If you have searched for Abitur subjects, Abitur grades, or how the Abitur is graded, this explainer lays it out clearly. The Abitur is Germany's university-entrance qualification, and its subject choices and points system confuse a lot of people, including many outside Germany. Here is how the subjects are structured and how the grading works, from the 15-point course marks down to the final 1.0 to 4.0 average. For a plain definition of the exam itself, see what is the Abitur.
Quick answer: The Abitur spans three fields (languages/arts, social sciences, and maths/natural sciences), with German, maths and a foreign language effectively compulsory. Students pick advanced Leistungskurse (which count double) and basic Grundkurse. Courses are marked 0 to 15 points; those totals convert to a final average from 1.0 (best) to 4.0 (pass), needing at least 300 of 900 points to pass.
What Subjects Do You Take in the Abitur?
The Abitur is designed for breadth. Every student must cover three fields of study (Aufgabenfelder):
- Languages, literature and the arts — German, foreign languages, art or music
- Social sciences — history, geography, politics, economics
- Mathematics and natural sciences — maths, physics, chemistry, biology
German, mathematics and at least one foreign language are effectively compulsory across the two-year Qualifikationsphase. On top of that, students choose which subjects to take at a higher level and which as their exam subjects, usually landing on four or five exam subjects with a mix of written and oral papers. A student aiming at a science degree will often carry biology, chemistry or physics as a main subject, which is why queries like German Abitur biology requirements are so common.
What Is the Difference Between Leistungskurse and Grundkurse?
This is the split that shapes the whole Abitur:
- Leistungskurse (LK) — advanced courses, taught with more hours and greater depth. They count double in the final grade and become the main written exam subjects. Most students take two or three.
- Grundkurse (GK) — basic courses, covering the breadth of the curriculum. They count once and keep the qualification broad.
Because Leistungskurse are double-weighted, a student's strongest subjects can lift the whole average, and a weak Leistungskurs can drag it down twice as hard. That is exactly where targeted support pays off; our tutors often help Gymnasium students shore up a Leistungskurs in maths or the sciences before the exams.
How Is the Abitur Graded?
Grading runs in two layers. First, individual courses are marked on a 0 to 15 point scale, where 15 is the best and 0 is a fail (roughly, 15–13 is a top grade, and 4 or below is failing). Those course points are added up across the two-year Qualifikationsphase and the final exams into a total out of 900 points, the Gesamtqualifikation.
That points total then converts into the final Abitur average, which runs from 1.0 (best) to 4.0 (just passed). So there are two numbers people mean by "Abitur grade": the 15-point course marks and the 1.0 to 4.0 overall average.
What Is a Good Abitur Grade?
On the final scale, lower is better. Here is how the averages map to the German descriptors:
| Average | Descriptor | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0–1.5 | sehr gut | Excellent |
| 1.6–2.5 | gut | Good |
| 2.6–3.5 | befriedigend | Satisfactory |
| 3.6–4.0 | ausreichend | Pass |
| worse than 4.0 | nicht bestanden | Fail |
Competitive courses such as medicine or psychology often expect an average near 1.0, and admission can hinge on tenths of a point. That is why students fight for every extra point in their Leistungskurse.
How Many Points Do You Need to Pass the Abitur?
To earn the Abitur you need at least 300 points out of 900 in the overall Gesamtqualifikation, while also meeting minimum standards in each block and not failing more than a set number of individual courses. The 300-point floor corresponds to the 4.0 pass mark; at the other end, 823 points and above earns the top 1.0 average.
Is the Abitur the Same in Every German State?
The framework is national, but schooling is run by each Bundesland, so the details differ. Bavaria (Bayern) sets its own papers and has its own rules on subject combinations, which is why people search for Abitur in Bayern specifically. What stays constant everywhere is the three fields, the Leistungskurs and Grundkurs split, and the 1.0 to 4.0 scale. Exam formats and dates are the main things that vary by state.
Key Takeaways
- The Abitur spans three fields: languages/arts, social sciences, and maths/natural sciences, with German, maths and a foreign language effectively compulsory.
- Students pick Leistungskurse (advanced, count double) and Grundkurse (basic, count once).
- Courses are marked 0 to 15 points; totals convert to a final average from 1.0 (best) to 4.0 (pass).
- You need at least 300 of 900 points to pass; 823+ earns a 1.0.
- The structure is national, but states like Bavaria run their own papers and dates.
Facing the Abitur? Find a tutor on iTutorOnline for your Leistungskurse in maths, the sciences or languages, and read the full German Abitur preparation guide for revision strategies.