Australian Grade to US GPA Converter
Convert Australian grades and percentages to an approximate US 4.0 GPA — and see how a WAM differs from a GPA.
Australian percentage to US GPA
High Distinction (HD) · 85–100%
Most Australian universities use HD/D/C/P bands; some report a 7-point GPA instead.
Conversions are approximate. For official applications, use a NACES evaluator such as WES.
Australian grades → approximate GPA
| Grade | Range | Approx. GPA |
|---|---|---|
| High Distinction (HD) | 85–100% | 4.0 |
| Distinction (D) | 75–84% | 3.7 |
| Credit (C) | 65–74% | 3.0 |
| Pass (P) | 50–64% | 2.0 |
| Fail (F/N) | Below 50% | 0 |
The three numbers on an Australian transcript
Australian universities may report all three of these, and they are easy to confuse when filling in an overseas application.
| Measure | Scale | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| WAM | 0–100 | Weighted Average Mark — your actual average percentage, weighted by credit points |
| GPA (7-point) | 0–7 | HD = 7, D = 6, C = 5, P = 4, Fail = 0 at most universities |
| GPA (4-point) | 0–4 | The US-style scale, used when applying abroad |
WAM and GPA are not the same number
A WAM (Weighted Average Mark) is your average percentage across all units, weighted by credit points — a WAM of 78 means you averaged 78%. A GPA converts each grade to a point value first, which throws away the difference between a 76 and an 84 because both are a Distinction.
When an overseas application asks for a GPA, do not send your WAM. A WAM of 78 is a strong Distinction average, but typed into a 4.0-scale box it would read as a catastrophic result.
The 7-point scale and the 4-point scale
Most Australian universities report a GPA on a 7-point scale where High Distinction is 7 and a Pass is 4. Some use a 4-point scale, and a few use their own variants. Converting 7-point to 4-point by simple proportion (dividing by 1.75) understates strong results, because the grade boundaries sit in different places — the mapping above goes through the letter grade instead, which is what evaluators do.
Applying abroad with an Australian transcript
Australian and US grading are closer than most pairs, but the bands still differ: an Australian High Distinction starts at 85%, while a US A generally starts at 93%. For US graduate applications a credential evaluator such as WES will recalculate course by course. For the UK, an Australian Distinction average is generally read alongside a 2:1.
Where these figures come from
We have not yet traced this country’s band mapping to a single body that publishes it. The table reflects the scales used by the institutions we checked, and grading practice varies between them — so treat it as an orientation rather than an authority, and confirm the boundaries with the institution that issued the transcript. If you know the official source, tell us and we will cite it.
Conversions are approximate by nature. For official admissions, use a NACES credential evaluator such as WES and confirm with your institution.
Australia conversion FAQ
What GPA is a Distinction in Australia?
A Distinction (75–84%) maps to roughly a 3.7 US GPA.
Is 65% a Credit?
Yes — a Credit is typically 65–74%, which is about a 3.0 US GPA.
What is a High Distinction in GPA?
A High Distinction (85%+) is about a 4.0 on the US scale, and a 7 on the Australian 7-point scale.
Is WAM the same as GPA?
No. A WAM is your weighted average mark out of 100; a GPA converts each grade to points first. A WAM of 78 is a Distinction average, but it is not a 78 GPA on any scale.
How do I convert a 7-point GPA to a 4-point GPA?
Go through the letter grade rather than dividing. HD (7) ≈ 4.0, D (6) ≈ 3.7, C (5) ≈ 3.0, P (4) ≈ 2.0. Dividing by 1.75 understates strong results.
Is a 5.0 GPA good in Australia?
On the 7-point scale a 5.0 is a Credit average — a solid result, roughly a 3.0 US GPA, and above the minimum most postgraduate programmes require.
Grade conversion for other countries
Converting a transcript from somewhere else? These pages use each country's own grading scale.