How to read a foreign grade
For recruiters, HR teams and admissions officers with a transcript from a country they don't know: what the number means, why conversions disagree, and when you need an official evaluation.
Start with the scale, not the number
The same number means opposite things in different countries. In Germany 1.0 is the best grade and 4.0 is the lowest pass. In Switzerland 6 is the best and 4 is the pass. In the Netherlands grades run to 10, but an 8 is already very good and a 10 is rarely given. In France marks are out of 20, and 16 earns the top distinction. In Denmark the scale runs from -3 to 12, with 02 as the lowest pass. Before you compare a candidate's grade with anything, find out which way their scale runs and where it passes.
Every calculator on GradeKiln shows its scale in a table on the page, with the pass mark and the band names. Every grading scale, side by side puts them all on one page.
Why conversions disagree
There is no single conversion rule, so tools disagree. A linear conversion stretches one scale onto another. A distribution-based conversion asks how rare the grade is; our A-level to IB converter works that way, from the exam boards' own results. Evaluation services publish their own tables. A Dutch 8 converted linearly looks like a B, but in the Netherlands it is a grade relatively few students earn. Our comparison of WES and ECE shows two respected services reaching different answers from the same transcript, and our corrections page sets out where published tables differ from the issuing body.
When you need an official evaluation
If a decision depends on formal equivalence, for immigration, professional licensing, or a policy that requires it, use an official service rather than any online calculator, including ours:
- United States: members of NACES, such as World Education Services (WES) and Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE).
- Canada: services such as WES, ICAS and, in Alberta, IQAS.
- United Kingdom: UK ENIC, formerly UK NARIC, which issues Statements of Comparability.
- Europe: the national ENIC-NARIC centre of the country where the decision is made. In Germany the KMK's anabin database lists how foreign qualifications are recognised.
Quick checks that save a wrong call
- Ask for the grading key. Most transcripts print it on the back, and European degrees carry it in the diploma supplement.
- Check whether the scale is inverted. A lower number is better in Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic and several others.
- Look for a grade distribution. An ECTS grading table shows what share of students earned each grade, which says more than any conversion.
- Compare like with like. A UK First, a US 3.7 GPA and a French 14/20 are all strong results, but each sits on a different scale.
What GradeKiln is, and what it is not
GradeKiln is an independent set of calculators built on each country's published grading scale, with the source named on the page. It is a guide for understanding a grade quickly. It is not an evaluation service, and the candidate's institution and the official bodies above have the final word. The converter turns a grade from one system into another in one step.
Questions employers ask
Is a GradeKiln conversion an official credential evaluation?
No. GradeKiln is an independent guide built on each country's published grading scale. For hiring decisions that need a formal equivalence, or for immigration and licensing, use an official evaluation service such as WES or ECE in the United States, UK ENIC in the United Kingdom, or your country's ENIC-NARIC centre.
Why do two conversion tools give different numbers for the same grade?
Because there is no single rule. Some tools stretch one scale linearly onto another, some use the share of students who earn each grade, and evaluation services publish their own tables. A grade that is common in one country can be rare in another, so the same number can mean very different things.
What should I ask a candidate for?
The grading key for their institution, which is usually printed on the back of the transcript or in the diploma supplement, and the grade distribution if they have one. European degrees often come with an ECTS grading table that shows how many students earned each grade.