Academic Grading and Language of Instruction

The grading system of Luxembourg varies and depends upon the level of education.  The students are given grades based on a total score with the minimum passing grading for being 30. Someone securing 50-60 will be graded as very good, then 40-49 is good, 30-39 is sufficient/ satisfactory and so on. A grade system ranging from 01 to 60 is used in secondary and primary schools.

The performance of the student at the higher education level is evaluated and follows a scale of grade point which is from a minimum grade of 10 point as the passing grade to a maximum of 20 grade point.

The assessment scale for the upper secondary level ranges from a minimum point of 30 passing grade to a maximum of 60 grade point. For someone applying for undergraduate courses in Luxembourg, the grades of their upper secondary school from the home country will get converted to the Luxembourgish grade point scale.

Since the minimum grade point required for passing is 30, hence someone securing less than 30 (i.e. (01-29) is marked as an insufficient and is called a Datz in Luxembourgish.

The grades are distributed in the following way with 30 being the minimum passing grade:

• 50 - 60: very good
• 40–49: good
• 30–39: satisfactory/sufficient
• 20–29: insufficient
• 10–19: poor
• 01–09: very poor

Most Common Grading in Luxembourg

Scale: 18.00 - 20.00
Grade Description: Excellent (Excellent)
US Grade: A

Scale: 16.00 - 17.99
Grade Description: Tres bien (Very Good)
US Grade: A

Scale: 14.00 - 15.99
Grade Description: Bien (Good)
US Grade: B

Scale: 12.00 - 13.99
Grade Description: Satisfaisant (Satisfactory)
US Grade: C

Scale: 10.00 - 11.99
Grade Description: Passable (Pass)
US Grade: D

Scale: 0.00 - 9.99
Grade Description: Ajourne (Fail)
US Grade: F

Secondary School Grading in Luxembourg

Scale: 50.00 - 60.00
Grade Description: Tres bien (Very Good)
US Grade: A

Scale: 40.00 - 49.99
Grade Description: Bien (Good)
US Grade: B

Scale: 30.00 - 39.99
Grade Description: Satisfaisant (Satisfactory)
US Grade: C

Scale: 20.00 - 29.99
Grade Description: Passable (Pass (Conditional))
US Grade: D

Scale: 1.00 - 19.99
Grade Description: Ajourne (Fail)
US Grade: F

ECTS Grading in Luxembourg

The European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System commonly known as the ECTS are used by the University of Luxembourg which dominates the higher education in Luxembourg. The credits under ECTS are purely based upon the workload that the student need to put in order to achieve the expected learning outcomes; the workload indicates the time the students are required to complete all the learning activities that include things such as seminars, lectures, examinations, practical work, projects and self-study.

1 ECTS is equal to 25 hours - 30 hours of workload and a total of 30 ECTS credits are equal to the workload of the whole semester (i.e. the academic year) and the associated learning outcomes.

All grades are out of 20 points, with scoring 10 points being sufficient to pass a course.

The weighted numerical average is translated into degree classification as follows:

• 18 points ≤ numerical average of overall modules ≤ 20: Excellent
• 16 ≤ numerical average of overall modules < 18: Very Good
• 14 ≤ numerical average of overall modules < 16: Good
• 12 ≤ numerical average of overall modules < 14: Fair
• 10 ≤ numerical average of overall modules < 12: Pass
  

Language of Instruction in Luxembourg

Languages such as Luxembourgish, German and French are taught at the pre-primary level and in schools in Luxembourg. In the secondary level however Luxembourgish is taught in the first year and just for an hour per week. Other than French, Luxembourgish and German, languages such as Latin and English, Spanish or Italian are taught.

Multilingualism is used for the University level of education and that helps the Luxembourgish students to continue with their higher education in English, German or French.