An important aspect of studying in Germany is understanding the German university grading system. The grading scheme in Germany is a little different from that followed in India. In India, we mostly have a percentage method of grading while countries like Germany, USA etc. have a GPA system.
Students often get confused as to what grade should be obtained to unlock all the excellent opportunities lying in a foreign country for them. Therefore, in this blog we help you understand academic grading in Germany and compare percentage or Indian CGPA to German GPA through a German GPA converter. So, stay with us till the end to get absolute clarity on the German grading system.
: Types of Universities in Germany
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Understanding the German Grading Scheme
German GPA system is based on the GPA (Grade point average) system.
Universities in Germany apply a 1 to 6 (or 5) point grading system to assess the academic performance of students. 1 being very good performance and 6 being bad performance.
Take a look at the table below to get an overview of the German university grading system (1 to 6) and what it means for you-
|
GPA |
Value |
|
1.0 |
Excellent |
|
2.0 |
Overall very good |
|
3.0 |
Good |
|
4.0 |
Adequate |
|
5.0 |
Sufficient |
|
6.0 |
Insufficient |
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It is important to remember that the Germany grading system may vary based on your university.
Some universities in Germany also use a 1-5 point grading system to evaluate students based on their academic performance. If you find that your university uses the German GPA system which ranges from 1 to 5 points, then the table given below might help you get a better idea:
|
GPA |
Value |
|
1 - 1.5 |
Very good |
|
1.6 - 2.5 |
Good |
|
2.6 - 3.5 |
Satisfactory |
|
3.6 - 4.0 |
Sufficient |
|
4.1 - 5 |
Fail |
As an Indian student studying in Germany, you must remember that higher the percentage you get in the Indian education system, lower will be your GPA.
There is thus an inverse relationship between the Indian percentage system and Germany GPA system.
German Grade Conversion from Indian Percentage: German GPA Calculator
If you are looking to apply for German universities, you might be asked to submit your GPA. For Indian students this means, you will have to convert their CGPA or percentage to German grade.
It is important to note that the grading systems used in German universities may differ substantially, therefore check with your university requirements. For example many German universities use the Modified Bavarian Formula in their Grade Conversion Tool.
The Formula used as CGPA converter Germany is-
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Here, x = German GPA Nmax = the maximum grade in your grading system Nmin = minimum grade in your grading system Nd = percentage or CGPA that you have obtained |
You can use the formula to convert your Indian Percentage or Indian CGPA to German GPA. However, a simpler thing to do would be to use an online German Grading System Calculator tool depending on the requirements of your university.
Read: Public Universities in Germany
To get an idea of where you stand in the Germany grading scale you can also compare your grade to the chart given below.
The table shows a comparison of your percentage and compared it to the German grading scheme:
|
Indian Percentage |
German GPA Grade |
Description |
|
90-100% |
1 - 1.5 |
Sehr Gut (Very Good) |
|
80-90% |
1.6 - 2.5 |
Gut (Good) |
|
65-80% |
2.6 - 3.5 |
Befriedigent (Satisfactory) |
|
50-65% |
3.6 - 4.0 |
Ausreichend (Sufficient) |
|
0-50% |
4.1 - 5.0 |
Mangelhaft (Not sufficient) |
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Know About Studying in Germany |
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ECTS Grading System & German GPA
ECTS stands for European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System. ECTS is a common European grading framework designed for the purpose of facilitating the academic exchange among EU countries.
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ECTS is basically a common grading system followed all over the EU. yThis is because the number of EU students who choose to study abroad elsewhere in Europe is high, and the interpretation of the national grading system often changes depending on the university. |
With the help of the ECTS system, higher education institutions throughout EU countries can easily assess and compare the academic scores of their EU students.
ECTS is not developed to replace the corresponding grades at the German university you want to enrol in. It helps to further ease the assessment of your academic credits.
ECTSs are optional. The universities are allowed to use them in full compliance with their own grading policies.
The table given below shows grades in German higher education and their equivalents in the ECTS system as GPA calculator for German universities.
|
German Grade |
Grade Definition |
ECTS Grade |
|
1-1.5 |
Sehr Gut (Very Good) |
A |
|
1.6-2.5 |
Gut (Good) |
B |
|
2.6-3.5 |
Befriedigend (Satisfying) |
C |
|
3.6-4.9 |
Ausreichend (Sufficient) |
D |
|
5.0-6.0 |
Nicht Ausreichend (Insufficient) |
E |
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Minimum GPA Grade Requirements for Germany
The minimum grade requirements in German universities may vary depending on the courses, universities etc.
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However, the minimum grade required for a middle profile course is GPA 2.5, GPA 1.5 for high profile study programs and there are no specific requirements for low profile courses. |
You can use the above formula, German grading system converter or German GPA calculator online to convert the grade to the German system.
: Germany Admission Requirements
While understanding the academic grading in Germany is important, you must also remember that your GPA isn't everything. You get admission in German universities based on a number of factors including the quality of your application, your passion and skill for the subject etc. However, having a good GPA along with all the aforementioned factors is definitely like a cherry on top. Therefore, a good GPA would certainly brighten your chances of getting into a good German university. Wish to know more? Connect with our Yocket Counsellors!
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Frequently Asked Questions About Grading scale in Germany
Ques. What is the German University Grading system?
Ans. Germany has a 5 or 6 point grading system (GPA) to evaluate student’s performance. Grades vary from 1 (Excellent, sehr gut) to 5,6 ( Not sufficient, nicht gut).
Ques. How to convert the percentage to the German grading system?
Ans. You can use various online websites which will convert your percentage to German grades. You will typically have to enter the marks you have obtained, the maximum marks in your grading system and the minimum marks. Once you have done that, the websites will automatically generate where your percentage lies on the German grading scale.
Ques. What is a good GPA in the German Grading system?
Ans. GPA ranging anywhere between 1 to 2.5 is considered a good GPA in Germany.
Ques. What is the ECTS?
Ans. ECTS stands for European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System.
Ques. How is the Indian percentage compared to the German grading scale?
Ans.
|
Indian Percentage |
German GPA Grade |
Description |
|
90-100% |
1 - 1.5 |
Sehr Gut (Very Good) |
|
80-90% |
1.6 - 2.5 |
Gut (Good) |
|
65-80% |
2.6 - 3.5 |
Befriedigent (Satisfactory) |
|
50-65% |
3.6 - 4.0 |
Ausreichend (Sufficient) |
|
0-50% |
4.1 - 5.0 |
Mangelhaft (Not sufficient) |