📚 European Grading System Guide

European ECTS Grade System & German Scale (1.0 - 5.0) Guide

Learn how the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) works and how German university grades (1.0 to 5.0) convert to US/UK scales.

GM Written by Grademark Academic Team
Last Updated: Reading Time: 5 min read

What is ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System)?

The European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) is a standard tool across the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) that measures credit workload. 1 full academic year equals 60 ECTS credits.

German Grading Scale (1.0 to 5.0)

Note that in the German university grading system, lower numbers indicate superior academic achievement (1.0 is the highest score, while 4.0 is pass and 5.0 is fail).

German Grade German Designation International Equivalent
1.0 – 1.5Sehr Gut (Very Good)A / First Class
1.6 – 2.5Gut (Good)B / Upper Second (2:1)
2.6 – 3.5Befriedigend (Satisfactory)C / Lower Second (2:2)
3.6 – 4.0Ausreichend (Sufficient)D / Third Class
5.0Mangelhaft (Fail)F / Fail