Honours (Spain)

The Honours (Matrícula de Honor, in Spanish) is the maximum and extraordinary grade that can be obtained in a subject at the university (in Spain).

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 "Honorary distinction at 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 (merit with 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 (academic record of a bachelor's degree in law): 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 (Merit with 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 (5 to 6.9), Notable / Good (7 to 8.9), Sobresaliente / Merit (9 to 10).

Notable students with honours grades at their university degrees
Among the people who have obtained Honours in Bachelor and / or University are:


 * Soraya Saénz de Santamaría, she finished first of her promotion in the Law Degree at the University of Valladolid, with an academic record full of Honours and she obtained the Bachelor's Degree Extraordinary Award.
 * Pablo Iglesias, he obtained 13 Honours in his university degree in the Complutense University of Madrid (in Political Science), the best record of his promotion and therefore obtained the Bachelor's Degree Extraordinary Award.
 * Mario Conde, he obtained Honours in all subjects of the Law Degree at the University of Deusto, and the highest grade ever achieved in oppositions to State Lawyer.
 * Jesús Posada, civil engineer, has 40 honors in his academic record.
 * Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba, he finished first of his promotion in the Chemistry Degree, with an academic record full of Honours and he obtained the Bachelor's Degree Extraordinary Award
 * José Ignacio Wert, he finished first of his promotion in the Law Degree, with an academic record full of Honours and he obtained the Bachelor's Degree Extraordinary Award
 * Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón, he finished first of his promotion in the Law Degree, with an academic record full of Honours and he obtained the Bachelor's Degree Extraordinary Award