title: "Can You Get a Certificate of Merit if You Have a Failing Grade?"
slug: "what-happens-if-you-fail-a-course"
date: "2024-05-20"
author: "Hesaplamasyon Content Team"
language: "en"
category: "Education"
categorySlug: "egitim"
calculatorSlug: "takdir-tesekkur"
articleNumber: 3
seo:
title: "Can You Get Takdir with a Failing Grade? (Turkish Schools)"
description: "Find out how a single failing grade (zayıf not) on your report card affects your eligibility for Takdir and Teşekkür certificates in Turkey."
keywords:

"failing grade takdir"
"zayif not tesekkur"
"passing grade turkey"
"turkish education failing course"

Can You Get a Certificate of Merit if You Have a Failing Grade?

One of the most frequently asked questions by students as the semester comes to an end is: "My overall average is high enough for a Takdir, but I failed one class. Can I still get the certificate?"

The short and painful answer is no. The Turkish Ministry of National Education (MEB) evaluates academic success not just by your overall Grade Point Average (GPA), but by your competency in every single subject.

If you are unsure about your grades, you can easily simulate your report card outcome using our Certificate of Achievement Calculator.

The "No Failing Grades" Policy

The regulation is unambiguous: A student who has a failing grade (zayıf) in any course on their report card cannot be awarded a Certificate of Merit (Takdir) or a Certificate of Appreciation (Teşekkür), regardless of how high their overall term average is.

However, what constitutes a "failing grade" depends entirely on your education level.

The Passing Grade in High Schools (Lise)

In Turkish high schools, the grading system requires a student to achieve a term average of at least 50.00 in a specific course to pass it.

If you score 49.99 or below in a subject, that course is considered a fail (zayıf).
Consequently, if your general GPA is 92.00 (which normally guarantees a Takdir) but your Physical Education grade is 45.00, you will receive zero certificates.

The Passing Grade in Primary and Middle Schools

For primary (4th grade) and middle school students (5th to 8th grades), the system is slightly more lenient. The passing grade in these institutions is 45.00.

This means a grade of 46.00 in a middle school course is considered a "pass" and will not block you from getting a certificate.
However, if a subject drops to 44.99 or below, the certificate is lost.

Analyzing Real Scenarios

Let's look at two distinct profiles to see how this rule plays out.

Scenario A: High School Student "Ali"

Math: 95
Physics: 90
Chemistry: 100
English: 48 (Failing)
Overall Average: 88.50
Result: Despite having a stellar overall average that easily clears the 85.00 threshold for Takdir, Ali fails his English class (since it's below 50). Therefore, he Cannot Receive a Certificate.

Scenario B: Middle School Student "Ayşe"

Turkish: 85
Science: 80
Social Studies: 75
Math: 46 (Passing for Middle School)
Overall Average: 74.00
Result: Ayşe's Math grade is very low, but because she is in middle school, 46 is a passing grade. Since she has no failing courses and her average is above 70, she receives a Certificate of Appreciation 👏.

Strategic Advice for Students

If you realize towards the end of the term that your overall average is excellent, but one specific class is hovering near the failing mark (50 for high school, 45 for middle school), you must change your strategy.

Instead of trying to get your 90 in History up to a 95, you must focus all your energy on getting that 45 in Math up to a 50. Talk to your teachers, ask for extra project work, and focus heavily on the final exams for your weakest subjects to save your certificate.

To test how different grades affect your outcome, try our Certificate of Achievement Calculator.