Academic Grading System in France

The grading system in this nation revolves around the 20 point scale. This system of grading is used in universities and secondary schools throughout France. French students are rarely awarded grades higher than 16. The French educational system prizes strictness in grading. The passing grade for students is generally 10 though a grade of 8 or 9 is also considered satisfactory in some institutions.

Grading System In The French Universities

The French university grades students using the following 20 point scale :

Scale	Honours/Grades
	French Term	English Equivalent
16 to 20	Tres bien	Very High honours/Very Good
14 to 15.9	Bien	High honours/Good
12 to 13.9	Assez Bien	With Honours
10 to 11.9	Passable	Pass
8 to 9.9	Satisfactory in certain institutions/Fail in others
0 to 7	Insuffisant/ Ajourne	Fail

The student is considered as having passed the examination when he or she gets a combined average of 10. Student performance is assessed in dual ways at higher educational institutions in France:

Final examinations: Final exams given twice a year at the end of each semester measure the knowledge of the student in various subjects.

Continuous assessment: There is continuous measurement of learning through tests and quizzes given to students throughout the year.

Grading System In Grandes Ecoles

Grandes Ecoles are prestigious higher educational establishments which select students following extensive oral and written examinations. Many of these institutions concentrate on key areas such as engineering and business administration. The grading system used by many of the Grandes Ecoles is very different from that of universities. For instance, some of these higher educational institutions use the following three letter grading systems, such as the Grandes Ecole for engineering at Lille:

• A or excellent (Superlative)
• S or satisfaisant (Satisfactory)
• I or insuffisant (Fail)
  

Grading System In The French Baccalaureate ( Baccalaureat) Examination

The Baccalaureat exam is taken at the end of high school for entry into higher educational institutions. According to Campus France, which is the French national agency for information about higher education, grades earned in this exam are calculated out of 20 . 10 out of 20 is considered the passing grade. Grades of 15 or 16 are considered good. In certain subjects, even grades of 12 are considered satisfactory. The following table provides a full depiction of the grading system used in France for the Baccalaureate examination:

16 to 20	tres bien
14 to 15.9	bien
12 to13.9	assez bien
10 to11.9	passable
0 to 9.9	insuffisant

Grading System Used In French Primary, Secondary And High Schools

Most schools use the 20 point scale for grading students. Primary schools use 10 point grading scales or letter grades like the grading scale provided by ECTS.