The Bulgaria grading system for teachers
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The Bulgaria grading system uses a six-point school scale, with 6 as the highest grade and 2 the lowest; 3 is the minimum pass. There is no percentage key, and grading rules are set by the Ministry of Education and Science.
The main school-leaving exam is the State Matriculation Exams.
This page explains how grading works, how Bulgarian grades may compare with US, UK and ECTS grades, and what teachers working with Bulgarian students online or abroad may need to know. It also identifies related systems and sources for verification.
The Bulgarian grading scale: 2 to 6
The Bulgarian school grading scale runs from 2 to 6, with 6 as the best grade and 2 as the worst. Grade 3 is Fair (Passing), and grade 2 is Poor (Failing). Students complete a grade level if their annual grades average Fair (3) or higher.
| Grade | Native label | Meaning | Passing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Отличен | Excellent | Yes |
| 5 | Много добър | Very Good | Yes |
| 4 | Добър | Good | Yes |
| 3 | Среден | Fair: Passing | Yes |
| 2 | Слаб | Poor: Failing | No |
Grade 3 is passing; students complete a grade level if their annual grades average 3 or higher. Grade 2 is failing.
A student successfully completes a class with annual grades of at least “Среден (3)” in every subject in the compulsory and elective hours. (Eurydice; pirls2016.org)
Compared with related systems
Bulgaria
4 of 5 grades pass
Denmark
5 of 7 grades pass
Finland
6 of 7 grades pass
Georgia
6 of 10 grades pass
How grading works in Bulgaria
Grading rules are set nationally by the Ministry of Education and Science.
Assessment is carried out by teachers within schools and by school principals, regional education offices and the Ministry at local, regional and national levels; regulations and school curricula set the assessment types for each subject.
Student learning outcomes are assessed under a state standard adopted in 2016. Term and annual grades reflect students’ performance throughout the year. (pirls2016.org; Eurydice)
Converting Bulgarian grades to US, UK or ECTS grades
At the graduate’s request, results of state matriculation examinations may be converted to the ECTS grading scale: A for excellent 6,00; В for excellent 5,50–5,99; С for very good 4,50–5,49; D for good 3,50–4,49; and E for average 3,00–3,49 (ruo.mon.bg).
The ECTS grading scale is pan-European, is based on the learner’s percentile rank and guarantees academic recognition of achievements (ruo.mon.bg).
If you teach Bulgarian students online or abroad
Teachers may see an удостоверение за завършен клас, a certificate of completed class, or a Свидетелство за основно образование, a certificate of basic education that gives the right to continue to the next stage.
Check which document the student has, and record its grades with the document type.
Set the scale up once in a gradebook so every report card and transcript you produce uses the same key.
Related grading systems
- Denmark7-step numeric scale, 12 is best; passing grade 02 (Den tilstrækkelige præstation)
- Finland7-step numeric scale, 10 is best; passing grade 5 (välttävä)
- Georgia10-step numeric scale, 10 is best; passing grade 5 (Low)
- Italy11-step numeric scale, 10/10 is best; passing grade 6/10 (Sufficient attainment; pass)
- 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]ruo.mon.bg. nrbd11-2016_ocenjavane_izm1223_150124.pdf. pdf. Accessed Oct 10, 2026. Official source
- [2]eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu. Assessment in general upper secondary education. Accessed Oct 10, 2026. Credential evaluator
- [3]pirls2016.org. Monitoring Student Progress in Reading – PIRLS 2016 Encyclopedia. Accessed Oct 10, 2026. Credential evaluator
- [4]eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu. Bulgaria bg:Оценяване в рамките на единния етап. Accessed Oct 10, 2026. Credential evaluator
- [5]timssandpirls.bc.edu. Bulgaria.pdf. pdf. Accessed Oct 10, 2026. Credential evaluator
The facts on this page were last verified on Oct 18, 2026. Suggest a correction
Frequently asked questions
What is a passing grade in Bulgaria?
Grade 3, “Среден” (Fair), is the minimum passing grade in Bulgaria. Grade 2 is failing, and students generally complete a grade level when their annual grades are at least 3. нот
How do Bulgarian grades convert to US grades?
The supplied information does not give a conversion from Bulgarian grades to US grades. It only lists ECTS conversions for state matriculation exam results, available at the graduate’s request.
Do schools in Bulgaria use percentages for grades?
No. Bulgaria’s school scale has no percentage key. In Grades 2 to 12, it uses grades from 2 to 6, with 6 highest and 2 lowest.
Is a 4 a good grade in Bulgaria?
A 4 is “Добър” (Good) on Bulgaria’s six-point scale. It is above the passing grade of 3, but the scale identifies 5 as Very Good and 6 as Excellent.
