Dutch Grade Converter
Enter your Dutch grades and ECTS credits to get the weighted average, a US GPA, the matching US letter and the UK degree class from Nuffic's published reference table. A Dutch 8 is a very good grade, and the tool shows why a straight 10-to-A reading gets it wrong. Free, no sign-up.
Nuffic's table gives a pair for a Dutch 7.5 and a 6. The same choice sets the GPA for those grades.
Your Dutch grades (1–10)
Result
6.88
Weighted average (1–10)
3.01
GPA (4.0 scale)
B
US letter for the average
Lower second (2:2)
UK class for the average
Courses below 5.5: 1
| Course | Grade | US | UK | UK class | Grade points | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Course 1 | 8 | A | A/A− | First | 4.00 | 6 |
| Course 2 | 7.5 | A/A− | B+ | Upper second (2:1) | 3.85 | 6 |
| Course 3 | 6.5 | B | C+ | Lower second (2:2) | 3.00 | 6 |
| Course 4 | 6 | B−/C | C/D | Lower second (2:2) | 2.35 | 3 |
| Course 5 | 5 | F | F | Fail | 0.00 | 3 |
The UK class is Nuffic's indicative match for a Dutch average. A UK university classifies degrees by its own algorithm, so treat it as a guide.
Dutch grades of 9 and 10 are rarely given and 6 and 7 are the most common, so a Dutch 8 is a strong result — which is why a straight 10 = A, 9 = B reading is wrong.
Source: Nuffic, Grading systems in the Netherlands, the United States and the United Kingdom (2009). The table reflects Nuffic's opinion; a grade between two rows is read in the row below it.
How to Use the Dutch Grade Converter
- 1. Choose how to read paired letters. Nuffic's table gives two letters for a Dutch 7.5 (A/A−) and for a 6 (B−/C). Pick the higher letter, the lower, or the midpoint; it sets the grade points for those grades.
- 2. Enter your grades. One row per course: the Dutch grade from 1 to 10 (decimals like 7.5 are fine) and its ECTS credits.
- 3. Read the result. You get the weighted average, the GPA, the US letter and UK class for the average, and a count of any course below the 5.5 pass mark.
- 4. Check the table. The course-by-course table shows the US letter, UK letter and UK class for each grade, with the grade points used.
Why a Dutch 8 Is Not a C
The Dutch scale runs from 1 to 10, but only the middle of it is used. Nuffic, the Dutch ENIC-NARIC centre, says grades 1 to 3 and 9 and 10 are very rarely given, and that 6 and 7 are the most common grades in both secondary and higher education. Its figures for secondary school exams in 2006 show the pattern: 0.5% of grades were a 10, 2.7% a 9, 14% an 8, 40% a 7 and 35% a 6. Lining the scales up from the top — 10 as A, 9 as B, 8 as C — would turn a strong Dutch student into a weak American one, and Nuffic warns against exactly that.
Nuffic's Reference Conversion
Nuffic compared grade distributions in Dutch, US and UK universities and published a conversion that it says reflects its own opinion, based on data from 2006 and 2009. Erasmus University Rotterdam republishes the US column with the same letters. It is a reference scale, not a rule that binds any university.
| Dutch grade | US letter | UK degree class |
|---|---|---|
| 9–10 | A+ | First |
| 8–8.5 | A+ at 8.5, A at 8 | First |
| 7–7.5 | B+ at 7, A/A− at 7.5 | Upper second (2:1) |
| 6–6.5 | B− or C at 6, B at 6.5 | Lower second (2:2) |
| 5.5 | D | Third |
| below 5.5 | F | Fail |
Source: Nuffic, Grading systems in the Netherlands, the United States and the United Kingdom (July 2009), a summary and update of its Dutch article Cijfers Ontcijferd. The tool reads a grade between two rows in the row below it, so 7.3 is read as 7.
Pass Marks and Rounding
The pass mark for a single subject is 5.5 at Erasmus University Rotterdam. Nuffic's own grading page gives 6 as the minimum pass mark in secondary education, where a 5.5 is rounded to a 6, and says a 5.5 is sometimes also sufficient in higher education. Your programme's examination regulations decide which applies. Nuffic's table gives a 5.5 a D.
Worked Example
Five courses: 8 (6 credits), 7.5 (6), 6.5 (6), 6 (3) and 5 (3), 24 credits in all. The weighted average is 6.88, which Nuffic's table reads as a B in the US and a lower second in the UK. With the midpoint rule for paired letters the GPA is 3.01; taking the higher letter it is 3.09 and the lower 2.93. The 5 is below the pass mark and scores an F. The same transcript would look very different if its 8 were read as a C.
The receiving university decides
A US or UK university may use its own table for Dutch grades, or ask for a credential evaluation. A UK class also depends on the university's classification algorithm, so the class shown here is a guide, not a prediction.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I convert Dutch grades to a US GPA?
- Convert each grade with a reference table such as Nuffic's, then average the grade points weighted by credits. On Nuffic's table a 9 or 10 is an A+, an 8 an A, a 7 a B+ and a 6 a B−/C. Do not map 10 to A and 9 to B: Dutch grades above 8 are given rarely.
- What is an 8 in the Dutch system worth in the US?
- Nuffic's table gives a Dutch 8 an A, and an 8.5 an A+. An 8 is a good grade in Netherlands universities, where 6 and 7 are the most common grades and 9 and 10 are very rarely given.
- What is the pass mark in the Netherlands?
- Erasmus University Rotterdam gives 5.5 as the passing mark for a single subject. Nuffic gives 6 as the minimum pass mark in secondary education, where 5.5 rounds up to 6, and says 5.5 is sometimes also enough in higher education. Check your programme's regulations.
- Is a 10 possible in the Netherlands?
- It is possible but rare. Nuffic says a 10 and a 9 are very rarely given, and its 2006 figures for secondary exams show 0.5% of grades were a 10. The Dutch tradition is to award a 10 only for absolute perfection.
- How do Dutch grades compare with UK degree classes?
- Nuffic's table matches a Dutch average of 8 or more to a First, 7 to 7.99 to an upper second, 6 to 6.99 to a lower second and 5.5 to 5.99 to a Third. UK universities classify degrees with their own algorithms, so this is only indicative.
- Why does the table give two letters for some grades?
- Nuffic's table lists A/A− for a Dutch 7.5 and B−/C for a 6, because the Dutch grade falls across two US letters. The tool lets you take the higher letter, the lower, or the midpoint, so you can follow the convention your receiving university uses.