How Chinese university grades convert to a US GPA

Most Chinese universities grade on a 0–100 percentage scale and report a credit-weighted average. Some also print a 4.0 or 5.0 GPA, but the percentage is the primary record, and 60 is usually the minimum pass.

The percentage bands

Broadly, 90–100 is Excellent, 80–89 is Good, 70–79 is Fair, 60–69 is Pass, and below 60 fails. Chinese marking is stricter at the top than US grading, so an 85 is a genuinely strong average.

Mapping to a US 4.0 GPA

Credential evaluators convert band by band rather than with one multiplier. A common reading puts 85–100 near a US 4.0 (A), the high-70s to low-80s near a B, and the 60s near a C. Different evaluators draw the lines slightly differently, so any single number is an estimate.

Watch the scale on the transcript

Because some Chinese universities also issue a native GPA (often out of 4.0 or 5.0), confirm which figure your target school wants. A 4.5/5.0 is not the same as a 4.5 on a 4.33 scale.

What to submit

Send the percentage transcript with the scale key and let an evaluator produce the US GPA. Preview the estimate on our China grading scale page.

Key takeaways

• Chinese universities grade 0–100; 60 passes and 85+ is strong.
• Conversion to a US GPA is band-by-band, not a single multiplier.
• Confirm whether a native 4.0/5.0 GPA is also on your transcript.
• Let an evaluator set the official figure for admissions.