How it works
Universities and employers often ask for a GPA on a different scale from the one on your transcript: a 4.0 GPA for a US application, a percentage for a government form, or a 5-point GPA in Saudi Arabia. The simplest and most widely accepted method is a proportional (linear) conversion: your score keeps the same fraction of the maximum.
new GPA = old GPA ÷ old maximum × new maximumWorked examples. 3.2 out of 4 → 3.2 ÷ 4 × 100 = 80%. 4.5 out of 5 → 4.5 ÷ 5 × 100 = 90%, which is 3.6 out of 4. A percentage of 85 → 85 ÷ 100 × 5 = 4.25 out of 5.
When a linear conversion is not enough
Grade scales are not always linear. On the common Saudi 5-point scale, a C (the 70s) is 3.0 — that is 60% of 5, not 70%. Some universities therefore publish their own tables that convert GPA bands to percentage bands, and certificate equivalency bodies may use them instead of a simple ratio. Use this converter for an estimate and the official table whenever the receiving institution has one.
| Out of 4 | Out of 5 | Out of 100 |
|---|---|---|
| 4.0 | 5.0 | 100 |
| 3.6 | 4.5 | 90 |
| 3.2 | 4.0 | 80 |
| 2.8 | 3.5 | 70 |
| 2.0 | 2.5 | 50 |
Need your GPA first? Calculate it from your grades and credit hours with the GPA calculator. For university admission percentages combining several tests, use the weighted percentage calculator.