The Danish grading system (the 7-point scale)

The Danish grading system is the 7-point scale, 7-trinsskalaen: seven grades, 12, 10, 7, 4, 02, 00 and −3. 12 is the top, 02 is the lowest pass, and 00 and −3 are fails. It is used in Danish schools, universities and in Prøve i Dansk 3, the Danish exam for adults, where you also need to know how the average is calculated.

The 7-point scale at a glance

The ECTS letters are the official European link to other systems, and you will find them on Danish university transcripts. The short descriptions in the middle column are my summary; the exact official wording is in the Ministry of Higher Education and Science’s order on the grading scale, and it has been changed a little over the years.

Why the strange numbers?

The scale has been used since 2007, when it replaced an older scale with grades from 00 to 13. The old grades are no longer given, but you will still see them on the papers of Danes who finished school before then. Note the spelling: 2 is always written 02, and 0 is written 00.

Danes say the grades as numbers: tolv, ti, syv, fire, nul to, nul nul and minus tre. If a Danish friend says Jeg fik et tolvtal, they got a 12. The guide to Danish numbers has the rest.

What grade do you need to pass in Denmark?

02. Anything from 02 and up is a pass, and 00 and −3 are fails. For a whole exam or a degree, what counts is often the average, and here the weighting matters, as you will see in Prøve i Dansk 3 below.

How are the grades in Prøve i Dansk 3 calculated?

Prøve i Dansk 3 (PD3), the B2 exam at the end of module 5, gives you three grades on the 7-point scale: one for reading, one for writing and one for the oral. The oral grade counts twice, and you pass when the average is at least 2.0:

(reading + writing + oral × 2) ÷ 4 ≥ 2.0

The lesson I give my students: the oral is half of the result. A good oral grade gives you room for a weak reading or writing grade. That is one reason so much of the preparation should be speaking out loud, not only reading. The free course has a grade calculator in Modul 5 where you can try your own numbers.

How do I convert my Danish grades to American grades?

There is no official table from Danish grades to US letter grades or a GPA. The official link is the ECTS letter in the first table. Universities and credential services in other countries each make their own conversion, so the honest answer is: ask the place that will read your grades, and send them the ECTS letters along with the Danish grades.

If a form asks you for a letter grade, the ECTS letter is the one with an official basis: 12 is A, 10 is B, 7 is C, 4 is D and 02 is E. Remember that ECTS letters describe the level, not a percentage, so they do not turn into a GPA by themselves.

Is a 7 a good grade in Denmark?

Yes. 7 is the middle of the scale and means a good performance. In PD3 a 7 in every part is far above the pass line. A 12 is the grade for an excellent performance with no or very few weaknesses, so it is not something you get just for doing everything right.

Questions people ask

What’s a good GPA in Denmark?

Danes do not use the word GPA; they talk about their gennemsnit, their average. What counts as good depends on what you apply for: Danish university programmes set their own entry averages each year.

Is a 92% an A or B in Denmark?

Danish exams are not graded in percentages, so there is no fixed line. The examiner gives a grade from the descriptions on the scale, not from a percentage of points.

What does 00 mean in Danish grades?

00 is a fail: the performance was not good enough to pass. The lowest pass is 02. −3 is the lowest grade of all.

Can I get −3 in Prøve i Dansk 3?

The exam uses the 7-point scale, so all seven grades exist. A −3 in one part pulls the average down a lot, especially in the oral, which counts twice.