Should grades be converted while an academic record is translated?
Preserve original grades and include the issuer’s grading legend. Translation and grade conversion are separate tasks; an evaluator or recipient may interpret the system, but the translation should not silently replace the source result with an assumed U.S. grade.
Sources: Recognition of foreign qualifications · Checked October 25, 2026
What this guide covers
- Keep the scale attached
- Avoid unofficial GPA arithmetic
- Follow the recipient’s conversion instruction
- Let the receiving institution define the deliverable
- A practical review for this handoff
- Keep an auditable handoff for grading legends, original results and separate conversion
At a glance
- Preserve original grades and include the issuer’s grading legend.
- Include the issuer’s grading key.
- Use the free checklist to organize the handoff before ordering a paid service.
Keep the scale attached
A number can mean different performance levels in different systems. Include maximum and passing values where the source states them, along with honors and repeat codes. Do not infer a scale from another institution in the same country.
Avoid unofficial GPA arithmetic
A personal spreadsheet may help organize records but should not be presented as an issuer’s GPA. Credit weighting and institutional rules can affect calculations. Label any requested analysis separately.
Follow the recipient’s conversion instruction
Berkeley’s graduate guidance expressly distinguishes transcription from conversion for its stated translation route. Other institutions can set their own rules. Preserve a direct link to the actual recipient’s instruction rather than generalizing one university’s wording.
A practical review for this handoff
Some records use symbols for withdrawal, incomplete work, exemption or an ungraded pass. These are not ordinary failing or passing letter grades. Preserve the symbol and its official explanation. If the legend is missing, request it from the institution rather than borrowing a similar-looking code definition from an unrelated school.
Read the scale before interpreting the grade
A grade has meaning within the institution's stated system. The maximum mark, passing threshold, classification bands and special codes can change how a number is understood. A result of 60 should not be converted into a familiar letter grade merely because a different institution uses that convention. Preserve the source's legend, including any note about honors, compensation, repeats or results withheld.
Some symbols describe administrative status rather than academic performance. Withdrawal, incomplete work, exemption and an ungraded pass should not be forced onto a numeric scale. If a transcript uses a code that the supplied legend does not explain, ask the institution for the applicable key. Borrowing a similar code definition from an unrelated university can create an error that looks authoritative in English.
Separate transcription from analytical conversion
Berkeley's graduate requirements expressly distinguish transcribing degree names and grades from converting them into U.S. terms for its stated translation route. Harvard also asks for grading-scale information in its academic-record context. These institutional instructions illustrate why the original scale should remain available, while the Department of Education leaves recognition decisions with the receiving authority. Translation and evaluation have different responsibilities.
For a practical comparison, put the source result, its exact scale label and the translated wording in adjacent columns. If an evaluator later calculates a GPA, keep that calculation in the evaluator's report with its methodology rather than inserting it into the university transcript. Weighted averages can depend on credits, excluded attempts and institutional rules not obvious from a simple arithmetic mean. A personal spreadsheet may help locate a question, but it should remain an organizer rather than an invented official GPA.
| Item to inspect | Question to resolve |
|---|---|
| Scale | Which issuer’s legend applies? |
| Result | Original value or added interpretation? |
| Calculation | Who authorized the method? |
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Version: October 25, 2026.
Go to the source
Sources & verification
Follow the institution that owns the requirement and check its current instructions.
Common questions
Can a percentage become a U.S. letter grade automatically?
No. Preserve the original result and use the recipient’s evaluation process for interpretation.
Should legends on the reverse be supplied?
Yes, include them in the scope review because they explain results.
Is my calculated GPA an official university GPA?
No. Label personal calculations separately and follow the recipient’s requested reporting method.
Can one country’s scale be assumed for every school?
No. Use the actual issuer’s legend and authoritative clarification.
About this guide
By Immigrant Insider editorial desk. Updated .
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