Italian Grading System Explained: From 18 to 30
The Italian grading system uses different scales depending on the level of education. Understanding the thresholds, honors grades and how they compare to other countries takes a few minutes to get right.
University grades: 18 to 30
Italian universities use a scale of 18 to 30, where 18 is the minimum passing grade and 30 is the maximum. Exams scored below 18 are failed. A student can also refuse a passing grade and retake the exam to improve their score.
- 18: minimum pass.
- 18 to 23: acceptable.
- 24 to 26: good.
- 27 to 29: very good.
- 30: excellent.
- 30 con lode (with honors): the highest distinction, awarded at the professor's discretion on top of a 30.
School grades: 0 to 10
Italian primary and secondary schools use a scale of 0 to 10. A score of 6 is the minimum pass. Grades of 9 or 10 are considered excellent. Some schools use half marks, giving grades like 6.5 or 7.5.
Final school exam (Maturita)
The Maturita (school leaving exam) is scored out of 100 points. A score of 60 is the minimum to pass, and 100 con lode is the highest distinction. The final score combines the school record, oral and written exams, and in some years a curriculum component.
Converting Italian university grades
There is no official conversion chart, but a rough mapping used in international contexts is:
- 30 to 30 con lode: roughly equivalent to A or A+.
- 27 to 29: roughly B+ to A.
- 24 to 26: roughly B.
- 21 to 23: roughly C.
- 18 to 20: roughly D or minimum pass.
Why Italian grades can be confusing
A key point of confusion is that 18 is a pass, not a low grade. International students sometimes treat any grade below 20 as bad, when in Italian context an 18 means the student met the standard. Context matters when submitting transcripts abroad.
GradeBuddy calculates weighted grade averages and handles the Italian 18 to 30 scale. For converting grades across different country systems, see the guide to how to convert grades between countries.
Common questions
- What is the passing grade in Italian universities?
- 18 out of 30 is the minimum passing grade at Italian universities. Scores below 18 fail. Students may refuse a passing grade and retake the exam to try for a higher score.
- What does 30 con lode mean in Italy?
- It means 30 with honors. It is the highest possible distinction in Italian university exams, awarded by the professor for exceptional performance on top of a score of 30.
- How do Italian grades compare to GPA?
- There is no direct conversion, but broadly: 30 con lode maps to a 4.0 or A+, scores from 27 to 29 map to A range, and 18 to 20 maps to a minimum pass (roughly D or 2.0 GPA). Always use an official conversion when submitting transcripts.