Australian grades to US GPA
Australian universities share the same grade names, High Distinction, Distinction, Credit and Pass, but not the same cut-offs. Choose the band set your university uses.
Convert a grade
Standards vary by school; follow your target school’s rules.
How the estimate works
The estimate draws straight lines between these points on the “Marks, High Distinction from 80 (ANU)” scale: 50 → 1.0, 70 → 3.0, 100 → 4.0. The points in the middle come from the published tables below; mapping the lowest pass to 1.0 and the top of the scale to 4.0 is a GradeKite assumption. Values outside the points get no estimate.
The estimate draws straight lines between these points on the “Marks, High Distinction from 85 (Sydney)” scale: 50 → 1.0, 75 → 3.0, 100 → 4.0. The points in the middle come from the published tables below; mapping the lowest pass to 1.0 and the top of the scale to 4.0 is a GradeKite assumption. Values outside the points get no estimate.
The estimate draws straight lines between these points on the “GPA out of 7” scale: 5 → 3.0, 7 → 4.0. The points in the middle come from the published tables below; mapping the lowest pass to 1.0 and the top of the scale to 4.0 is a GradeKite assumption. Values outside the points get no estimate.
Grade bands
| ANU grade | Mark |
|---|---|
| HD High Distinction | 80–100 |
| D Distinction | 70–79 |
| CR Credit | 60–69 |
| P Pass | 50–59 |
| N Fail | 0–49 |
| Sydney grade | Mark |
|---|---|
| HD High distinction | 85–100 |
| DI Distinction | 75–84 |
| CR Credit | 65–74 |
| PS Pass | 50–64 |
| FA Fail | 0–49 |
Same names, different lines
Australian universities describe results with the same words, but the numbers behind them vary. At the Australian National University a High Distinction starts at 80 and a Distinction at 70; at the University of Sydney a High Distinction needs 85 and a Distinction 75. Both treat 50 as the pass. So “Distinction average” can mean 70-something at one university and 75-something at the next, and that is exactly what overseas admissions tables try to account for.
Many universities also report a GPA out of 7, and honours degrees carry their own classes (First, upper and lower second) on top of the ordinary grades.
What overseas tables say
Toronto equates mid-B with a Distinction or upper-second honours: 70/100, or 75/100 where the Distinction band starts at 75. Oregon State’s B-average minimum is 5 out of 7, a Credit, or upper-second honours. Loughborough puts a UK First at High Distinction (80 or 85, depending on the university), a 2:1 at a Distinction of 75 or 80, and a 2:2 at a Distinction of 70 or 75. For honours degrees Loughborough uses First 80%, H2A 70% and H2B 60%.
Worked example
Lachlan has a 72 average. At ANU that is a Distinction; on the first setting the estimate is 3.0 + 1.0 × 2/30 = 3.07, and Loughborough’s ordinary-degree table reads it as a 2:2 equivalent, because the 2:2 line is a 70 Distinction at universities where HD starts at 80. At Sydney the same 72 is a Credit, below Toronto’s 75 mid-B line: the estimate is 1.0 + 2.0 × 22/25 = 2.76. A 5.5 out of 7 is a quarter of the way from Oregon State’s 5 (B) to the top: 3.25.
What universities publish
| Source | What it says |
|---|---|
| University of Toronto, School of Graduate Studies | Mid-B: Distinction or 2nd Class Upper; 70/100 (75/100 where noted). |
| Oregon State University Graduate Admissions | B average: 5 (Credit) out of 7, or Second Class Honours Upper Division. |
| Loughborough University | Honours: First 80%, 2:1 70% (H2A), 2:2 60% (H2B). Ordinary: First HD (80 or 85), 2:1 D (75 or 80), 2:2 D (70 or 75). |
| Australian National University | HD 80–100, D 70–79, CR 60–69, P 50–59, N 0–49. |
| University of Sydney | HD 85–100, DI 75–84, CR 65–74, PS 50–64, FA 0–49. |
Estimated conversion table
| Marks, High Distinction from 80 (ANU) | Estimated US GPA (4.0) | UK class (Loughborough guide) |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | 1.0 | Below a lower second |
| 55 | 1.5 | Below a lower second |
| 60 | 2.0 | Below a lower second |
| 65 | 2.5 | Below a lower second |
| 70 | 3.0 | Lower second (2:2) |
| 75 | 3.2 | Upper second (2:1) |
| 80 | 3.3 | First class |
| 85 | 3.5 | First class |
| 90 | 3.7 | First class |
| 100 | 4.0 | First class |
Sources
- Australian National University: Grading scale
- University of Sydney: Guide to grades
- University of Toronto, School of Graduate Studies: International Credentials Equivalencies
- Oregon State University Graduate Admissions: Australia requirements
- Loughborough University: Postgraduate qualification equivalencies for international students
Once you have course grades on a 4.0 scale, the GPA calculator turns them into a credit-weighted GPA.