diff --git a/lib/gradelib.php b/lib/gradelib.php
index a189716188f..38280108ecb 100644
--- a/lib/gradelib.php
+++ b/lib/gradelib.php
@@ -1619,3 +1619,22 @@ function grade_floats_different($f1, $f2) {
 function grade_floats_equal($f1, $f2) {
     return (grade_floatval($f1) === grade_floatval($f2));
 }
+
+/**
+ * Get the most appropriate grade date for a grade item given the user that the grade relates to.
+ *
+ * @param \stdClass $grade
+ * @param \stdClass $user
+ * @return int
+ */
+function grade_get_date_for_user_grade(\stdClass $grade, \stdClass $user): int {
+    // The `datesubmitted` is the time that the grade was created.
+    // The `dategraded` is the time that it was modified or overwritten.
+    // If the grade was last modified by the user themselves use the date graded.
+    // Otherwise use date submitted.
+    if ($grade->usermodified == $user->id || empty($grade->datesubmitted)) {
+        return $grade->dategraded;
+    } else {
+        return $grade->datesubmitted;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/lib/tests/gradelib_test.php b/lib/tests/gradelib_test.php
index 0e6eebcb6f8..8401916fd3c 100644
--- a/lib/tests/gradelib_test.php
+++ b/lib/tests/gradelib_test.php
@@ -151,4 +151,70 @@ class core_gradelib_testcase extends advanced_testcase {
         // Now because of the failure, two things need updating.
         $this->assertEquals(2, $DB->count_records('grade_items', ['courseid' => $course->id, 'needsupdate' => 1]));
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Tests for the grade_get_date_for_user_grade function.
+     *
+     * @dataProvider grade_get_date_for_user_grade_provider
+     * @param stdClass $grade
+     * @param stdClass $user
+     * @param int $expected
+     */
+    public function test_grade_get_date_for_user_grade(stdClass $grade, stdClass $user, int $expected): void {
+        $this->assertEquals($expected, grade_get_date_for_user_grade($grade, $user));
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Data provider for tests of the grade_get_date_for_user_grade function.
+     *
+     * @return array
+     */
+    public function grade_get_date_for_user_grade_provider(): array {
+        $u1 = (object) [
+            'id' => 42,
+        ];
+        $u2 = (object) [
+            'id' => 930,
+        ];
+
+        $d1 = 1234567890;
+        $d2 = 9876543210;
+
+        $g1 = (object) [
+            'usermodified' => $u1->id,
+            'dategraded' => $d1,
+            'datesubmitted' => $d2,
+        ];
+        $g2 = (object) [
+            'usermodified' => $u1->id,
+            'dategraded' => $d1,
+            'datesubmitted' => 0,
+        ];
+
+        return [
+            'If the user is the last person to have modified the grade_item then show the date that it was graded' => [
+                $g1,
+                $u1,
+                $d1,
+            ],
+            'If the user is not the last person to have modified the grade_item, ' .
+            'and there is no submission date, then show the date that it was submitted' => [
+                $g1,
+                $u2,
+                $d2,
+            ],
+            'If the user is not the last person to have modified the grade_item, ' .
+            'but there is no submission date, then show the date that it was graded' => [
+                $g2,
+                $u2,
+                $d1,
+            ],
+            'If the user is the last person to have modified the grade_item, ' .
+            'and there is no submission date, then still show the date that it was graded' => [
+                $g2,
+                $u1,
+                $d1,
+            ],
+        ];
+    }
 }
diff --git a/mod/data/lib.php b/mod/data/lib.php
index 4da9e62aa4f..d1405936663 100644
--- a/mod/data/lib.php
+++ b/mod/data/lib.php
@@ -1201,22 +1201,15 @@ function data_user_outline($course, $user, $mod, $data) {
         }
         return $result;
     } else if ($grade) {
-        $result = new stdClass();
+        $result = (object) [
+            'time' => grade_get_date_for_user_grade($grade, $user),
+        ];
         if (!$grade->hidden || has_capability('moodle/grade:viewhidden', context_course::instance($course->id))) {
             $result->info = get_string('grade') . ': ' . $grade->str_long_grade;
         } else {
             $result->info = get_string('grade') . ': ' . get_string('hidden', 'grades');
         }
 
-        //datesubmitted == time created. dategraded == time modified or time overridden
-        //if grade was last modified by the user themselves use date graded. Otherwise use date submitted
-        //TODO: move this copied & pasted code somewhere in the grades API. See MDL-26704
-        if ($grade->usermodified == $user->id || empty($grade->datesubmitted)) {
-            $result->time = $grade->dategraded;
-        } else {
-            $result->time = $grade->datesubmitted;
-        }
-
         return $result;
     }
     return NULL;
diff --git a/mod/forum/lib.php b/mod/forum/lib.php
index 62f242353a3..cb996933dbf 100644
--- a/mod/forum/lib.php
+++ b/mod/forum/lib.php
@@ -463,22 +463,15 @@ function forum_user_outline($course, $user, $mod, $forum) {
         }
         return $result;
     } else if ($grade) {
-        $result = new stdClass();
+        $result = (object) [
+            'time' => grade_get_date_for_user_grade($grade, $user),
+        ];
         if (!$grade->hidden || has_capability('moodle/grade:viewhidden', context_course::instance($course->id))) {
             $result->info = get_string('grade') . ': ' . $grade->str_long_grade;
         } else {
             $result->info = get_string('grade') . ': ' . get_string('hidden', 'grades');
         }
 
