Russian Grade Calculator

Russian higher education grades on five points, of which only three are passes: 5 (отлично, excellent), 4 (хорошо, good) and 3 (удовлетворительно, satisfactory), with 2 (неудовлетворительно) a fail that must be retaken - Northern Arctic Federal University's grading guide sets the system out plainly. Many universities run internal 100-point rating systems for coursework, but what lands on the transcript and the diploma supplement is the 5-point grade. Courses assessed as зачёт (pass) carry no grade at all and stay out of every average.

The diploma average - средний балл - is traditionally a plain arithmetic mean, not a credit-weighted one: add the graded entries in the diploma supplement, divide by their count. To compute that classic figure here, give every course a weight of 1. If your university reports a weighted average over credit units (зачётные единицы), enter the credits instead and the calculator weights accordingly. Both are real numbers from the same transcript, so say which one you are quoting.

The red diploma (красный диплом) is a composition rule, not an average. The honours diploma requires at least 75 per cent of the graded entries at отлично, the remainder at хорошо with no удовлетворительно anywhere, and the final state examinations and thesis defence passed at отлично - the conditions set by point 27 of Order No. 670 of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, where the 75 per cent counts the state examination grades and leaves зачёт entries out. That is why a high average can still miss it: nineteen 5s and a single 3 average 4.9, and that one 3 rules the red diploma out. The calculator above gives you the average, and the FAQ below the rule to check it against.

How is the Russian diploma average calculated?

Traditionally as a plain arithmetic mean of the graded entries in the diploma supplement: add the 5s, 4s and 3s, divide by how many there are. Pass/fail (зачёт) entries are excluded. Set each course's weight to 1 in the calculator above for exactly that figure, or enter credit units for a weighted variant if your university reports one.

What do I need for a red diploma in Russia?

Three conditions together: at least 75 per cent of your graded entries at 5 (отлично), all remaining grades at 4 (хорошо) with not a single 3, and the state examinations and thesis defence at отлично. It is a composition test rather than an average threshold, so check your grade list against the rule, not just the mean.

Is a 3 a pass in Russia?

Yes - удовлетворительно (satisfactory) is the lowest passing grade and earns full credit for the course. A 2 (неудовлетворительно) is the fail, and a course graded 2 must be retaken before graduation.

How does the Russian 5-point scale convert to a US GPA?

There is no official conversion, and we are not going to invent one. Credential evaluators convert course by course with their own tables. Always quote the scale next to the number: "4.6 of 5" is unambiguous where "4.6" is not.

What is зачёт and does it affect my average?

Zachyot is a pass/fail credit awarded without a grade, common for seminars, practicals and physical education. It earns the credits but carries no points, so it neither raises nor lowers the средний балл - which is also why two transcripts with the same average can hold very different numbers of graded courses.

Is this Russian grade calculator free, with nothing uploaded?

Yes. No account and no upload - your courses and grades are handled in your own browser and never reach a server, and the page keeps working offline once loaded.