The Norwegian grading system (6–1), explained
Norway grades on a numeric 6-to-1 scale (karakter), where 6 is the best and 1 is fail. It is the reverse of the German scale — bigger is better. In higher education an A–F scale is also used, mapping cleanly onto these numbers.
The grades and what they mean
| Grade | Meaning | A–F equivalent | ≈ US GPA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Excellent — outstanding | A | 4.0 |
| 5 | Very good | B | 3.5 |
| 4 | Good | C | 3.0 |
| 3 | Fairly good | D | 2.3 |
| 2 | Adequate — minimum pass | E | 2.0 |
| 1 | Fail | F | 0.0 |
The pass mark
2 is the lowest passing grade; 1 is fail. A 6 is reserved for outstanding work and is uncommon, so a 5 is already a very strong result.
Norwegian universities often report the equivalent A–F letters on transcripts, where A=6 and E=2 (pass).
Converting Norwegian grades to a US GPA
Roughly, 6 ≈ 4.0, 5 ≈ 3.5, 4 ≈ 3.0, 3 ≈ 2.3, 2 ≈ 2.0 (pass). Always check the receiving institution's conversion table.
Numbers vs letters
School (grunnskole/videregående) uses 1–6; universities usually use A–F. They line up one-to-one: 6=A, 5=B, 4=C, 3=D, 2=E, 1/F=fail.
Få karakteren din nå
Paste your work into GradeCheck, choose Norway, and get an estimated karakter (6–1) in seconds — free, no account needed.
Grade my work freeFrequently asked questions
- Is 2 a pass in Norway?
- Yes. 2 is the lowest passing grade; 1 is a fail.
- What is the best Norwegian grade?
- 6 is the top grade, for outstanding work. It is awarded sparingly.
- How do Norwegian grades map to A–F?
- 6=A, 5=B, 4=C, 3=D, 2=E and 1=F, so E (=2) is the pass mark.
Related guides: Swedish grading system · Danish 7-point scale