Comparing overseas transcripts for Korea: GPA, percentages and conversion evidence
Does 8.0/10 mean the same as 3.2/4.0? Preserve the original grade, scale and calculation period, then separate arithmetic ratios from officially accepted conversions when checking Korean university requirements.
When reviewing an overseas transcript, preserve the original grade, grading scale and calculation period before checking the conversion accepted by the target admission route. Equal ratios to the maximum do not establish equal achievement or eligibility. A country name alone is not a conversion formula.
Are 8.0/10 and 3.2/4.0 the same result?
Dividing either score by its maximum produces 80%. That is an arithmetic ratio. It does not show that the subjects, credit weights, pass marks or years included in the average are equivalent. Do not relabel an agent’s calculation as the transcript’s percentile or a university-approved converted result.
Illustrative record | Original information | What can be calculated | What remains to check |
|---|---|---|---|
Transcript A | Average 8.0; maximum 10 | Ratio to maximum: 80% | Grade legend and averaging period |
Transcript B | Average 3.2; maximum 4.0 | Ratio to maximum: 80% | Credit weighting and whether the figure is cumulative |
Transcript C | Subject grades only | No invented overall average | Issuer’s grade scale and official average information |
These fictional figures explain the distinction; they are not national conversion tables.
A government scholarship provides a useful example
The grade-entry section of NIIED’s GKS undergraduate online application guide distinguishes original CGPA from converted CGPA and requires institutional confirmation and supporting evidence for converted values. It also records year or term grades with their maximum scores. These are GKS application requirements. Connect a self-funded university application to that programme’s own accepted entry and conversion method. Official GKS application guide
Keep seven fields in the comparison record
Issuing institution and the qualification or programme.
Original grade, maximum or grading scale.
Whether the figure covers all study, a year or a term.
Grade explanations printed on the reverse or in an attachment.
Conversion method required by the university and guideline version checked.
Official converted value, confirming institution and evidence.
Present evidence status and the question still requiring an answer.
Keep the original, translation and conversion in separate fields. The translation retains the original numerical information; any conversion has its own supporting basis. Before judging whether a result is high or low, establish what was averaged.
Check the qualification separately from its grades
Holding the preceding qualification and meeting an academic score requirement are different questions. For a prospective master’s student, establish the actual award and awarding institution before comparing the requested academic evidence. A high score ratio does not establish graduation or qualification equivalence.
If the programme requests all academic years, do not select a convenient semester as the representative average. A value absent from the record is not zero. Identify the information to request from the issuer or university so the referral remains consistent with the transcript.
Ask a specific question
Instead of “what score is this?”, ask: “Here is the original scale and result; no cumulative GPA appears. Which grade-entry method and supplementary evidence does this admission route require?”
For a review with GEA, identify the target university, degree and intake, the original scale and the unresolved question. Use a student reference in the initial enquiry and agree separately on transmitting the actual transcript.
Discuss transcript evidence and admission requirements
By GEA · Sources checked: 23 October 2026