Ordinary Wizarding Level (O.W.L.)

• Type: Standardised Examination, Educational Qualification
• Owners: Administered by the Wizarding Examinations Authority on behalf of the Ministry of Magic.
• Maker: The original creators of the formal wizarding education curriculum. The exact origin is not specified in canon.

The Ordinary Wizarding Level examinations, commonly known as O.W.L.s, are a standardized set of subject-specific tests taken by fifth-year students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The process is highly formalized and overseen by external examiners from the Wizarding Examinations Authority. The examinations take place over a two-week period in June inside the Great Hall, which is magically reconfigured for the occasion. The four house tables are replaced by many small, individual tables, each with a chair, an inkpot, a spare quill, and a roll of blank parchment. Each O.W.L. subject test consists of two distinct parts:

• Written Paper: A theory-based exam where students must answer questions on parchment. These papers are enchanted with an Anti-Cheating Spell.
• Practical Exam: A performance-based test where students must demonstrate their magical skills in front of an examiner. For instance, the Charms practical involves performing various spells, while the Potions practical requires the brewing of a specific potion within a time limit.

O.W.L. results are sent to students via owl post during the summer holidays. The grading is as follows: Pass Grades:

• O = Outstanding
• E = Exceeds Expectations
• A = Acceptable

Failing Grades:

• P = Poor
• D = Dreadful
• T = Troll

The primary purpose of O.W.L.s is to assess a student's magical proficiency after five years of compulsory education. The grades obtained are critical as they determine which subjects a student is qualified to continue studying at the advanced Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test (N.E.W.T.) level in their sixth and seventh years. Most Hogwarts professors, such as Minerva McGonagall, require a grade of 'Outstanding' or 'Exceeds Expectations' in a subject's O.W.L. for a student to advance to their N.E.W.T. class. These qualifications are also essential prerequisites for many wizarding careers. For example, the Ministry of Magic requires a minimum of five N.E.W.T.s, with top grades in relevant subjects, for a candidate to be accepted into Auror training. The exam papers themselves are imbued with magic, most notably powerful Anti-Cheating Spells to prevent students from using enchanted quills or other illicit aids.

O.W.L.s are a long-established part of the wizarding education system. The head of the Wizarding Examinations Authority, Griselda Marchbanks, mentions having personally examined Albus Dumbledore during his O.W.L.s, indicating the exams have been in place for many decades, if not centuries. During Harry Potter's fifth year, the O.W.L.s were subject to unprecedented interference from the Ministry of Magic via Dolores Umbridge, the Hogwarts High Inquisitor. Umbridge observed many of the practical exams, creating an intimidating atmosphere for the students. The period was further marked by significant disruption when Umbridge and several Aurors attempted to sack Rubeus Hagrid during the Astronomy practical exam, an event which resulted in Professor McGonagall being hit by four stunning spells and hospitalized at St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. Earlier, Fred Weasley and George Weasley staged a spectacular rebellion and departed Hogwarts in the middle of their Charms written exam.

The O.W.L.s serve as a major focus of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, introducing a significant source of academic stress and realism to the students' lives at Hogwarts. The preparation and execution of the exams are a central plotline, running parallel to the rising threat of Lord Voldemort. Key moments during the exams include:

• Defence Against the Dark Arts: Harry Potter successfully casts a corporeal Patronus Charm in front of his examiner, Professor Tofty, earning an 'Outstanding'.
• History of Magic: Harry collapses from a vision of Sirius Black being tortured by Voldemort in the Department of Mysteries, which precipitates the book's climax.
• Divination: Harry is unsettled when he notices Dolores Umbridge attempting to eavesdrop on his practical exam with Sybill Trelawney.

The O.W.L. results, received at the beginning of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, directly shape the academic paths of Harry, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger. Harry's 'Exceeds Expectations' in Potions—a grade he thought was insufficient—is accepted by the new Potions Master, Horace Slughorn, allowing him to continue the subject and ultimately pursue his ambition of becoming an Auror. Hermione Granger earned nine 'O's and one 'E', affirming her status as an exceptional witch.

• J.K. Rowling has confirmed that O.W.L.s are the wizarding world's equivalent of the General Certificate of Education (GCE) Ordinary Level, or O-Level, exams that were part of the British education system until being replaced by the GCSE in the late 1980s (J.K. Rowling interview).
• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the O.W.L.s are depicted in a montage, emphasizing the sterile, silent environment of the examination hall and the synchronized movements of the students, which is dramatically interrupted by the Weasley twins' firework display (film).