US GPA to German “Notensystem” Converter (2025)
Entering a German university, scholarship portal, or internship pipeline? Translate your US/Canadian GPA into the German 1.0 – 5.0 scale in seconds with the Modified Bavarian Formula (national standard since 2006) or a quick lookup table.
Advanced GPA Converter 2025
Convert between American and German grading systems with multiple methods
Conversion Method Used:
Important Note: This conversion is provided as a general reference. Different German universities and programs may use their own conversion methods. Always verify with your specific institution for their official requirements.
Last Updated: June 2025 - Based on current international standards
*If your uni uses unusual thresholds (e.g., pass = 0.7 not 1.0), enter them for precise output. Otherwise leave blank.
2 German 1.0 – 5.0 scale at a glance
| German “Note” | Verbal meaning | Pass? | Rough US letter feel |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 – 1.5 | Sehr gut (excellent) | ✔ | A / A+ |
| 1.6 – 2.5 | Gut (good) | ✔ | A- / B+ |
| 2.6 – 3.5 | Befriedigend (satisfactory) | ✔ | B / B- |
| 3.6 – 4.0 | Ausreichend (sufficient) | ✔ (just) | C / D |
| 4.1 – 5.0 | Nicht bestanden (fail) | ✘ | F |
3 The Modified Bavarian Formula
German grade = 1 + 3 × (maxGPA – yourGPA) / (maxGPA – minPassGPA)
- 1.0 = best. 4.0 = lowest pass. 5.0 = fail.
- Admissions portals (Uni-Assist, TUM, etc.) use this formula when you upload US transcripts.
4 Worked micro-examples (4.0 scale)
| Your US GPA | Step-by-step (Bavarian) | German result |
|---|---|---|
| 3.90 | 1 + 3 × (4.0 − 3.9)/(4.0 − 1.0) = 1.1 | 1.1 |
| 3.30 | 1 + 3 × (4.0 − 3.3)/3 = 1.7 | 1.7 |
| 2.00 | 1 + 3 × (4.0 − 2.0)/3 = 3.0 | 3.0 |
| 1.25 | 1 + 3 × (4.0 − 1.25)/3 = 3.75 | 3.8 (≈ Ausreichend) |
5 Quick reference mini-chart
| US GPA | German “Note” | US GPA | German “Note” |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0 | 1.0 | 2.6 | 2.4 |
| 3.9 | 1.1 | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| 3.8 | 1.2 | 2.3 | 2.7 |
| 3.7 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 3.0 |
| 3.6 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 3.3 |
Full table (0.1-step) lives on Princeton German Dept PDF—trimmed here for space.
6 Caveats & pro tips
- Input min pass GPA right—some US schools set D = 0.7, others 1.0; wrong input shifts result ~0.3.
- Rounding—admissions portals usually round to two decimals (e.g., 1.73).
- ECTS ≠ German scale—a few programmes use ECTS letter grades (A–F) instead; follow instructions.
- Consistency > perfection—stick with one conversion method across all docs unless told otherwise.