The grading system is a key issue in the academic recognition process for students participating in international mobility programmes. Grading scales vary according to host countries and institutions which increases the difficulty and complexity levels of the equivalence process.

Therefore, having in mind the different grading system in Europe, a grading scale has been developed in the framework of ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) to make the comparison between different national scales easier and the assessment process more transparent.

The ECTS grading scale allows the qualitative assessment of students´ performance in the subjects attended at the host institution. At the first level, this grading system divides students into two separate groups: pass and fail. Those obtaining passing grades are divided into five groups. An ECTS grade is allocated to each subgroup.

The ECTS grade aims at providing additional information regarding the students´ achievements in a specific subject. ECTS grade does not intend to replace the local grade, but to provide qualitative information about the students´ academic performance.

VŠEM provides study programmes in the bachelor and master levels. Students conclude their study programme by passing the final examination and defending their thesis.

At the beginning of an academic year or a term, students sign up for the required subjects, required optional subjects, and elective subjects according to their curriculum design. The chosen subjects must allow for the accumulation of at least 60 credit points per year (20/30 per term/semester). The subjects recommended for the given year presuppose - knowledge of required subjects from earlier years of studies. Possible additional knowledge requirements are specified in annotations on individual subjects. In order to successfully complete a year of studies or a term/semester, students have to pass examinations or gain credit points for class work in all the required subjects and in a defined number of required optional subjects and elective subjects so as to accumulate at least 60 ECTS (credit points) per year (20 per term/30 per semester). Credits are awarded for class work or for passing an examination as required by the curriculum design. Students at VŠEM sit for written, oral, or combined examinations (the latter are comprised of both written and oral parts).

The first three VŠEM grades are awarded for successful completion of an examination, while grade 4 means, that the student has to sit for the exam once again. One examination may be repeated no more than twice.

Having under consideration the good practices in the use of ECTS tools, VŠEM issues to all exchange students (at the end of their study period) a Transcript of Records, that includes the grades achieved in each course unit both in the national and the ECTS scales. Transcript of Records states the grade and percentage achieved in each course in order to help our partner universities transfer VŠEM grades to their own grading system.