A Levels and German Abitur equivalent

verse

Hello, I'm asking this on behalf of a friend. Does anyone know how to convert A Level grades into a German Abitur grade equivalent? For eg. what would AAB be equivalent to in terms of the Abitur and do they count 3 or 4 subjects etc.

Thanks!

There's no one way of converting Abitur grades, I'm afraid, so there's no definite answer to that question, really. :frown:

Different universities handle it differently. For what it's worth, Oxford asks for an overall average between 1.0 and 1.5 and scores between 13 and 15 in relevant subjects (i.e. not all subjects), so presumably that would probably be a rough equivalent of AAA, but other universities may have slightly different criteria. I'd say the best thing for your friend to do would be to email the admissions offices of universities he or she is thinking about applying to and asking them what sort of grades they'd expect from German applicants.

Reply 2

Zanshin

hobnob

There's no one way of converting Abitur grades, I'm afraid, so there's no definite answer to that question, really [...] I'd say the best thing for your friend to do would be to email the admissions offices of universities he or she is thinking about applying to and asking them what sort of grades they'd expect from German applicants.

Yeah, there´s no way to convert it. If it´s any help, they take into account your overall average and also your grades in relevant subjects to your degree, which they´ll probably expect you to be doing as some of your main subjects.
They might also take into account what grades you´re predicted to get a better idea of what you might realistically get. My teacher who gave the reference didn´t really predict any grades, though, so I don´t know about that.
Like hobnob said, the best idea would be to contact the universities and ask.

Reply 3

verse

OP

8

hmm thanks.

actually my friend's using a levels to apply for a german university. the university said that in abitur terms, the standard requirement would be between 1,0 and 1,3 so we were trying to figure out what that meant in a level terms haha.

Reply 4

verse

hmm thanks.

actually my friend's using a levels to apply for a german university. the university said that in abitur terms, the standard requirement would be between 1,0 and 1,3 so we were trying to figure out what that meant in a level terms haha.

Ah, right. In that case it'll almost certainly be AAA, then.

Reply 5

Hey verse!

I am from Germany, went to school there for almost ten years..so have an idea about the whole system! One thing that German universities expect almost certainly is a certain subject combination, including Maths, a science and a foreign language next to German. In fact many German students are asked to sit a entrance test in various Universities where they have to prove their abilities in the subjects listed above. If your friend's first language is not German, he/she will have to do some entrance exams in German. However I think that an A or B at GermanA2 would be sufficient! Concerning the foreign language I am very positive that they will accept English(although it's his/her mothertongue!). Concerning the science, I hope your friend does one! If this isn't the case the best thing to do, is to write directly to the University. It may be the case that a decent grade at GCSE would be enough!

Btw, most of the informations stated above also concern Austria and Switzerland! I just wrote a letter to the admission office of the University of St Gallen, where I hope to study Management! Since I am not doing a science either, I am very curious to know their reaction and I will report back to you.

I hope this helped!

Reply 6

Mhh..I didn't answer your question, thou...haha

Well..an Abitur of 1.0-1.5 is AAA...an Abitur of 2.0 is probably ABB-BBB. However its hard to tell...and German Universities often do not like A-Levels because the students do just 3-4 subjects! An IB or EB would help a lot!

Reply 7

verse

OP

8

thanks for the feedback!

will convey the information. thanks alot once again. i've heard also that some unis look at only 2 A level subjects and look at 3 GCSEs instead of a third A level?

Reply 8

mhh don't know about that..but I doubt it! If I compare the level of some GCSE to the German equivalent, the British exams are weaker(although it depends on the school, as they aren't centralised exams in Germnay in year 10/11).

As I mentioned before: Contact the Universities, they will give you more detailed information!

Reply 9

Noise

7

Yeah I think it will be difficult for your friend to get into a German University with A-Levels. I've been in England for half a year and sat AS Module exams in 4 subjects and even without revising at all those exams were soo much easier than the exams I'm doing in Germany right now (I'm only in year 11 here atm)
Another problem is that you have to do certain subjects until year 13 in Germany. Otherwise you won't be allowed to go to any University at all. (It's maths, German, a science, a foreign language and a humanity)
But your friend might be lucky and they'll have an exception for foreign students so he/she should consider talking to the Unis he/she wants to apply to. And there's allways the possibility of going to polythechnics. They're a little bit easier to get into but in Germany they don't have the same status, Universities have.

