German Grade Converter: GPA and % to German Grade
Estimate your German grade from a US GPA or a percentage with the modified Bavarian formula. See the German term, pass or fail, the formula and tables. Scales are editable.
German grade 1.8, gut
- German grade
- 1.8
- Term
- gut
- Outcome
- Passed
- Formula result
- 1.75
x = 1 + 3 × (4 − 3.5) / (4 − 2) = 1.75
This is an estimate from the modified Bavarian formula. Each German university and Studienkolleg sets its own minimum passing grade and may round or cap differently, so confirm the result with the admissions office.
About the German Grade Converter
This converter estimates your German grade from a grade earned on another scale, such as a US GPA, a UK or Indian percentage or a Pakistani GPA. German universities and Studienkollegs often ask international applicants to convert their results with the modified Bavarian formula (the "Bayerische Formel"). German grades run from 1.0 (very good) to 4.0 (just passed), and anything above 4.0 is a fail, so a lower number is better, the reverse of most other systems.
The formula compares your grade with the best grade and the lowest passing grade of your own scale:
Here is the German grade, is the best possible grade on your scale, is the lowest passing grade and is the grade you earned. The page rounds the result half up to one decimal. If the raw result is above 5.0 it is shown as 5.0, the worst German grade.
How to use it
Steps
- Pick a grading scale preset, or type your own best grade and lowest passing grade.
- Enter Your grade (Nd). A preset fills in a sample grade you can overwrite.
- Read the German grade, the German term, whether it passes, and the formula with your numbers.
German terms
1.0 to 1.5 is sehr gut (very good), 1.6 to 2.5 is gut (good), 2.6 to 3.5 is befriedigend (satisfactory), 3.6 to 4.0 is ausreichend (sufficient) and anything above 4.0 is nicht ausreichend (not sufficient).
Worked examples
Example 1: US GPA
A GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale with 2.0 as the lowest pass gives x = 1 + 3 × (4 − 3.5) / (4 − 2) = 1.75, which rounds half up to 1.8, a good grade.
Example 2: Percentage
70 percent on a 100 scale where 40 is the lowest pass gives x = 1 + 3 × 30 / 60 = 2.5. A score of 75 percent gives 2.25, which rounds half up to 2.3.
Example 3: Just failing
39 percent is one point below the pass mark of 40, so x = 1 + 3 × 61 / 60 = 4.05, which rounds to 4.1. The grade equal to the pass mark always gives exactly 4.0.
Percentage to German grade table
Each row uses the formula above with the best grade at 100 and the lowest passing grade at 40.
| Percent | German grade | Term |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 1.0 | sehr gut |
| 90 | 1.5 | sehr gut |
| 85 | 1.8 | gut |
| 80 | 2.0 | gut |
| 75 | 2.3 | gut |
| 70 | 2.5 | gut |
| 65 | 2.8 | befriedigend |
| 60 | 3.0 | befriedigend |
| 55 | 3.3 | befriedigend |
| 50 | 3.5 | befriedigend |
| 45 | 3.8 | ausreichend |
| 40 | 4.0 | ausreichend |
| 39 | 4.1 | nicht ausreichend |
US GPA to German grade table
This table uses the best grade 4.0 and the lowest passing grade 2.0.
| GPA | German grade | Term |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 1.0 | sehr gut |
| 3.7 | 1.5 | sehr gut |
| 3.5 | 1.8 | gut |
| 3.3 | 2.1 | gut |
| 3 | 2.5 | gut |
| 2.7 | 3.0 | befriedigend |
| 2.5 | 3.3 | befriedigend |
| 2.3 | 3.6 | ausreichend |
| 2 | 4.0 | ausreichend |
An estimate, not an official grade
The result is an estimate. Every university sets its own minimum passing grade, and some use a different scale or a different rounding rule. The best grade and the lowest passing grade are editable for that reason. Confirm the figure with the admissions office or the Anabin and uni-assist guidance before you apply.
Privacy
Nothing is uploaded; every calculation runs in your browser and never leaves your device. The page keeps no history and needs no account.
Related tools
If you need to work out your grade point average first, use the GPA Calculator or the Grade Calculator. The Percentage Calculator turns marks into percentages.
Frequently asked questions
What is the modified Bavarian formula?
It is the formula x = 1 + 3 × (Nmax − Nd) / (Nmax − Nmin), where Nmax is the best grade, Nmin the lowest passing grade and Nd your grade. It maps any scale onto the German scale, where 1.0 is best and 4.0 is the lowest pass.
How do I convert my GPA to a German grade?
Enter 4.0 as the best grade, 2.0 as the lowest passing grade and your GPA as your grade. A GPA of 3.5 gives 1 + 3 × 0.5 / 2 = 1.75, which rounds half up to a German grade of 1.8.
How do I convert a percentage to a German grade?
Use 100 as the best grade and the pass mark of your institution, often 40 or 50, as the lowest passing grade. With a pass mark of 40, 70 percent gives 2.5 and 75 percent gives 2.3 on the German scale.
Is 1.0 or 4.0 the better German grade?
1.0 is the best German grade and 4.0 is the lowest passing grade. Anything above 4.0, such as 4.1 or 5.0, is a fail, so a lower number is better, the opposite of a GPA.
Why does my result say 5.0 when the formula gives a bigger number?
German grades stop at 5.0. A very low grade can push the formula above 5.0, for example 6.0 for 0 percent on a 100 and 40 scale, so the page shows 5.0 and tells you what the formula gave.
Will a German university accept this result?
Treat it as an estimate only. Each university sets its own minimum passing grade, may apply a different formula and decides how to round, so check with the admissions office or uni-assist before you apply.
Can I change the best and lowest passing grades?
Yes. The presets for US GPA, UK percentage, India percentage and Pakistan GPA are only starting values. Edit the best grade and lowest passing grade to match your own institution before you read the result.