Abitur
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Abitur (from Latin abire = go away, go off) is the word commonly used in Germany for the final exams young adults (aged 18, 19 or 20) take at the end of their secondary education, usually after 12 or 13 years of schooling. The official term for this certificate of education is Allgemeine Hochschulreife. It is often called Abi in colloquial usage. The Zeugnis der allgemeinen Hochschulreife (often referred to as Abiturzeugnis), issued after candidates have passed their final exams, is the document which contains their grades and which formally enables them to attend university. This means it includes the functions of a school leaving certificate and a university entrance exam. In 2005, a total of 400,000 students passed the Abitur exam in Germany.
Even though the Abitur is often compared to a High school diploma in the United States, it is academically closer to the associate degree of a US college, as it usually requires specialisation in four to five subject areas. It is the only school leaving certificate in all states of Germany that allows the graduate (or Abiturient) to directly commence studies at the university. The other school leaving certificates, the Hauptschulabschluss and the Realschulabschluss, do not allow their holders to matriculate at a university. Owners of the certificates "Hauptschulabschluss" or "Realschulabschluss" can gain a "Fachabitur" or a Abitur if they graduate "Berufsschule" and then attend "Berufsoberschule".
The importance of the Abitur has grown beyond admission to the university, however, in that it has increasingly become a prerequisite to start an apprenticeship in some professions (e.g. banking). Therefore, career opportunities for Hauptschule or Realschule graduates (who do not have the Abitur) have almost universally seen a downturn in recent years. More than just being a leaving certificate, the Abitur is widely regarded as a matter of personal prestige as well. According to the Statistisches Bundesamt in 2003/2004 about 23% of all students leaving school graduated with an Abitur (Fachabitur [1.2%], Realschulabschluss [42.6%], Hauptschulabschluss [25.0%], without any degree [8.3%])
The official term for Abitur in Germany is Zeugnis der allgemeinen Hochschulreife (often translated as General Qualification for University Entrance or Certificate for Overall Maturity for Higher Education). The equivalent exam in Austria, Poland and other countries of continental Europe is the Matura; while in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Cyprus, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Africa, Malta, and the West Indies, it is A-levels; and in Scotland, it is Advanced Higher Grade.
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[edit] Abitur in Germany
In colloquial usage the term Abitur often refers to the final exams only. These generally consist of sets of written examinations and oral examinations. The subjects covered in these examinations vary according to the specialisation chosen by the pupil during the last 2-3 years (Oberstufe) at the Gymnasium. The pupil's choice may be limited further, however, depending on the specific laws on higher education in a federal state (Bundesland), which has some independence in the design of its educational systems with respect to federal laws. That's one reason for regional distinctions regarding the reputation of the Abitur from different Bundesländer, the Abitur in Bavaria for instance is considered to outrank those of many other Bundesländer.
The marks obtained in these exams are combined with marks won during the last 2-3 years to a summary mark, like the US GPA. This, in turn, is important to be admitted to a German university for some fields of study, in particular medical schools ("Numerus clausus").
The composite score of the Abitur is between 280 and 840, though both borders are rarely awarded. Students with a score below 280 fail and will not receive the Abitur. The student has the possibility to omit courses (if he/she has taken more than necessary) from his/her composite score. At the moment, 768 points are equivalent to 1.0 - the highest grade achievable in the lessons.
[edit] History of the German Abitur
Up until the 18th century, every German university had its own entrance examination. In 1788 Prussia introduced the Abiturreglement, a law that - for the first time within Germany - established the Abitur as an official qualification. It was later also established in the other German states. In 1834 it became the only university entrance exam in Prussia, and it remained so in all states of Germany up until 2004. Since then the German state of Hessen allows also students with the Fachhochschulreife (see below) to study at the universities within the state.
[edit] Other Qualifications called Abitur in colloquial usage
In the German language the European Baccalaureate is called europäisches Abitur, and the International Baccalaureate is called internationales Abitur, both not to be confused with the German Abitur.
Fachabitur was used up until the 1970s in all of Germany for a variation of the Abitur. The official term for this German qualification is fachgebundene Hochschulreife. This qualification includes only one foreign language (in most cases English). The Abitur, in contrast, includes two foreign languages. This school leaving certificate also allows the graduate to start studying at an university. However, he is limited to a specified range of majors. The range of majors depends on the specific subjects covered in his Abitur examinations. But the graduate is allowed to study all majors at a Fachhochschule (University of Applied Sciences, in some ways comparable to polytechnics). Today this school leaving certificate is called fachgebundenes Abitur in most parts of Germany, except in parts of southern Germany were the term Fachabitur is already in use for it.
Now the term Fachabitur is used in most parts of Germany for the Fachhochschulreife. This school leaving certificate was introduced in West Germany in the 1970s together with the Fachhochschulen. It enables the graduate to start studying at a Fachhochschule, and in Hesse also at an university within the state. In the Gymnasiums of some states it is reached in the year before the Abitur is reached. However, the normal way to receive the Fachhochschulreife is the graduation from a German Fachoberschule, a vocational high school also introduced in the 1970s.
The term Notabitur is used for a qualification which existed only during World War I and World War II. It was granted to male German Students who freely enlisted for military service before graduation. The Notabitur during WWI included an examination, roughly equivalent to the Abitur exam. The WWII Notabitur, in contrast, was granted without any examinations. After the war this was a major disadvantage for Germans with this qualification since it was, unlike its WWI counterpart, generally not recognised in West Germany and never recognised in East Germany.
[edit] Abitur in Finland
A similar test has also existed in Finland since the mid-19th century. The test is called Ylioppilastutkinto in Finnish and Studentexamen in Swedish. The official English language translation is Matriculation Examination. Successful completion formerly entitled one to enrol as a university student (hence "matriculation"); the universities now have each their own entrance examinations, but scores from the Matriculation Examination are also considered. Matriculation still entitles one to wear the student cap. Traditionally, the test is taken in the spring, but it is also arranged every autumn and may be taken in up to three parts. The test is arranged by a national body, the Matriculation Examination Board.
Each examinee is required to participate in at least four tests in order to matriculate. As of 2005 the only mandatory part of the test is that of Äidinkieli ("mother tongue"; Finnish for most students, Swedish or Lappish for some), including a composition test. The student then has to choose three other subjects from
- Second domestic language (Swedish for Finnish speakers or Finnish for Swedish speakers)
- Foreign language (English, German and French being most popular among students). Languages are separated into A, B, C and D levels depending on the demanded skill. The language counted as part of the four obligatory subjects must be one of A-level.
- Mathematics (ordinary or advanced level)
- Reaali in which examinees take between one and four exams, and are only allowed to answer questions from a single subject per exam. These subjects have to be chosen by the examinee well in advance prior to the exam. In the past, before 2006, the test consisted of questions related to many subject areas, and the examinees had to answer a number of questions on at least two subjects, which could include subjects such as history, biology or physics, to name a few.
The score of each test varies with the subject. For example, the maximum score for the test in Finnish or Swedish as a first language is 114 points, in mathematics 60 points and in foreign languages 299 points. The tests are graded according to Normal distribution into seven verbal grades with Latin names: Improbatur (I), Approbatur (A), Lubenter Approbatur (B) Cum Laude Approbatur (C), Magna Cum Laude Approbatur (M) Eximia Cum Laude Approbatur (E) and Laudatur (L), from bottom to top. In general, at least the grade A is required for the test to be passed.
