How a Turkish grade becomes a German one
The online converter gives one number; your uni-assist VPD often gives another. It is not an error. It comes from which formula is used, which values feed it, and which grade uni-assist actually counts.
On this page
German conversion is set by a KMK resolution, not a country table. Your grade is converted with the modified Bavarian formula, German grade = 1 + 3 × (Nmax − Nd) / (Nmax − Nmin), where Nmax and Nmin are the ZAB reference values held in anabin and Nd is your average. What separates the VPD from a number you calculate yourself is this: uni-assist's Turkey page counts not the pass mark for a course or semester, but the minimum grade required to graduate, usually in Section 4.2 of the Diploma Supplement. The result is set to one decimal and not rounded, so 2.875 becomes 2.8, not 2.9.
The wrong pass mark gives the wrong grade. Nmin is not the mark to pass a course. uni-assist counts only the minimum grade required to graduate, from Diploma Supplement 4.2.
The method is public. The KMK resolution states the formula and every variable, so you can calculate an estimate before the VPD arrives.
No grade proof means the lowest passing grade. The KMK states that qualifications documented only indirectly, without proof of grades, enter at the lowest passing grade.
Who it applies to
Applicants with a Turkish high school diploma or university transcript applying to a German university.
Key facts
The grade that counts
Required to graduate
not the course/semester pass mark; usually Diploma Supplement 4.2 [2]
Method
Modified Bavarian formula
not a country table [1]
Decimal handling
Not rounded
one decimal place, cut rather than rounded [1]
Use the official grading system for your diploma and the ZAB evaluation, not a generic 4.0/0.0 assumption.
Estimate your German grade
Enter your numbers. The result uses the KMK modified Bavarian formula, cut to one decimal and not rounded, exactly as uni-assist calculates it.
your GPA or diploma average
e.g. 4.0 or 100
from Diploma Supplement 4.2 or anabin
Enter all three numbers to see your estimate.
An estimate. Your real Nmin comes from your Diploma Supplement and the ZAB values in anabin; the final grade is uni-assist's.
Which situation is yours?
Find the row closest to you, confirm your own values, and submit the right document.
| Your situation | What the rule says | Your next step |
|---|---|---|
| You entered the course pass mark as Nmin | uni-assist counts only the minimum grade required to graduate, usually in Diploma Supplement 4.2 | Use the graduation mark [2] |
| You used an online converter | It assumes a generic 4.0 scale; the formula uses the ZAB values in anabin, so the two can differ | Treat as estimate [1][4] |
| Your degree is pre-2005 and graded out of 100 | uni-assist also asks for the examination regulations valid at the time | Add the regulations [2] |
| You cannot prove your grades | Qualifications without grade proof count at the lowest passing grade | Worst case [1] |
uni-assist asks for a transcript preferably issued by e-Devlet, and for the YKS second part (Yerleştirme Sonuçları) documenting your assigned university place, a separate document not to be confused with your grade. The converted grade can be rechecked against your documents, and the university makes the final decision.
Bottom line
Your German grade comes from the KMK's modified Bavarian formula with the ZAB reference values in anabin, set to one decimal and not rounded. A converter is a sanity check, and its Nmin should be the grade required to graduate, not to pass a course. [1][2]
The KMK resolution sets the method, while uni-assist's Turkey page counts only the grade required to graduate.
Take the graduation mark from your Diploma Supplement, look up your qualification's values in anabin, and run the formula. Submit your transcript, preferably via e-Devlet.
The graduation mark, not the course one
uni-assist's Turkey page is clear: in the conversion the pass mark for an individual course or semester is not taken into account, and only the minimum grade required to graduate counts, usually given in Section 4.2 of the Diploma Supplement.
That is where the results differ. The mark to pass a course and the average needed to graduate are different numbers. Enter the course pass mark as Nmin and the formula returns a different grade. [2]
The formula and its two reference values
Foreign grades are converted with the modified Bavarian formula, X = 1 + 3 × (Nmax − Nd) / (Nmax − Nmin), where X is the German grade, Nd is your average, and Nmax and Nmin are the ZAB reference values in anabin.
The trap is the generic 4.0/0.0 assumption. Base it on the official grading system for your diploma and the ZAB evaluation instead; that is why most converters drift from the VPD.
The decimal matters too. Where a result lands between two tenths, the KMK states the grade is set to one decimal and not rounded: a computed 2.875 is recorded as 2.8, not 2.9. [1][4]
Which document to submit
uni-assist wants the grading system in an official form, and a link is accepted: a link to your university's own grading-system page, or an official PDF. Only links to anabin or Wikipedia are not enough.
Submit a transcript preferably issued by e-Devlet, and for pre-2005 degrees graded out of 100, the examination regulations valid at the time. Use anabin to understand your number; submit your university's official document with the application. [2][3]
You converted your grade. Which application route fits you?
We are an independent service, not affiliated with uni-assist e.V. Knowing what your average becomes in the German system is half of it; the other half is which route your diploma opens. Five questions and you have it.
- Five questions, about two minutes
- No account and no payment
- Your route and the documents it needs, by email
- An advisor reviews your case if it is not clear-cut
Our fee includes uni-assist's handling fee, and your documents are checked before you pay anything.
The formula above is the KMK's. The route here is our preliminary reading, not an official evaluation.
How can you apply to Germany?
About 2 minutes · No password required
Frequently asked questions
Why is my VPD grade different from the converter I used?
The converter assumes a generic 4.0 scale; the formula uses the ZAB values in anabin, and uni-assist counts the grade required to graduate as Nmin. Different inputs give a different number.
What is Nmin, the mark to pass a course?
No. uni-assist counts only the minimum grade required to graduate, usually in Section 4.2 of the Diploma Supplement. The course or semester pass mark is not used.
Why is 2.875 recorded as 2.8?
The KMK resolution states the grade is set to one decimal place and not rounded. It is cut, not rounded up.
Does my YKS score affect my German grade?
No. The YKS second part (Yerleştirme Sonuçları) documents your assigned university place and is a separate requirement; the grade is converted from your diploma grade.
Sources
- [1]KMK, resolution on setting the overall grade for foreign qualifications (12 September 2013) · Last reviewed:
- [2]uni-assist e.V., country information Turkey · Last reviewed:
- [3]uni-assist e.V., educational certificates: the grading-system document · Last reviewed:
- [4]anabin (KMK/ZAB), the database holding the ZAB reference values · Last reviewed:
Not sure about your own documents?
Our fee includes uni-assist's handling fee, and your documents are checked before you pay anything.
Get my next stepUniversity ApplicationChecked August 2026: the KMK resolution and uni-assist's Turkey and certificates pages