Reply 10

I had my A-Levels converted into an Abitur grade and for example a grade B in the Uk means roughly 1.9 in Germany.
So I guess AAB would be equivalent to 1,0. You need at least four subjects for A-Levels to be converted into Abitur. And you need to have chosen the right subjects.

Reply 11

713

I had my A-Levels converted into an Abitur grade and for example a grade B in the Uk means roughly 1.9 in Germany.
So I guess AAB would be equivalent to 1,0. You need at least four subjects for A-Levels to be converted into Abitur. And you need to have chosen the right subjects.

Hmm, that sounds a bit iffy to me... According to these statistics, only about 1% of students who pass achieve an Abitur grade of 1.0. To me that sounds like it's probably closer to being the equivalent of an IB score of 45 than AAB at A-level.

Reply 12

hobnob

Hmm, that sounds a bit iffy to me... According to these statistics, only about 1% of students who pass achieve an Abitur grade of 1.0. To me that sounds like it's probably closer to being the equivalent of an IB score of 45 than AAB at A-level.

I am wondering about how they do the scores myself. If they calculate it by reducing each english grade by a certain percentage though, then I think it's true. I achieved ABBCC in my A-Levels, which would make 11 in 'Noten', divided by 5, makes 2.2. My German Abitur was calculated to be 1.7. Difference of 0.5, divided by 5 subjects, makes 0.1 per subject.

Reply 13

713

I am wondering about how they do the scores myself. If they calculate it by reducing each english grade by a certain percentage though, then I think it's true. I achieved ABBCC in my A-Levels, which would make 11 in 'Noten', divided by 5, makes 2.2. My German Abitur was calculated to be 1.7. Difference of 0.5, divided by 5 subjects, makes 0.1 per subject.

How odd.

How did you have your grades converted, by the way - through Naric? You'd think the least you could expect for your money would be a clear explanation of how they arrived at that score...

Reply 14

hobnob

How odd.

How did you have your grades converted, by the way - through Naric? You'd think the least you could expect for your money would be a clear explanation of how they arrived at that score...

What's Naric?
I had them converted through the Regierungspraesidium of Baden-Wuerttemberg, otherwise it wouldn't be accepted for university entrance. Maybe I can tell you in a few weeks time if they really improve the grades by a certain percentage or if they just minus an foreign school bonus at the end of their calculations, because I am waiting for them to translate my individual grades.
Clear explanation?? Forget it, I even had to ask for my grades to be translated and not only to be given a certificate that states that I am allowed to study at university...
I think they don't go by the percentages of how many people in Germany achieved a specific grade and how many in England. My mother did her Abitur in a foreign country as well and she got her results translated better than they were.

Reply 15

hey 713!

the conversions are indeed really strange! be assured however that ABBCC=1.7 Abi is a very lucky conversion! also i suppose the only A u got might be German(which is obviously easy for u, coz its not meant to be taken by native speakers!) i believe the best possible (although i still don't think its a good way) way to compare the two school leaving certificates is to look at universities' sites! AAA is normally regarded to be 1.0-1.3(-1.5).

Reply 16

713

What's Naric?

The National Academic Recognition Information Centre. They convert qualifications between different EU countries.

I had them converted through the Regierungspraesidium of Baden-Wuerttemberg, otherwise it wouldn't be accepted for university entrance. Maybe I can tell you in a few weeks time if they really improve the grades by a certain percentage or if they just minus an foreign school bonus at the end of their calculations, because I am waiting for them to translate my individual grades.

Ah, right. I didn't realise they convert grades as well.

Clear explanation?? Forget it, I even had to ask for my grades to be translated and not only to be given a certificate that states that I am allowed to study at university...
I think they don't go by the percentages of how many people in Germany achieved a specific grade and how many in England. My mother did her Abitur in a foreign country as well and she got her results translated better than they were.

Hmm, that's wasn't what I meant, really... My point was just that if only 1% of German students get an Abitur grade of 1.0 and a significantly higher percentage - I don't know the exact figures, but if around 4% get AAA, it'll probably be something between 6 and 8% - of English students achieve AAB in their A-levels, surely that would suggest 1.0 and AAB aren't really equivalent grades? :dontknow:

Reply 17