These rules apply to this year's Central Matura

2023-05-01 13:16:00

The hot phase of this year’s matriculation examination season begins on Tuesday (May 2nd): With the exams in the subjects Latin and Greek starts the Central Matura. A total of around 41,800 high school graduates are expected to take the exams at AHS and vocational colleges (BHS). Most of the corona-related simplifications of the last few years no longer apply this year – with the calculation of the annual grade in the Matura grade, however, the most important change remains.

Break due to holiday

Right on the second day of the Central Matura on May 3rd, there will be mathematics the most feared subject on the program. The day after that, the matriculation exam is paused due to the state holiday in Upper Austria, followed by the May 5th Deutsch-Exams. After the weekend, the written Matura will be on May 8th Spanish or the minority languages Hungarian, Slovenian and Croatian continued. May 9th follows EnglishI am 10. May Frenchwill then be completed on May 11th with Italian.

It is not known in advance how many students will actually compete. However, a total of 41,800 exercise booklets were ordered for the subject German at AHS and BHS – all high school graduates have to compete in this subject. There were 40,400 orders for mathematics and applied mathematics, and 27,400 for English. In addition, there are those people who take the vocational matriculation examination.

Corona rules are no longer applicable

Unlike last year, no negative corona test or proof of recovery is required to take the exam this year. Conversely, some of the simplifications introduced in the course of the pandemic have also disappeared. Among other things, the working time will no longer be extended by one hour, and alternative dates if you are unable to attend the actual Matura date are no longer offered. In the case of the oral Matura, the subject areas at the AHS can no longer be shortened.

Other special Corona rules, such as the only voluntary oral Matura, the restriction to a maximum of three written exams or the only voluntary presentation of pre-scientific work or diploma theses have already been omitted in the previous year or in 2021. On the other hand, the inclusion of the certificate grade of the last class, introduced in the first Corona year, has been adopted into permanent law, which largely protects pupils with a satisfactory or better grade in the annual certificate from failing the matriculation examination.

The Matura grade in a subject consists of equal parts of the exam grade and the annual grade of the final class. If you then stand exactly between two grades, the exam grade “stings”. Exception: If fewer than 30 percent of the possible points are achieved in the Matura, it is automatically given a five, regardless of the annual grade.

If a one in the certificate brings nothing

A few examples: If you get a B in a subject in your annual report and a F on the exam, you get a C in your Matura certificate. A “satisfactory” in the annual report and a “good” on the exam results in a two, a “good” in the annual report and a “satisfactory” on the exam results in a three. A three in the annual report and a “Not sufficient” in the written examination results in a four if you achieve at least 30 percent of the possible points, and a five in less than 30 percent of the points. If you have less than 30 percent of the points, even a one in the certificate is of no use – then you have to take the compensation test. In this (oral) exam, students can correct negative written Matura grades. It takes place (depending on the subject) on May 31st. or June 1st.

Oral will follow at the end of May

From the end of May, the written Matura will be followed by the oral matriculation examination. In her case, too, the grades in the school leaving certificate are included in the final grade.

In the past three years, AHS director spokeswoman Isabella Zins has not been able to observe that the high school graduates would try harder to achieve at least a three in the certificate because of the inclusion of the annual grade. There are also limits to tactics: For students who find it particularly difficult in a subject, a satisfactory is usually unattainable anyway, according to Zins to the APA.

Directors’ skepticism

While the inclusion of the annual grade in the written Matura has proven its worth from the point of view of the directors, the AHS directors are skeptical about the oral exams – “because we don’t think it’s necessary and sensible”. After all, you can usually choose a subject that you are particularly interested in for the oral exam anyway.

With a bit of bad luck, the inclusion could even be a disadvantage, because you have to choose the subjects for the “oral” at a time when you don’t yet know your annual grade. Zins reports on a case in which a high school graduate passed an excellent oral exam, but only got a two because of a “satisfactory” in the annual report.