Academic grading in Denmark

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In Denmark, the educational system has historically used a number of different systems
of grading student performances, several of which are described below. The current grading
system is the 7-trins-skala (7-step-scale) which replaced the 13-skala in 2006.

Contents
[hide]

1Current scale
2Previous scales

o 2.11788: Latin scale

o 2.21805: rsted scale

o 2.31871: Extended rsted scale

o 2.41903: Numeral scale

o 2.51911: New numeral scale

o 2.61919: Extended rsted scale

o 2.71943: Modified extended rsted scale

o 2.81963: 13-scale

3Notes

4References

5External links

Current scale[edit]
Starting with the academic year 2005-06, a new scale was introduced, 7-trins-skalaen ("7-step-
scale"; colloquially dubbed the 12-scale), designed to be compatible with the ECTS-scale:

Equivalents

Grade Description[1]
13-
ECTS U.S. UK
scale

high level of command of all aspects no or only a

12 excellent 11/13 A A+, A 1st
few minor weaknesses[n 1]

high level of command of most aspects only

10 very good 10 B A- 2:1
minor weaknesses[n 2]

7 good good command some weaknesses[n 3] 8/9 C B+,B 2:2

 4 fair some command some major weaknesses[n 4] 7 D B- 3rd

02 adequate the minimum requirements for acceptance[n 5] 6 E C Pass

does not meet the minimum requirements for

00 inadequate 03/5 Fx D Fail
acceptance[n 6]

3 unacceptable unacceptable in all respects[n 7] 00 F F Fail

The leading 0 in 00 and 02 is used to prevent fraud with grades.

Furthermore, Undervisningsministeriet (the Ministry of Education) will adapt to a more
international way of grading, by handing out a set number of grades per class. This is because in
other countries, the grade A (12) is given twice as often as it is in Denmark (because of strict
grading on absolute standards).

Previous scales[edit]
1788: Latin scale[edit]
The Latin scale had five steps:

Laudabilis pr ceteris
Laudabilis

Haud illaudabilis

Non contemnendus

0 was an outright failing grade - there was a limitation of the number of non contemendus there
could be in a passing student's examination. The highest grade, laudabilis pr ceteris was
explicitly named a grade for exceptional purposes only.
1805: rsted scale[edit]
The first version of the rsted scale had six steps:

Ug - udmrket godt - excellently good (numeral value: 8)

Mg - meget godt - very good (7)

G - godt - good (5)

Tg - temmelig godt - pretty good (1)

 Mdl - mdeligt - all right (7)

Slet - bad (23)

A student could not pass an exam if he/she had got mdl in Danish essay or Latin or slet in Latin
essay.
In 1845 the numeral values were added in order to enable the calculation of an average grade -
also the g was named the minimum passing grade.
1871: Extended rsted scale[edit]
In 1871 the rsted scale was extended with plus and minus-steps, and numeral values were
added accordingly.

Ug (8)
Ug (7)

Mg+ (7)

Mg (7)

Mg (6)

G+ (5)

G (5)

G (3)

Tg+ (3)

Tg (1)

Tg (1)

Mdl+ (4)

Mdl (7)

Mdl (12)

Slet+ (17)

Slet (23)

The g was still the minimum passing grade.

1903: Numeral scale[edit]
In 1903 the rsted-scale was scrapped for a numeral one, with five steps:

8
6

0
8 and 0 were like laudabilis pr ceteris exceptional grades. You would fail if you had two or
more zeroes in your exam.
1911: New numeral scale[edit]
In 1911 another numeral scale was introduced:

6
5

4 was the minimum passing grade.

1919: Extended rsted scale[edit]
In 1919 the extended rsted scale returned, with numerals.
1943: Modified extended rsted scale[edit]
This version, introduced in 1943, changed the numerals (essentially by adding 7 to the former
numbers) and removed the mdl- and slet+-grades:

Ug (15)
Ug (14)

Mg+ (14)

Mg (14)

Mg (13)

G+ (12)

G (12)

G (10)

Tg+ (9)

Tg (8)

Tg (5)

Mdl+ (2)

Mdl (0)

Slet (16)

1963: 13-scale[edit]
The 13-scale was introduced in 1963 and used until 2006 (2007 in universities). The scale started
out as a relative scale but has since its introduction in 1963 changed to an absolute scale at all
levels of education.
 13 - given for exceptionally independent and excellent performance.
11 - given for independent and excellent performance

10 - given for excellent but not particularly independent performance

9 - given for good performance, a little above average

8 - given for average performance

7 - given for mediocre performance, slightly below average

6 - given for just acceptable performance

5 - given for hesitant and not satisfactory performance

03 - given for very hesitant, very insufficient and unsatisfactory performance

00 - given for completely unacceptable performance

The gaps between 00 & 03, 03 & 5 and 11 & 13 are there to signify a larger difference between
those grades. The leading 0 in 00 and 03 is used to prevent fraud with grades. The lowest
passing grade is 6 and 00, 03 and 5 are failing grades.
The highest grade 13 and the lowest grade 00 are the grades most rarely given.
00 is nearly impossible to achieve, presuming one knows even a single fact taught in that
particular class. It is given for a truly incompetent performance. At exams, 00 is given to students
attending, but who cannot answer a single question. Absentees get a "-" and aren't allowed to
attend a second exam.
13 is a fairly rare grade outside of exams and requires a performance way beyond the expected.
One of the reasons why the 13 scale was replaced with the 7 scale was because of the grade 13.
13s are only given to the students that have gone above and beyond the stated curriculum. To
gain it you needed to know more than what was taught in class. It required truly independent
study. As no other EU countries used grades above perfect understanding of the curriculum, 13
was untranslatable to other grading systems.
In the table below, the Danish grading scale is compared with the ECTS and the U.S. academic
grading scales (4.0/4.3/4.5) by World Education Services.

VERY
Definition EXCELLENT GOOD SATISFACTORY PASSED FAILED
GOOD

"13" scale 13 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 03 00

"7" scale 12 12 10 7 7 4 02 00 00 -3

ECTS scale A A B C C D E Fx Fx F

American A A- B+ B B- C+ C D F F
 scale(4.0)

American
A+ A A- B+ B B- C D F F
scale(4.3)

American
A+ A+ A B+ B+ B C+ D F F
scale(4.5)

The average of grades given in Danish secondary schools in 2003 was 8.22.
This scale was replaced by the 7-step-scale in 2005; see above.

Notes[edit]
1. Jump up^ "12: For an excellent performance displaying a high level of command of all
aspects of the relevant material, with no or only a few minor weaknesses."
2. Jump up^ "10: For a very good performance displaying a high level of command of most
aspects of the relevant material, with only minor weaknesses."

3. Jump up^ "7: For a good performance displaying good command of the relevant material
but also some weaknesses."

4. Jump up^ "4: For a fair performance displaying some command of the relevant material
but also some major weaknesses."

5. Jump up^ "02: For a performance meeting only the minimum requirements for
acceptance."

6. Jump up^ "00: For a performance which does not meet the minimum requirements for
acceptance."

7. Jump up^ "-3: For a performance which is unacceptable in all respects."

References[edit]
1. Jump up^ Danish Ministry of Education. "Bekendtgrelse om karakterskala og anden
bedmmelse". retsinformation.dk (in Danish). The Danish Department of Civil Affairs.

External links[edit]
Oversigt over karakterskalaernes historie i Danmark from the Danish Ministry of
Education.