Grading systems
Secondary education grading system
Schools in Flemish secondary education use a range of assessment systems. They are free to decide how they award marks. Under Flemish law, the main consideration is whether a student has obtained a Diploma van Secundair Onderwijs. While the 1-100 scale is most common, schools also award marks on 1-10, 1-20 or percentage scales.
Check out more information (in Dutch) about the valuation of study results achieved.
Higher education grading system
Higher education institutions often use the grading system from 1 to 20:
| Numerical grade | Description | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 18-20 | Uitmuntend | Excellent |
| 16-18 | Zeer goed | Very good |
| 14-16 | Goed | Good |
| 12-14 | Ruim voldoende | Quite satisfactory |
| 10-12 | Voldoende | Satisfactory |
| 1-9 | Onvoldoende | Unsatisfactory |
In addition, students are awarded one of the following honours at the conclusion of their studies:
- Op voldoende wijze (pass)
- Met onderscheiding (with honours)
- Met grote onderscheiding (with great honours)
- Met de grootste onderscheiding (with maximum honours)
European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS)
All Flemish higher education institutions use the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) for their degree programmes. This system is based on 60 credits for each year of study. The default requirements are:
- 180 credits for a bachelor’s degree programme;
- 60 or 120 credits for a follow-up master’s degree programme.
Exceptions:
- 180 credits for a master’s degree programme in veterinary medicine;
- 240 credits for a master’s degree programme in medicine.
More information about ECTS is available in the ECTS Users’ Guide, published by the European Commission.