French grades out of 20 to US GPA
France grades almost everything out of 20, and 20 is close to unreachable. A 14 is a very good mark. Enter a grade or a yearly average to see its mention and an estimated GPA.
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 “Grade out of 20” scale: 10 → 1.0, 12 → 3.0, 13 → 3.3, 14 → 3.7, 20 → 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
| Baccalauréat mention | Average |
|---|---|
| Très bien avec les félicitations du jury | 18 and above |
| Très bien | 16 to under 18 |
| Bien | 14 to under 16 |
| Assez bien | 12 to under 14 |
| Admis (pass, no mention) | 10 to under 12 |
| Below the pass mark | Under 10 |
The 20-point tradition
French schools and universities mark out of 20, and teachers rarely give the top of the scale. The baccalauréat sets the reference points most French students know: an overall average of 10 passes, and mentions are awarded from 12 (assez bien), 14 (bien), 16 (très bien) and 18 (très bien with the jury’s congratulations). Mentions go only to candidates who pass at the first round, without the oral resits. The ministry reports a 95.9% pass rate for the June 2026 general baccalauréat.
University degrees (licence, master) use the same 0–20 marks with similar mentions on the diploma, although each university sets its own rules for compensation between modules.
Where US tables put French marks
Admissions offices agree that French marks must be read generously, but not on exactly where. Toronto puts 12 at mid-B, 13 at B+ and 14 at A−. Oregon State uses 13 (assez bien) as its B-average minimum, a full point stricter at the bottom. Loughborough maps a licence average of 14 to a UK First and 13 to a 2:1.
Worked example
Camille’s licence average is 13.5, mention assez bien. On Toronto’s anchors it sits halfway between B+ (13 = 3.3) and A− (14 = 3.7): 3.3 + 0.4 × 0.5 = 3.5. For Loughborough that is a 2:1, and it clears Oregon State’s 13 minimum. Above 14 the estimate climbs slowly toward 4.0 at 20, because a 16 or 17 is already exceptional and the scale above 14 is compressed.
Below 12 we only know that 10 passes. The tool draws a straight line from 10 (treated as the lowest pass, 1.0) to 12 (3.0), which is a GradeKite assumption, not a published equivalence; an 11 therefore shows as 2.0.
What universities publish
| Source | What it says |
|---|---|
| University of Toronto, School of Graduate Studies | Mid-B 12/20, B+ 13/20, A− 14/20. |
| Oregon State University Graduate Admissions | B average: 13 (Assez Bien) out of 20. |
| Loughborough University | Licence/Maîtrise/Diplôme d’Ingénieur: UK First 14, 2:1 13, 2:2 11. |
| Ministère de l’Éducation nationale | Bac: 10 passes; mentions from 12, 14, 16, and 18 with the jury’s congratulations. |
Estimated conversion table
| Grade out of 20 | Estimated US GPA (4.0) | UK class (Loughborough guide) |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 1.0 | Below a lower second |
| 11 | 2.0 | Lower second (2:2) |
| 12 | 3.0 | Lower second (2:2) |
| 12.5 | 3.1 | Lower second (2:2) |
| 13 | 3.3 | Upper second (2:1) |
| 13.5 | 3.5 | Upper second (2:1) |
| 14 | 3.7 | First class |
| 15 | 3.8 | First class |
| 16 | 3.8 | First class |
| 18 | 3.9 | First class |
Sources
- Ministère de l’Éducation nationale: Le baccalauréat général
- University of Toronto, School of Graduate Studies: International Credentials Equivalencies
- Oregon State University Graduate Admissions: France 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.