Grading

Grading system

  • Basic facts
  • Grading practice in The Netherlands
  • Comparison of grading systems

Basic facts

In the Netherlands, the traditional grading scale is from 1 to 10, where 1 is the lowest and 10 the highest grade. The passing mark for a single subject is 5.5. Grades 1-3 are very rarely given, and the same is true for grades 9-10. The most common grades in higher education are 6 and 7.

Dutch grade

Explanation

10 Outstanding
9 Very good
8 Good
7 More than satisfactory
6 Satisfactory
5.5 Passing
1.0-5.4 Fail
Abbreviations in the transcript  
Abbreviations in DutchAbbreviations in EnglishExplanation
COMPCOMPCompensation
ERAORAt own risk
FRFRFraud
GSUFFSufficient
NGRNRStill no result
NONANot attended
NVDNFNot fulfilled
OFFailed
VPPassed
VDFULFulfilled
VREXExemption
VTEXEMPExemption

n Dutch higher education the grade 8 is awarded in the top 15 to 25% of cases, depending on the field of study. Based on data from 2006 regarding examinations, the percentages of grades were as follows: 

10 =         0.50%

7 =           40.00%

4 =                 0.08%

9 =           2.70%

6 =           35.00%

3 =                 0.03%

8 =           14.00%

5 =           6.80%

1 or 2 =         -

Comparison of grading systems

Several countries use grading systems that look similar to the one used in Holland. One example is the 1-100 system. However, it would be inaccurate to compare a 90-100 grade in such a system with a 10 in the Dutch system, or a 80-90 with a 9, and so on.

NL

USA

UK

 

10

A+

A+

1st

9.5

A+

A+

1st

9

A+

A+

1st

8.5

A+

A

1st

8

A

A/ A-

Upper 2nd

7.5

A/ A-

B+

Upper 2nd

7

B+

B

Lower 2nd

6.5

B

C+

Lower 2nd

6

B-/C

C/D

3rd

5.5

D

D

 

5-1

F

F

 

Source: Nuffic

See for more information on the website of the Netherlands organization for international cooperation in higher education.

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