If you have come across the word Abitur (or the common misspellings arbitur and abotur), you have probably seen it described as Germany's most important school exam. This short explainer covers exactly what it is: what the word means, how the grading works, which subjects you take, and how it lines up with qualifications like the British A-Levels. For a full preparation walkthrough, see our complete guide to the German Abitur.
Quick answer: The Abitur is Germany's highest school-leaving qualification, taken at the end of Gymnasium at around age 18. It is graded from 1.0 (best) to 4.0 (pass), covers a broad set of subjects including German, a foreign language, maths, a science and a social science, and grants the right to study at a German university. The word comes from the Latin abire, "to leave".
What Does Abitur Mean?
The word Abitur derives from the Latin abire, meaning "to leave" or "to depart" — fittingly, it is the exam students sit as they leave school. In everyday German it is almost always shortened to "Abi", which is why you will see searches like abi in german alongside abitur.
The Abitur is the final examination at the end of Gymnasium, the academic track of German secondary school (some students also reach it through a Gesamtschule or a vocational berufliches Gymnasium). Passing it awards the Allgemeine Hochschulreife — literally the "general university-entrance maturity" — which is the right to study almost any subject at any German university.
One point causes constant confusion for English speakers: the Abitur is not a university degree. It is a school-leaving diploma, closer to a high-school graduation certificate, but a rigorous, university-preparatory one.
What Subjects Do You Take in the Abitur?
Unlike systems that let students narrow down early, the Abitur keeps a broad spread of subjects right through to the final exams. Students are typically examined in four to five subjects, and the mix must include:
- German (the core language subject)
- A foreign language (usually English, French, Latin or Spanish)
- Mathematics
- A natural science (biology, chemistry or physics)
- A social science (history, geography, politics or economics)
Two subjects are usually taken as Leistungskurse (advanced courses, with more hours and harder exams) and the remainder as Grundkurse (basic courses). The assessment combines long written papers with at least one oral examination, and the results of the final two years — the Qualifikationsphase — count towards the overall grade too.
How Is the Abitur Graded?
The Abitur uses two scales that sit on top of each other, which is why the numbers can look confusing at first.
| Scale | Range | Best mark |
|---|---|---|
| Course points (Kurspunkte) | 0–15 per course | 15 |
| Total Abitur score | 300–900 | 900 |
| Final grade (Abiturnote) | 1.0–4.0 | 1.0 |
During the Qualifikationsphase every course is marked out of 15 points. Those points, together with the final written and oral exams, are added into a total between 300 and 900. That total is then converted into the headline grade you see on the certificate, which runs from 1.0 (best) to 4.0 (minimum pass) — so, unlike most English-speaking systems, a lower number is better.
What Is a Good Abitur Grade?
Because the scale is inverted, a 1.0 is a perfect score and a 4.0 is the lowest pass. The national average is roughly 2.3. Anything under 1.5 is considered outstanding.
Grades matter enormously in Germany because of the Numerus Clausus (NC) — a grade cut-off for oversubscribed university courses. For competitive programmes like medicine, applicants often need an Abitur close to 1.0, so the grade itself, not a separate entrance exam, decides who gets in. This is why German students treat the two-year run-up to the Abitur so seriously, and why targeted online tutoring with a verified tutor can make a measurable difference to the final number.
Is the Abitur the Same as A-Levels?
Yes, broadly. The German Abitur and the British A-Levels are equivalent pre-university qualifications — both taken around age 18, both at the end of secondary school, and both used to decide university admission. The key difference is breadth versus depth: A-Level students specialise in three or four subjects, while Abitur students keep a wider range through to the end. UK universities generally treat a full Abitur as equivalent to three A-Levels, with grade conversions set individually.
The Abitur is also comparable in role to the Austrian Matura and the French baccalauréat — each is the national gateway from school to university.
What Is the Abitur Called in English?
There is no exact English equivalent. Credential evaluators usually describe it as a general higher education entrance qualification or a university-preparatory school-leaving diploma. The closest practical comparison is a strong set of A-Levels or a US high-school diploma combined with substantial Advanced Placement coursework — but none maps perfectly, which is exactly why the German term is kept untranslated.
Key Takeaways
- Abitur (from Latin abire, "to leave"; short form "Abi") is Germany's highest school-leaving qualification, taken at the end of Gymnasium around age 18.
- It grants the Allgemeine Hochschulreife — the right to study at a German university — but is a school diploma, not a university degree.
- Subjects stay broad: German, a foreign language, maths, a science and a social science, examined at basic and advanced levels.
- Grading runs from 1.0 (best) to 4.0 (pass), built from 0–15 course points and a 300–900 total.
- It is broadly equivalent to three A-Levels, and the grade is decisive for competitive courses via the Numerus Clausus.
Getting ready for the Abitur? Find a tutor on iTutorOnline who knows your state's curriculum, or read the full Abitur preparation guide for study strategies and exam dates.