German Grade Converter
Convert a foreign grade to the German 1.0–4.0 scale with the modified Bavarian formula.
On the German 1.0–4.0 scale, where 1.0 is the best grade and 4.0 is the lowest pass.
Assumes a linear scale where a higher grade is better. Many universities publish their own conversion table — check yours before you rely on this figure.
The modified Bavarian formula converts a foreign grade to Germany’s 1.0–4.0 scale: x = 1 + 3 × (Nmax − Nd) ÷ (Nmax − Nmin). A grade of 80 on a 50–100 scale gives 1 + 3 × 20 ÷ 50 = 2.2 (gut / good). On the German scale 1.0 is the best mark and 4.0 is the lowest pass.
What the formula does
German universities grade on a scale from 1.0 (very good) down to 4.0 (sufficient), with anything below 4.0 counted as a fail (5.0). To place a foreign grade on that scale, most institutions and the central application service uni-assist use the modified Bavarian formula (Modifizierte bayerische Formel).
It needs three numbers from your home system: Nmax, the best grade achievable; Nmin, the minimum grade needed to pass; and Nd, the grade you actually earned. The formula measures how far your grade sits between the pass mark and the top mark, then maps that position linearly onto the German 1.0–4.0 range.
x is your German grade · Nmax = best grade · Nmin = pass grade · Nd = your grade
Worked example
Converting a grade of 80 from a system where 100 is the best mark and 50 is the pass mark.
- 1 Identify your three grades. Best possible Nmax = 100, minimum pass Nmin = 50, your grade Nd = 80.
- 2 Substitute into the formula. x = 1 + 3 × (100 − 80) ÷ (100 − 50).
- 3 Work out the brackets. x = 1 + 3 × 20 ÷ 50 = 1 + 3 × 0.4.
- 4 Finish the arithmetic. x = 1 + 1.2 = 2.2, which is gut / good on the German scale.
German grade → descriptor
The 1.0–4.0 pass range plus the failing grade. German transcripts state grades to one decimal.
| German grade | Descriptor | 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 (lowest pass) |
| 5.0 | nicht ausreichend | Fail |
How to read the result
This is the modified Bavarian formula used by uni-assist and most German universities. It assumes a linear scale where a higher grade is better, so it fits percentage systems and GPA-style scales but not grades where a lower number is better — for those you convert the mark to a percentage first.
The output is an approximation for orientation. Some institutions publish their own conversion tables, apply subject-specific rules, or round differently, and a few countries have official bilateral agreements that override the formula. Always confirm the figure your target university will actually use before relying on it in an application.