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Convert a German grade to percentage
There is no single German-grade-to-percentage table. The answer depends on the best percentage and the lowest passing percentage in the original system.
Updated
2 min read
At a glance
Best result
German 1.0
Lowest pass
German 4.0
No
Universal table
Use percentage = Pmax − ((German grade − 1) × (Pmax − Ppass) ÷ 3). If the original scale has 100% as the best result and 40% as the lowest pass, German 2.0 equals 80%, 2.5 equals 70%, and 3.0 equals 60%. Different pass marks give different answers.
- Values needed
- Best % and pass %
- Formula checked
- 27 July 2026
The reverse formula
Percentage = Pmax − ((German grade − 1) × (Pmax − Ppass) ÷ 3)
- Pmax is the best possible percentage in the original system, usually 100.
- Ppass is the lowest passing percentage in that system.
- German grade is the result from 1.0 to 4.0 that you want to reverse.
This is the Modified Bavarian Formula solved backwards. It reconstructs the percentage on a chosen source scale. It does not create an official percentage from a German transcript.
Conversion tables for common pass marks
| German grade | 40% pass | 50% pass | 60% pass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| 1.5 | 90.0% | 91.7% | 93.3% |
| 2.0 | 80.0% | 83.3% | 86.7% |
| 2.5 | 70.0% | 75.0% | 80.0% |
| 3.0 | 60.0% | 66.7% | 73.3% |
| 3.5 | 50.0% | 58.3% | 66.7% |
| 4.0 | 40.0% | 50.0% | 60.0% |
Pick the column that matches the lowest passing mark on the original transcript. Do not use an admission requirement such as 60% as Ppass unless 60% is also the lowest grade that passes the degree.
When not to use this table
Do not use this reverse estimate when a university asks for the original transcript, a certified grade conversion, or a country-specific evaluation. German grades and percentages come from different education systems, so a reconstructed percentage is not a replacement for the original result.
If you are applying to Germany, convert in the other direction with the German grade calculator. If uni-assist will review your documents, use its issued VPD as the application grade.
Frequently asked questions
It depends on the original passing mark. With 100% as the best result, German 2.0 reverses to 80.0% on a 40% pass scale, 83.3% on a 50% pass scale, and 86.7% on a 60% pass scale.
With 100% as the best result, German 2.5 reverses to 70.0% on a 40% pass scale, 75.0% on a 50% pass scale, and 80.0% on a 60% pass scale.
No. It is a mathematical estimate on a source scale you choose. An institution that needs an official conversion will apply its own rules or ask for the original transcript.
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