Honours (Spain)


The Honours is the maximum and extraordinary grade that can be obtained in a subject at the university.
This honours grade leads to a discount in the enrollment rates of the following course corresponding to the number of ECTS credits in which this mention has been obtained.
This should not be confused with the "Spanish Baccalaureate" which is an academic award granted annually to the students who have completed their Spanish Baccalaureate with the best academic record and with the highest grade point average in their Class. In contrast, the Honours is a grade in a subject at the university.

The ''Honours'' grade at university

The Honors in the Spanish university system is regulated by Royal Decree 1125/2003, of September 5, which establishes the European credit system and the grading system in official university degrees valid in the entire national territory.
The Honours in the university is granted in each subject enrolled in the university degree, to the student who obtains a classification equal to or greater than 9 and also deserves that qualification, recognizing the academic result and trajectory of the awarded student and this entails a discount on the rates of the university of the following year equal to the number of credits in which said Honours has been obtained. The legislation establishes that each university faculty can grant an Honours for every twenty students. It is similar to distinction in the English classification, but it is a little bit more than a distinction.
Example of an academic record in the university with the rating system of Spanish universities :
SubjectClassification ClassificationECTS credits of subjectExamination sittingWithdrawals
Civil law10Merit121st0
Criminal law10Honours61st0
Political law9Merit61st0
European Union law8Good91st0
International law10Honours91st0
Administrative law7Good101st0

As it can be seen in the example, a grade of 10 out of 10 in a subject can be Merit, it doesn't have to be an honours classification. It is similar to distinction in the English classification, but it is a little bit more than a distinction. In Spanish university qualification scale, there is: aprobado, bien / Pass, Notable / Good, Sobresaliente / Merit.

Notable students with ''honours'' mentions at their bachelor's degree studies

Among the people who have obtained Honours grades or mentions at the university in their bachelor's degree studies: