German Grade Converter
Convert a grade from another system to the German 1.0–4.0 scale with the modified Bavarian formula — the formula German admissions offices apply to foreign grades — and convert a German grade back to your own scale. Free, no sign-up.
Starting values only. Use the Nmax and Nmin your target university or uni-assist applies to your institution.
Result
1.7
German grade
1.7
Before truncation
gut — good
Rating
X = 1 + 3 × (4 − 3.3) ÷ (4 − 1) = 1.7
Kept to one decimal place without rounding, as the KMK rule requires: 1.7.
German grade → your scale
A German 2.0 corresponds to 3 on your scale.
How to Use the German Grade Converter
- 1. Pick your grading system. A preset fills in the best grade (Nmax) and the lowest passing grade (Nmin). If your target university states its own values for your institution, type those instead.
- 2. Enter your grade. Type your average on your home scale: 3.3 for a US GPA, 78 for a percentage, 8.2 for a 10-point CGPA.
- 3. Read the German grade. You get the grade to one decimal place, the value before truncation, the German rating, and the formula filled in with your numbers.
- 4. Convert back if you need to. The lower box answers the reverse question: what grade on your scale corresponds to a German 2.0, or to a programme's cutoff of 2.5?
The Modified Bavarian Formula
X = 1 + 3 × (Nmax − Nd) ÷ (Nmax − Nmin)
- X — the German grade, from 1.0 (best) to 4.0 (lowest pass).
- Nmax — the best grade in your grading system.
- Nmin — the lowest passing grade in your system.
- Nd — the grade you achieved.
The formula maps your passing range onto Germany's: your best grade becomes 1.0, your pass mark becomes 4.0, and everything between is spread in proportion. It comes from the Kultusministerkonferenz agreement on overall grades for foreign school-leaving certificates (decision of 15 March 1991, as amended 12 September 2013), which also fixes the precision: the grade is determined to one decimal place and not rounded, so 2.75 becomes 2.7, not 2.8. Universities apply the same formula to foreign degrees, under their own admission rules.
| German grade | Rating | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0–1.5 | sehr gut | very good |
| 1.6–2.5 | gut | good |
| 2.6–3.5 | befriedigend | satisfactory |
| 3.6–4.0 | ausreichend | sufficient — a pass |
| above 4.0 | nicht ausreichend | fail |
The bands for averaged grades in German examination regulations, for example Heidelberg University's.
Worked Examples
- US GPA 3.3 (Nmax 4.0, Nmin 1.0): 1 + 3 × (4.0 − 3.3) ÷ (4.0 − 1.0) = 1.7, gut.
- 78% with a 50% pass mark: 1 + 3 × (100 − 78) ÷ (100 − 50) = 2.32, so 2.3.
- Indian CGPA 8.2 (Nmax 10, Nmin 4): 1 + 3 × (10 − 8.2) ÷ (10 − 4) = 1.9.
- UK mark of 65 with a 40 pass mark: with Nmax 100, 1 + 3 × 35 ÷ 60 = 2.75, so 2.7; with Nmax 85, 1 + 3 × 20 ÷ 45 = 2.33, so 2.3.
The last example is why Nmax matters. Some universities use the best grade realistically awarded instead of the theoretical maximum: TUM's School of Computation, Information and Technology lists 85 as the best UK bachelor's mark, 18 on the French 0–20 scale and 9 on the Dutch 1–10 scale. The presets use those values, the UGC's pass grade of 4 for an Indian 10-point CGPA, and 1.0 (a D) as the US pass — but they are starting points. The values that count are the ones your target university applies.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I convert my GPA to the German grading system?
- Use the modified Bavarian formula: German grade = 1 + 3 × (best grade − your grade) ÷ (best grade − lowest passing grade). For a US GPA of 3.3, with 4.0 as the best grade and 1.0 as the lowest pass, that is 1 + 3 × 0.7 ÷ 3 = 1.7.
- Is the converted German grade rounded?
- Under the KMK rule it is calculated to one decimal place and not rounded, so 2.75 becomes 2.7 and 1.98 becomes 1.9. The calculator shows the value before truncation beside it. A university can state its own rule for degree conversions, so check its admission regulations.
- What are Nmax and Nmin for my country?
- Nmax is the best grade your institution awards and Nmin its lowest pass. For school-leaving certificates the KMK takes them from the evaluation proposals of Germany's Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB), published in its anabin database; for degrees, universities use your institution's own grading system, which is why they ask for it. The presets here are common values, not official ones.
- Is a German 1.0 better than a 4.0?
- Yes. 1.0 is the best German grade and 4.0 the lowest pass; anything worse than 4.0 is a fail. That runs the opposite way to a US GPA, where 4.0 is the top, and the formula handles the flip for you.
- What does a German master's grade requirement mean on my scale?
- Programmes often state a minimum such as 2.5 on the German scale. Type that grade into the reverse box: with a US GPA scale of 4.0 to 1.0, a German 2.5 corresponds to a GPA of 2.5, and a German 2.0 to a 3.0.
- What if my grade is below the passing mark?
- The formula then gives a result worse than 4.0, which is not a pass on the German scale, and the calculator says so. If your grade is better than the Nmax you entered, the result is capped at 1.0.