Convert Polish Grades to US GPA

Scale: Poland uses a numeric scale from 2 to 5 (sometimes 1 to 6), where 5 is the highest grade and 2 is failing. Half-grades (e.g. 4.5, 3.5) are commonly used.  |  Range: 2–5 numeric scale (with half-grades)
US GPA Equivalent
4.00
Excellent
US Letter Grade
Poland Grade
5
Score Range
91–100
Classification
Bardzo Dobry (Very Good)

How Polish University Grading Works

Poland's higher education system is governed by the Law on Higher Education and Science (Ustawa Prawo o szkolnictwie wyższym i nauce) and regulated by the Ministry of Education and Science (MEiN). Polish universities use a numeric grading scale ranging from 2 to 5, where 5 is the highest grade and 2 is a failing grade. Half-grades are standard and widely used across all institutions.

The grades and their meanings: 5 (Bardzo Dobry / Very Good) — outstanding performance; 4.5 (Dobry Plus / Good Plus) — clearly exceeds requirements; 4 (Dobry / Good) — meets all requirements well; 3.5 (Dostateczny Plus / Satisfactory Plus) — meets most requirements; 3 (Dostateczny / Satisfactory) — the minimum passing grade; 2 (Niedostateczny / Unsatisfactory) — fail. Grades of 3–5 (including half-grades) appear on official transcripts; grade 2 means the exam must be retaken.

Some secondary schools and occasional university courses use a 1–6 scale (with 6 being celujący / outstanding and 1 being niedostateczny / fail), but the 2–5 scale is the standard for Polish higher education. Polish universities follow the ECTS credit system, with a typical bachelor's requiring 180 ECTS (3 years) and a master's adding 120 ECTS (2 years), fully aligned with the Bologna Process.

Leading Polish institutions include University of Warsaw — Poland's largest and top-ranked university; Jagiellonian University in Kraków, founded in 1364, one of the oldest universities in Europe and the world; Warsaw University of Technology (Politechnika Warszawska) — Poland's top technical university; AGH University of Science and Technology in Kraków; and Wrocław University of Science and Technology. Polish degrees are EU-recognised and carry increasing international reputation, particularly in STEM fields.

Poland to US GPA Conversion Table

Polish Grade Classification US GPA US Letter
5 Bardzo Dobry (Very Good) 4.00 A
4.5 Dobry Plus (Good Plus) 3.50 A-/B+
4 Dobry (Good) 3.00 B
3.5 Dostateczny Plus (Satisfactory Plus) 2.50 B-/C+
3 Dostateczny (Satisfactory — Minimum Pass) 2.00 C
2 Niedostateczny (Fail) 0.00 F
Conversion approach: Polish grades are mapped to US GPA using a fixed equivalency table (5=4.0, 4.5=3.5, 4=3.0, 3.5=2.5, 3=2.0, 2=0.0). To calculate a weighted GPA, multiply each grade's GPA value by its ECTS credits, sum the results, and divide by total ECTS credits.

Weighted GPA = ∑(GPA value × ECTS credits) ÷ ∑(ECTS credits)

Conversion Example

Student: Aleksandra studies Computer Science (Informatyka) at Warsaw University of Technology and is applying to US master's programmes.

Her grades: Algorithms 5 (6 ECTS), Databases 4.5 (5 ECTS), Operating Systems 4 (5 ECTS), Software Engineering 4.5 (6 ECTS), Thesis 5 (10 ECTS).

Weighted US GPA: (6×4.0 + 5×3.5 + 5×3.0 + 6×3.5 + 10×4.0) ÷ 32 = (24 + 17.5 + 15 + 21 + 40) ÷ 32 = 117.5 ÷ 32 = 3.67 GPA

US equivalent: 3.67 / 4.0 — Strong performance from PW. Competitive for US CS master's programmes.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Polish grading tradition does not use 0 or 1 as distinct fail grades in higher education — a grade of 2 (Niedostateczny) already represents failure clearly. The scale 2–5 has historical roots in the socialist-era educational system and was retained after 1989. In secondary schools, a 1 (celujący being 6 at the top) sometimes exists, but universities standardised on 2–5 for simplicity.
The final diploma grade (ocena na dyplomie) in Poland is calculated from the weighted average of all subject grades, the thesis grade, and the oral defence result. The resulting diploma classification is typically: 5.0 = Bardzo Dobry (Very Good / with Distinction); 4.5 = Dobry Plus; 4.0 = Dobry (Good); 3.5 = Dostateczny Plus; 3.0 = Dostateczny (Satisfactory). This single diploma grade appears prominently on the degree certificate.
Many US universities require a credential evaluation from WES (World Education Services) or a similar organisation (ECE, NACES members) for Polish transcripts. This converts Polish credits (ECTS) and grades to their US equivalents. Polish transcripts are in Polish, so a certified English translation is also typically required. The evaluation process usually takes 7–15 business days.
Both are Polish first-cycle degrees equivalent to a bachelor's. Licencjat (3 years, 180 ECTS) is awarded in humanities, social sciences, and some sciences. Inżynier (3.5–4 years, 210–240 ECTS) is awarded in technical and engineering fields and requires a more substantial engineering project as the final thesis. Both are followed by a 2-year magister (master's) programme.
Polish STEM degrees, particularly from Warsaw University of Technology, AGH, and Wrocław University of Technology, are well regarded internationally. Polish graduates with a strong GPA equivalent (4.0–5.0 on the Polish scale), research experience, and competitive GRE scores are regularly admitted to top US PhD programmes in CS, engineering, and mathematics. Poland produces a high proportion of Olympiad winners and competitive programmers, which US admissions committees recognise.

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