On Tuesday (May 2) the hot phase of this year’s final exam season begins: the central Matura starts with the subjects Latin and Greek. In all, approximately 41,800 high school graduates are expected to enter AHS and vocational training (BHS). The starting shot will also be given on 2 May next year.
An ordinance from Education Minister Martin Polaschek (ÖVP) resets the start of the central high school diploma in 2024 on May 2. In 2025, the start is then planned on May 6. The originally planned schedule for 2024 was changed – the draft regulation was still due to take effect on April 29, 2024.
Anxiety topic directly on the second day
Mathematics, the most feared subject, is on the program this year on the second day of the Central Matura on May 3. The next day, the entrance exam is paused due to the national holiday in Upper Austria, followed by the German exams on 5 May. After the weekend, written Matura continues on May 8 with Spanish or the minority languages Hungarian, Slovenian and Croatian. English will follow on May 9, French on May 10 and Italian on May 11.
It is not known in advance how many students will actually participate. However, a total of 41,800 exercise booklets have been ordered for the subject of German at AHS and BHS – all high school students must participate in this subject. There were 40,400 orders for Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, and 27,400 for English. In addition, there are people who take the professional exam.
Corona rules obsolete, but one change remains
Unlike last year, this year no negative corona test or proof of recovery is required to take the exam. Conversely, some of the simplifications introduced over the course of the pandemic have also disappeared. For example, the working time is no longer extended by one hour and alternative dates are no longer offered if you are unable to attend the actual Matura date. 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 limitation to a maximum of three written exams or the only voluntary presentation of pre-scientific work or diploma theses, were already omitted last 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 permanently enshrined in law, largely protecting students with a pass or better grade in the year certificate from failing the entrance exam.
The Matura grade for a course consists of equal parts of the exam grade and the year grade of the final class. If you are exactly between two digits, the exam grade will “stick”. Exception: if less than 30 percent of the possible points are achieved in the Matura, it will automatically receive a five, regardless of the year mark.
Source: Krone
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