Brazil Grading System for teachers: scale and pass mark
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The Brazil grading system commonly uses a 10-point scale, with grades from 8.6 to 10.0 at the top and 0.0 to 4.9 at the bottom. The lowest passing range is 5.0 to 6.5; there is no percent key.
State governments establish grading rules, with national coordination by the Ministry of Education (MEC).
This page explains how to read Brazilian grades and how school grading is administered. It also offers context for teaching students from Brazil and links to related grading systems and sources.
Reading the Brazilian scale
Brazil’s main school scale runs from 0.0 to 10.0, with 8.6 to 10.0 as the best grades and 0.0 to 4.9 as the worst. The lowest passing grade is 5.0, and grades from 0.0 to 4.9 are a fail (WENR).
| Grade | Native label | Meaning | Passing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8.6 to 10.0 | Excelente | Excellent | Yes |
| 6.6 to 8.5 | Bom/Médio | Good/Medium | Yes |
| 5.0 to 6.5 | Suficiente/Média Inferior | Sufficient/Below Average | Yes |
| 0.0 to 4.9 | Fail | No |
Grades from 0.0 to 4.9 are a fail.
Compared with related systems
Brazil
3 of 4 grades pass
Canada
10 of 11 grades pass
Mexico
5 of 6 grades pass
Denmark
5 of 7 grades pass
How Brazilian school grading is run
State governments set grading rules, coordinated nationally by the Ministry of Education (MEC). Practices differ somewhat between regions.
The Saeb is a periodic external assessment for specific stages of basic education, using cognitive tests and questionnaires to assess education quality and support public policy.
Saeb results are calculated for schools and education networks, not individual students.
Teaching students from Brazil
Check each student’s report card or transcript for its grading key, and record the grades with the scale shown on the document. Set the scale up once in a gradebook so every report card and transcript you produce uses the same key.
Related grading systems
- Canada11-step letter-grade scale, A+ is best; passing grade D (Marginal)
- Mexico6-step numeric scale, 10 is best; passing grade 6
- Denmark7-step numeric scale, 12 is best; passing grade 02 (Den tilstrækkelige præstation)
- Finland7-step numeric scale, 10 is best; passing grade 5 (välttävä)
- Germany6-step numeric scale, 1 is best; passing grade 4 (Ausreichend)
- Ireland8-step numeric scale, 1 is best; passing grade 7
Sources and verification
- [1]gov.br. Sistema de Avaliação da Educação Básica (Saeb) — Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisas Educacionais Anísio Teixeira | Inep. Accessed Oct 10, 2026. Official source
- [2]wenr.wes.org. Brazil: Secondary Education - WENR. Accessed Oct 10, 2026. Credential evaluator
The facts on this page were last verified on Oct 12, 2026. Suggest a correction
Frequently asked questions
What is a passing grade in Brazil?
The lowest passing grade is 5.0. Grades from 0.0 to 4.9 are failing, and practices can differ somewhat between regions.
Is a 5.0 to 6.5 a good grade in Brazil?
5.0 to 6.5 is classified as “Suficiente/Média Inferior” (Sufficient/Below Average), the lowest passing range.
