The Complete Guide to Malta's O Level Grading System

The MATSEC SEC (Secondary Education Certificate) O Level grading system in Malta uses a scale from Grade 1 to Grade 7, where Grade 1 is the highest achievement and Grade 7 is the lowest. Grades 1-5 are considered passing grades, while Grades 6 and 7 are failing grades.

What do the O Level grades mean?

Here's what each MATSEC SEC grade represents:

Grade 1 — Exceptional performance. Demonstrates thorough understanding and excellent application of knowledge.
Grade 2 — Very good performance. Shows strong understanding with minor gaps.
Grade 3 — Good performance. Solid understanding of most topics with some areas for improvement.
Grade 4 — Satisfactory performance. Adequate understanding of the core material.
Grade 5 — Sufficient performance. Meets the minimum standard to pass the subject.
Grade 6 — Below the pass standard. Some knowledge demonstrated but not sufficient.
Grade 7 — Well below the pass standard.
U (Unclassified) — Performance does not meet the criteria for any grade.

How are O Level grade boundaries set?

MATSEC does not use fixed percentage thresholds for grades. Instead, grade boundaries are set each year through a combination of:

Professional judgment by the examination panel, who review the difficulty of the paper
Statistical analysis of candidate performance across the entire cohort
Comparability with previous years to ensure consistent standards

This means the exact marks needed for each grade can vary from year to year depending on the difficulty of the exam and how well students performed overall.

What grade do I need to pass an O Level?

Grade 5 or better is required to pass a MATSEC SEC O Level subject. For university entrance through the Matriculation Certificate, you'll need specific grades in specific subjects — check the University of Malta's admission requirements for your desired course.

What is the MATSEC Matriculation Certificate?

The Matriculation Certificate (MatCert) is the qualification needed for entry to the University of Malta. It requires:

Two Advanced Level subjects
Three Intermediate Level subjects
Compulsory Systems of Knowledge
At least 44 points on the MATSEC rating scale

Your O Level results form the foundation for your A Level and Intermediate Level studies in Sixth Form, so performing well at O Level gives you more options.

Can I appeal my O Level results?

Yes. MATSEC offers a revision of paper service where your exam paper is re-marked by a different examiner. There is a fee for this service, and you must apply within the deadline published on the MATSEC website (usually within a few days of results being released).

If the re-mark results in a grade change, the fee is refunded. Historically, a small percentage of students who apply for re-marking receive a grade change.

What happens if I fail an O Level?

If you receive Grade 6, 7, or U, you have several options:

Resit the exam at the next available MATSEC session (usually the following May/June)
Continue to Sixth Form in subjects you did pass, while resitting failed subjects
Consider SEAC (Secondary Education Applied Certificate) as an alternative pathway

Failing an O Level is not the end of the road. Many students improve significantly on a resit after targeted revision.

When are O Level results released?

MATSEC SEC results are typically released in July or early August, approximately 6-8 weeks after the last examination. Results are published online and students are notified individually. The exact release date varies each year and is announced on the MATSEC website.