-        //datesubmitted == time created. dategraded == time modified or time overridden
-        //if grade was last modified by the user themselves use date graded. Otherwise use date submitted
-        //TODO: move this copied & pasted code somewhere in the grades API. See MDL-26704
-        if ($grade->usermodified == $user->id || empty($grade->datesubmitted)) {
-            $result->time = $grade->dategraded;
-        } else {
-            $result->time = $grade->datesubmitted;
-        }
-
         return $result;
     }
     return NULL;
diff --git a/mod/glossary/lib.php b/mod/glossary/lib.php
index 50bcddc32c5..2372c35f971 100644
--- a/mod/glossary/lib.php
+++ b/mod/glossary/lib.php
@@ -270,22 +270,15 @@ function glossary_user_outline($course, $user, $mod, $glossary) {
         }
         return $result;
     } else if ($grade) {
-        $result = new stdClass();
+        $result = (object) [
+            'time' => grade_get_date_for_user_grade($grade, $user),
+        ];
         if (!$grade->hidden || has_capability('moodle/grade:viewhidden', context_course::instance($course->id))) {
             $result->info = get_string('grade') . ': ' . $grade->str_long_grade;
         } else {
             $result->info = get_string('grade') . ': ' . get_string('hidden', 'grades');
         }
 
-        //datesubmitted == time created. dategraded == time modified or time overridden
-        //if grade was last modified by the user themselves use date graded. Otherwise use date submitted
-        //TODO: move this copied & pasted code somewhere in the grades API. See MDL-26704
-        if ($grade->usermodified == $user->id || empty($grade->datesubmitted)) {
-            $result->time = $grade->dategraded;
-        } else {
-            $result->time = $grade->datesubmitted;
-        }
-
         return $result;
     }
     return NULL;
diff --git a/mod/lesson/lib.php b/mod/lesson/lib.php
index 5d7c13c6fb1..bda94f9efdb 100644
--- a/mod/lesson/lib.php
+++ b/mod/lesson/lib.php
@@ -412,14 +412,7 @@ function lesson_user_outline($course, $user, $mod, $lesson) {
                 $return->info = get_string('grade') . ': ' . get_string('hidden', 'grades');
             }
 
-            // Datesubmitted == time created. dategraded == time modified or time overridden.
-            // If grade was last modified by the user themselves use date graded. Otherwise use date submitted.
-            // TODO: move this copied & pasted code somewhere in the grades API. See MDL-26704.
-            if ($grade->usermodified == $user->id || empty($grade->datesubmitted)) {
-                $return->time = $grade->dategraded;
-            } else {
-                $return->time = $grade->datesubmitted;
-            }
+            $return->time = grade_get_date_for_user_grade($grade, $user);
         }
     }
     return $return;
diff --git a/mod/quiz/lib.php b/mod/quiz/lib.php
index e707eada0f3..84e0493875d 100644
--- a/mod/quiz/lib.php
+++ b/mod/quiz/lib.php
@@ -503,15 +503,7 @@ function quiz_user_outline($course, $user, $mod, $quiz) {
         $result->info = get_string('grade') . ': ' . get_string('hidden', 'grades');
     }
 
-    // Datesubmitted == time created. dategraded == time modified or time overridden
-    // if grade was last modified by the user themselves use date graded. Otherwise use
-    // date submitted.
-    // TODO: move this copied & pasted code somewhere in the grades API. See MDL-26704.
-    if ($grade->usermodified == $user->id || empty($grade->datesubmitted)) {
-        $result->time = $grade->dategraded;
-    } else {
-        $result->time = $grade->datesubmitted;
-    }
+    $result->time = grade_get_date_for_user_grade($grade, $user);
 
     return $result;
 }
diff --git a/mod/scorm/lib.php b/mod/scorm/lib.php
index 721dafdc62c..4efe051a512 100644
--- a/mod/scorm/lib.php
+++ b/mod/scorm/lib.php
@@ -354,22 +354,15 @@ function scorm_user_outline($course, $user, $mod, $scorm) {
     $grades = grade_get_grades($course->id, 'mod', 'scorm', $scorm->id, $user->id);
     if (!empty($grades->items[0]->grades)) {
         $grade = reset($grades->items[0]->grades);
-        $result = new stdClass();
+        $result = (object) [
+            'time' => grade_get_date_for_user_grade($grade, $user),
+        ];
         if (!$grade->hidden || has_capability('moodle/grade:viewhidden', context_course::instance($course->id))) {
             $result->info = get_string('grade') . ': '. $grade->str_long_grade;
         } else {
             $result->info = get_string('grade') . ': ' . get_string('hidden', 'grades');
         }
 
-        // Datesubmitted == time created. dategraded == time modified or time overridden
-        // if grade was last modified by the user themselves use date graded. Otherwise use date submitted.
-        // TODO: move this copied & pasted code somewhere in the grades API. See MDL-26704.
-        if ($grade->usermodified == $user->id || empty($grade->datesubmitted)) {
-            $result->time = $grade->dategraded;
-        } else {
-            $result->time = $grade->datesubmitted;
-        }
-
         return $result;
     }
     return null;