even if you only had 15 points you would get a 1.0 Abitur as this is the highest possible.

I know, but the english A* to E are still converted into the 1 to 6 system. And as I said, to get your Durchschnitt you would have to use this complicated formula.

Reply 8

Kallisto

Entertainment Forum Helper

22

Original post by 1www1

(...)
The highest grade is 15 points, lowest is 0. 15 is equivalent of a 1+ or a 0.7, 14 is a 1 or 1.0, 13 is 1- or 1.3 etc.
For the Abitur average you convert the point average back to the 1-through-6 system. Here the maximum is a 1.0, so even if you only had 15 points you would get a 1.0 Abitur as this is the highest possible.
(...)

Yeah, that is right, In Abitur 1.0 and 1 as a mark is the best result, no matter whether the highest point score or not.

Reply 9

Geb46

2

Hi, do I have any chance to get accepted into Medicine in Germany with the following A Level grades?

Biology: A*
Chemistry: A
Maths: A
Arabic Language: A

Did anyone get admitted with A Levels?

Reply 10

CuriosityYay

19

Original post by Geb46

Hi, do I have any chance to get accepted into Medicine in Germany with the following A Level grades?

Biology: A*
Chemistry: A
Maths: A
Arabic Language: A

Did anyone get admitted with A Levels?

Is the Arabic AS or full A level?