The University of Helsinki grading scale is not a proportionate scale and does not therefore fully correspond to the ECTS grading scale. The difference is: the ECTS system is based on an expectancy of the distribution of different grades, the Finnish system is not. This means that in the Finnish system there is no rule or expectation as to how big a proportion of the participants in any given course can be given what grade; each student is graded on his/her individual performance, not in relation to the performance of others.
As a rule, completed courses and other studies are assessed on a scale of 0–5. Theses included in bachelor’s and master’s degrees are graded using the same scale.
The grades are defined as follows:
- 5 (Excellent)
- 4 (Very good)
- 3 (Good)
- 2 (Satisfactory)
- 1 (Passable)
- 0 (Fail)
Proficiency in one of the national languages of Finland (i.e., the one that is not the student’s native language) is assessed using the following scale:
It may also be separately determined in the curricula of degree programmes that completed studies are graded on a pass–fail basis.
Bachelor’s and master’s theses are assessed on a scale of 0–5. You can check the grading scale to be used on a specific course from the course information available on the Courses webpage or from the course brochure in Sisu.
With the exception of licentiate and doctoral theses, the scope of completed studies is indicated in credits, according to the workload required. One credit corresponds to approximately 27 hours of work.