GRADING SYSTEM IN FRANCE
The grading system in France is usually quite severe, the idea being that lower grades act as an
incentive for students to continually improve upon their academic performance. From elementary
school to university, grades are based on a scale of 20. The best students usually earn between 14
and 16 in a given class. Grades of 17 and above are not often attributed.
The following conversion table was prepared in November 2009 by the Education Department of the
Embassy of France in the United States. Although there is no exact, official equivalence between the
two grading systems, and certain prestigious high schools are more severe than others, one may
interpret the French 0-20 scale in terms of U.S. grading standards as follows:
FRENCH MARKS AMERICAN MARKS
Grades Sixième – Troisième Grades Seconde – Terminale
(6th – 9th grades) (10th – 12th grades)
17-20 15.5-20 A+
15-16.5 13.5-15 A
14-14.5 12-13 A-
13-13.5 11-11.5 B+
12-12.5 10-10.5 B
10.5-11.5 9-9.5 B-
9.5-10 8.5 C+
8.5-9 7.5-8 C
7.5-8 7 C-
7 6.5 D+
6.5 6 D
6 5.5 D-
5 and under 5 and under F
Educational Advising Center - Centre Education USA
Franco-American Commission for Educational Exchange (Fulbright Commission)
9 rue Chardin, 75016 PARIS FRANCE
E-mail: doc@fulbright-france.org
Website: www.fulbright-france.org
November 2009