Italian Grade Calculator
Calculate your Media Ponderata (weighted average) using Italy's 18–30 grading system. Higher is better—30 e Lode is outstanding, 18 is the minimum pass. CFU credit-weighted as used by La Sapienza, Politecnico di Milano, Bologna and other Italian universities.
Italian universities use a 18 to 30 numeric grading scale for individual exams, where higher numbers are better. The system has two distinct components: exam grades and the final degree grade.
- Exam scale: 18–30. Minimum passing grade is 18/30.
- 30 e Lode (30L): Outstanding performance with honors. Counts as 30 for averages but is a prestigious distinction.
- Final degree scale: 66–110. Calculated from weighted exam average + bonus points.
- 110 e Lode: The highest degree honor, requiring unanimous committee approval.
- Credits: CFU (Credito Formativo Universitario) = ECTS. 1 CFU = 25 hours of work.
- Laurea (Bachelor's): 180 CFU (3 years). Laurea Magistrale (Master's): 120 CFU (2 years).
- Individual exam grades: Each course (esame) is graded on the 18–30 scale.
- CFU weighting: Multiply each grade by its CFU credits.
- Weighted average: Sum of (Grade × CFU) ÷ Total CFU = Media Ponderata.
- 30 e Lode: For calculation purposes, counts as 30 (not 31 or 32).
Formula:
| Grade | Italian Term | English Equivalent | US Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 e Lode | Eccellente | Outstanding (with honors) | A+ |
| 30 | Eccellente | Excellent | A |
| 27 – 29 | Ottimo | Very Good | A− / B+ |
| 24 – 26 | Buono | Good | B |
| 21 – 23 | Discreto | Fair / Satisfactory | C |
| 18 – 20 | Sufficiente | Sufficient / Pass | D |
| < 18 | Insufficiente | Fail | F |
Your final degree grade is calculated out of 110 points, not out of 30. This is a separate scale used only for graduation.
Step-by-step calculation:
- Calculate weighted average: Get your Media Ponderata (out of 30) using exam grades weighted by CFU.
- Convert to 110 scale: (Media Ponderata ÷ 30) × 110 = Base graduation grade.
- Add bonus points: The graduation committee awards 1–11 additional points for:
- Quality of thesis (Tesi di Laurea)
- Graduating on time (in corso)
- Internships or study abroad (Erasmus)
- Final grade: Base + Bonus = Final graduation mark (max 110).
Formula:
110 e Lode: Awarded when you reach 110 points AND the committee unanimously approves the "Lode" (honors) distinction.
| Course | Grade (/30) | CFU | Weighted (Grade × CFU) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matematica | 27 | 9 | 243 |
| Fisica | 25 | 9 | 225 |
| Informatica | 28 | 12 | 336 |
| Inglese | 24 | 6 | 144 |
| Total (Σ) | 36 CFU | 948 | |
Media Ponderata = 948 ÷ 36 = 26.33/30
Convert to 110 scale: (26.33 / 30) × 110 = 96.55
If committee adds 8 bonus points: 96.55 + 8 ≈ 105/110
30 e Lode (30L) is awarded for outstanding performance on an individual exam. It indicates perfect or near-perfect mastery.
Key points:
- For calculations: Counts as 30, not 31 or 32. Does not numerically inflate your average.
- Transcript value: Appears as "30 e Lode" on official transcripts, signaling excellence.
- Graduation bonus: Some universities award 0.25–0.5 bonus points toward your final degree grade for each 30L earned.
- Frequency: Varies by university and subject. More common in humanities than in engineering.
110 e Lode: The final degree equivalent. Requires reaching 110/110 base score + unanimous committee approval. Extremely prestigious.
Italian universities use an appello system rather than fixed exam dates during term.
How it works:
- Appello: An exam session for a specific course. Most courses offer 3–5 appelli per year.
- Timing: Typically scheduled during January–February, June–July, and September.
- Registration: Students must register for each appello in advance (usually 1–2 weeks before).
- Retakes: You can attempt different appelli for the same course if you fail or reject a grade.
Grade rejection: Unique to Italy, you can reject a passing grade if you're unhappy with it (e.g., got 20 but wanted 28). You can then retake the exam at the next appello.
| Feature | Undergraduate (Laurea) | Postgraduate (Magistrale) |
|---|---|---|
| Exam Pass Mark | 18/30 | 18/30 |
| Degree Pass Mark | 66/110 | 66/110 |
| Total Credits | 180 CFU | 120 CFU |
| Duration | 3 Years | 2 Years |
| Honors | 110 e Lode | 110 e Lode |
The following conversions are typically used by international admission offices. Always verify with your target institution.
Exam grades (18–30):
| Italian Grade (/30) | US Equivalent | UK Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 30 e Lode | A+ (4.0) | First Class (1st) |
| 28 – 30 | A (3.7–4.0) | First Class (1st) |
| 26 – 27 | B+ (3.3–3.6) | Upper Second (2:1) |
| 24 – 25 | B (3.0–3.3) | Upper Second (2:1) |
| 21 – 23 | C (2.0–2.9) | Lower Second (2:2) |
| 18 – 20 | D (1.0–1.9) | Third Class (3rd) |
Final degree grades (66–110):
| Italian Grade (/110) | Description | UK Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 110 e Lode | Highest honors | First Class (1st) |
| 105 – 110 | Excellent | First Class (1st) |
| 100 – 104 | Very Good | Upper Second (2:1) |
| 90 – 99 | Good | Upper Second (2:1) |
| 80 – 89 | Satisfactory | Lower Second (2:2) |
| 66 – 79 | Pass | Third Class (3rd) |
Note: These are approximate guidelines. Conversion standards vary significantly between institutions.
Sapienza University of Rome
System: 18–30, CFU-weighted
110 e Lode requires high average and excellent thesis. Bonus points awarded by committee.
Education InformationPolitecnico di Milano
System: Numeric 18–30
Engineering and architecture programs. Strict grading standards.
Education InformationUniversity of Bologna (Unibo)
System: 18–30 scale
One of Europe's oldest universities. Standard Italian grading with CFU weighting.
Education InformationUniversity of Padua
System: CFU-weighted average
Graduation grade calculated from weighted average + thesis evaluation.
Education InformationBocconi University
System: 18–30 (Business)
Prestigious business school following standard Italian grading conventions.
Education InformationEducational estimates only • Verify with your institution