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TUM grade converter
TUM converts foreign grades with the Modified Bavarian Formula. The estimate needs the best grade, lowest passing grade, and your overall grade from the foreign system.
Updated
2 min read
At a glance
1.0
Best TUM grade
4.0
Lowest TUM pass
Non-binding
Estimate status
TUM uses German grade = 1 + 3 × ((best possible grade − your grade) ÷ (best possible grade − lowest passing grade)). On a 10-point scale with 4.0 as the pass mark, 9.0 converts to 1.5, 8.0 to 2.0, and 7.0 to 2.5. TUM states that this result is a non-binding first estimate.
- Formula
- Modified Bavarian
- TUM source checked
- 27 July 2026
The formula TUM publishes
TUM grade = 1 + 3 × ((Nmax − Nd) ÷ (Nmax − Nmin))
- Nmax is the best possible grade at your university.
- Nd is your current overall grade.
- Nmin is the lowest grade that passes at your university.
TUM’s official grade conversion page says the formula is for grades earned outside Germany. It maps the result to the German system, where 1.0 is best and 4.0 is the lowest pass.
TUM conversion examples
| Foreign grade | Calculation | TUM estimate |
|---|---|---|
| 9.0 | 1 + 3 × (1 ÷ 6) | 1.5 |
| 8.0 | 1 + 3 × (2 ÷ 6) | 2.0 |
| 7.0 | 1 + 3 × (3 ÷ 6) | 2.5 |
| 6.0 | 1 + 3 × (4 ÷ 6) | 3.0 |
| 4.0 | 1 + 3 × (6 ÷ 6) | 4.0 |
For letter grades, TUM says to assign a number to each grade from the best result through the lowest passing result. Its example uses A+ as 1 and D as 5. The failed grade is not used as the lowest pass.
What TUM will use in your application
TUM describes its online result as a first orientation only. The Academic and Examination Regulations for the degree program still apply, and the official review can use information that a simple calculator does not have.
Use the exact grading rules shown on your transcript or an official document from your university. If TUM or the program asks for a VPD, use the grade on the issued VPD for the application. Do not replace an official grade document with this estimate.
You can enter your values in our German grade calculator. The formula is the same, but the final TUM decision remains with TUM.
Frequently asked questions
TUM publishes the Modified Bavarian Formula: 1 + 3 × ((best possible grade − obtained grade) ÷ (best possible grade − lowest passing grade)). It maps the foreign result to the German 1.0 to 4.0 passing range.
No. TUM states that the calculator gives a non-binding first estimate. The degree program's Academic and Examination Regulations and the official document review decide the grade used in an application.
If 10.0 is the best grade and 4.0 is the lowest passing grade, 8.0 converts to German 2.0. A different lowest passing value changes the result.
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