Dutch Exam Grade Calculator - Eindexamen SE/CE and Pass Check

Enter your schoolexamen (SE) and centraal examen (CE) grades per subject to get your final grades (eindcijfers) and a havo/vwo pass check (slaag-zakregeling). Free, instant, and everything runs in your browser.

SubjectSE gradeCE gradeFinal
core
6
core
7
core
6
7
6
7

Leave the CE field empty for subjects without a central exam (e.g. maatschappijleer or the combinatiecijfer): the rounded SE grade then counts as the final grade. Grades from 1 to 10, decimals allowed (6,5 or 6.5).

Havo/vwo pass check (6 subjects)

Geslaagd (passed)

  • ✓CE average 6.38 (must be 5.50 or higher, unrounded)
  • ✓Core subjects (Nederlands, Engels, wiskunde): 0 grade(s) of 5, 0 below 5 (max one 5, nothing below 5)
  • ✓All final grades are 6 or higher

This is an indication, not advice. The official 2026 havo/vwo regulation also requires a sufficient result for LO and the rules around the combinatiecijfer and resits. Vmbo has a different regulation. Always check examenblad.nl and your own school's exam rules (PTA).

How Dutch Eindexamen Grades and the Slaag-Zakregeling Work

In the Dutch secondary school system every exam subject gets two grades: the schoolexamen (SE) grade, built up from tests during the final years, and the centraal examen (CE) grade from the national exam in May. The final grade (eindcijfer) is simply the average of the two, rounded to the nearest whole number, where exactly .5 rounds up. An SE of 6.8 and a CE of 6.1 average to 6.45 and become a 6; an SE of 6.0 and a CE of 5.0 average to 5.5 and also become a 6.

Passing havo or vwo takes more than decent final grades. First, your unrounded CE grades must average at least 5.50 across all subjects: an average of 5.49 means you fail regardless of your SE results. Second, the kernvakkenregel applies to Nederlands, Engels, and wiskunde: at most one of these three core subjects may end on a 5, and none may be lower. A 4 for Engels is an automatic fail even if everything else is an 8.

Third, the general compensation rules: you pass with all grades 6 or higher, or with a single 5. With one 4, two 5s, or a 5 plus a 4 you can still pass, but only if the rest is 6 or higher and the average of all your final grades is at least 6.0. A final grade of 3 or lower is always a fail. This calculator applies all of these checks live as you type, so you can see exactly which rule is the problem and how much a resit (herkansing) would need to improve.

The most common use case is planning before the central exams: fill in your known SE grades, then experiment with CE grades to see what you need. If your SE for wiskunde is a 5.3, a CE of 5.7 averages to 5.5 and rounds up to a 6, taking the pressure off the kernvakkenregel. Keep in mind that this tool covers the havo/vwo regulation for 2026 as published on examenblad.nl; vmbo has its own variant (with a core rule for Nederlands only and different compensation), and schools can have additional PTA requirements. Treat the outcome as an indication, not an official determination.

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How the Dutch Exam Grade Calculator Works

  1. 01Enter each exam subject with its schoolexamen (SE) grade and centraal examen (CE) grade; leave CE empty for SE-only subjects.
  2. 02The tool averages SE and CE per subject and rounds to the official final grade (eindcijfer), where exactly .5 rounds up.
  3. 03It computes your unrounded CE average and applies the havo/vwo kernvakkenregel for Nederlands, Engels, and wiskunde.
  4. 04You instantly see geslaagd or gezakt with every rule listed, so you know exactly which grade a resit needs to fix.

Understanding SE, CE, and the Eindcijfer

Every Dutch exam subject has two components: the schoolexamen (SE), built from tests during the final school years, and the centraal examen (CE), the national exam in May. The final grade is the average of the two rounded to a whole number, so an SE of 6.0 with a CE of 5.0 averages 5.5 and becomes a 6. Passing havo or vwo requires an unrounded CE average of at least 5.50, at most one 5 among the core subjects Nederlands, Engels, and wiskunde, and either all grades 6+, a single 5, or limited compensation (one 4, two 5s, or a 5 and a 4) with an overall average of 6.0.

When to Use This Calculator

Use it before the central exams to work out which CE grades you need per subject, right after results day to verify your geslaagd/gezakt status, or when choosing which subject to resit (herkansen). It is equally useful for parents and mentors who want to see quickly whether a grade list passes the 2026 havo/vwo regulation and where the risk sits.

Common Use Cases

  • Work out what CE grade you need per subject before the May exams → Final Grade Calculator
  • Check a full grade list against the 2026 havo/vwo slaag-zakregeling
  • Decide which subject a herkansing (resit) helps most

Tips

  • The CE average uses unrounded grades: a 5.49 average fails, so check the second decimal.
  • A CE that lifts a subject average to exactly .5 rounds up, which can turn a 5 into a 6.
  • Resit strategy: fixing a core-subject 5 is usually worth more than raising a 7 to an 8.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is the Dutch eindcijfer rounded?→
The final grade is the average of SE and CE rounded to the nearest whole number, and exactly .5 rounds up. An average of 5.5 becomes a 6, while 5.45 becomes a 5. The CE average requirement of 5.5 is checked before rounding, so a CE average of 5.49 fails that rule.
What is the kernvakkenregel?→
On havo and vwo the core subjects Nederlands, Engels, and wiskunde may contain at most one final grade of 5, and nothing below 5. A 4 for any core subject is an automatic fail, even if all other grades are high. The tool detects core subjects automatically from the subject name.
Can I pass with a 4 on my grade list?→
Yes, on havo/vwo you can pass with one 4 (outside the core subjects), or with two 5s, or with a 5 and a 4, as long as every other final grade is 6 or higher and the average of all final grades is at least 6.0. A grade of 3 or lower is always a fail.
Does this tool cover vmbo?→
The pass check implements the havo/vwo regulation for 2026. Vmbo uses a different set of rules, including a core rule that applies only to Nederlands. The per-subject eindcijfer calculation (SE and CE average, rounded) works the same way for vmbo, so the grade table is still useful.
How do subjects without a central exam count?→
Subjects like maatschappijleer and the combinatiecijfer have only an SE grade. Leave the CE field empty and the rounded SE counts as the final grade. These subjects count in the final-grade rules and the 6.0 average, but not in the 5.5 CE average.

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