There is no universal formula
Countries grade differently. A 70 percent can be a top mark in one system and an average mark in another. Dividing your grade by the scale maximum and multiplying by 4 is simple, but it assumes every scale is spread out the same way, and many are not.
What credential evaluators do
Credential evaluation services review your records and convert them to US equivalents. WES describes its iGPA tool as converting grades from non-US grading scales into US equivalents on a 4.0 scale, working course by course with grades and credits entered for each course. Its tables are its own, which is why this site does not copy them.
Estimate first, then follow the rules
A quick estimate helps you understand your position before you apply. For an official application, check whether the school wants a course-by-course evaluation, your original transcript, or both. Some schools recalculate GPA themselves, so ask the admissions office before you pay for an evaluation.
- Ask which evaluators, if any, the school accepts.
- Ask whether you should report your original scale on the application.
- Keep official transcripts and any grading-scale explanation from your school.
Example from India
CBSE publishes an indicative percentage for its grade points: percentage = 9.5 x CGPA. A CGPA of 8.4 gives about 79.8 percent. That figure describes CBSE results only; it does not become a US GPA on its own.
Keep a record
Save the conversion method and the date for any estimate you make. If a school or evaluator later gives a different number, you will know why the two differ.
Sources and further reading
Have a correction or a suggestion? Tell the studio.