Convert UAE Grades to US GPA
How UAE University Grading Works
The United Arab Emirates has one of the most internationally oriented higher education sectors in the Arab world. Universities are accredited and regulated by the Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA) under the Ministry of Education. Many UAE universities were founded as branches of international institutions or modelled directly on US and UK university systems.
UAE universities follow a percentage-based letter-grade system mapped to a 4.0 GPA scale: A (90–100%) for outstanding work = 4.0; B+ (85–89%) for very good plus = 3.5; B (80–84%) for very good = 3.0; C+ (75–79%) for good plus = 2.5; C (70–74%) for good = 2.0; D (60–69%) for pass = 1.0; F (below 60%) for fail = 0.0.
The UAE's most prestigious institutions include NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) — ranked alongside NYU's other global campuses and teaching the same US curriculum; Khalifa University — a research-focused STEM university ranked in the QS World Top 200; and UAE University (UAEU) — the national university. The American University of Sharjah (AUS) and American University in Dubai (AUD) also use US-accredited curricula and GPA systems directly comparable to US standards, making their transcripts easy to evaluate.
Teaching is primarily in English at most UAE universities, which simplifies transcript evaluation for US graduate admissions. Credit hours follow the US model (typically 120–130 credits for a bachelor's degree), and cumulative GPA is the standard measure of academic performance.
UAE to US GPA Conversion Table
| Grade | Score % | UAE GPA | US GPA | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 90–100 | 4.00 | 4.00 | Outstanding / Excellent |
| B+ | 85–89 | 3.50 | 3.50 | Very Good Plus |
| B | 80–84 | 3.00 | 3.00 | Very Good |
| C+ | 75–79 | 2.50 | 2.50 | Good Plus |
| C | 70–74 | 2.00 | 2.00 | Good |
| D | 60–69 | 1.00 | 1.00 | Pass |
| F | < 60 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Fail |
Conversion Example
Student: Fatima studies Architecture at the American University of Sharjah (AUS) and is applying to US master's programmes in urban design.
Her courses: Design Studio A (6 credits), Structural Systems B+ (3 credits), Urban Theory A (3 credits), History of Architecture B (3 credits), Research Methods B+ (3 credits).
GPA: (6×4.0 + 3×3.5 + 3×4.0 + 3×3.0 + 3×3.5) / 18 = (24 + 10.5 + 12 + 9 + 10.5) / 18 = 66 / 18 = 3.67 GPA
US equivalent: 3.67 / 4.0 — From an AUS programme directly comparable to US architectural education standards. Competitive for US urban design MArch/MS programmes.