ECTS grading system

The ECTS grading scale does not replace the local grading scale (in Germany: scale from 1 to 5); the ECTS grade appears alongside the local grade awarded by the host institution. The ECTS grading scale uses a statistical scheme to classify the performance of an individual student relative to the performance of other students. ECTS grades are awarded as follows:

In order for to make valid statements about the percentage distributions, the reference group (cohort) should be of a minimum size, such as the size of a faculty or department. For the same reason, the statistical analysis should incorporate data not only from the relevant year, but also from preceding years.
Reference data is frequently not available at German universities. The universities and their faculties and departments are now obliged to collect and collate relevant data. However, at present ‘pragmatic solutions’ are to be used when computing the ECTS grade. These pragmatic solutions are designed to ensure the comparability of academic achievements in the European higher education sector.

Reporting procedures used on academic documentation

All documents recording a student’s current or final academic achievements shall contain details of the grading scale used, the computational procedure (percentage distribution,…), the individual marks obtained, and the specific calculation of the corresponding ECTS grade achieved. For partial studies completed by exchange students or by students who discontinue their studies before graduation, academic achievements will be registered in the transcript of records. If a student has successfully completed a degree programme, the information will be documented by means of the diploma supplement, which is due to become a mandatory component in the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System.