ECTS Grading tables

What is the ECTS grading table?

The ECTS grading table provides an insight into the value of a student’s grades and facilitates international grade comparison. Educational institutions, employers and other interested parties can see, at a glance, how well you have performed in relation to your fellow students. For more information see the ECTS User’s Guide

Grading at Leiden University

Leiden University’s faculties and study programmes generally use whole and half numbers between 1 and 10 to grade a student’s work. You need a 6 or higher to pass. The grades in the ECTS grading table are based on this whole and half number grading system. If a study programme uses decimal points in its grading, these are rounded up or down to the nearest (half) number.

Leiden University College uses the letters A to F for its grading, A, B and C being passing grades. In LUC’s grading table these letters are converted into numerical grades.  

Grading tables

ECTS grading tables are made up of grades from the previous three academic years. When compiling the tables, only grades for compulsory components of a study programme are taken into account (not for extra-curricular elements). Only passing grades are included in the calculation. The tables are updated on a yearly basis.

• Study programme grading tables
• Faculty grading tables
• Grading table for exchange students

Example calculation/explanation of tables

In this example of a study programme grading table, percentages are used to show how often each grade is awarded.

The ‘%’ row shows the absolute percentage: how often a particular grade is awarded.

The ‘cum. %’ (cumulative) row shows how often students achieve this grade or higher.  

Say, for example, you have been awarded a grade of 8.5 for a particular study component. According to the table, that grade was awarded in 6% of cases. Of all the grades awarded within your study programme, 13% were 8.5 or higher.

See this example of a grading table on a diploma supplement.

Grading tables used by Leiden University

 
Study programme grading table

In the previous three academic years the study programme must have issued at least 500 grades. Only then is there sufficient data available for the programme to compile its own grading table.

Faculty grading table

If there is insufficient grading data available for a study programme (less than 500 grades issued in the previous three academic years), a faculty grading table is used instead.

University-wide grading table

International exchange students are provided with a university-wide grading table on their transcript.

Grading table for graduate teacher training programmes

Students following graduate teacher training programmes are provided with an institutional grading table.