Taiwan GPA Converter

Taiwanese universities use a percentage scale of 0 to 100 as the primary grading mechanism — individual course grades are assigned as percentage marks which are then converted to letter grades and a formal GPA for official transcript reporting. The standard Taiwanese letter grade conversion is: A+ (90–100%), A (85–89%), A− (80–84%), B+ (77–79%), B (73–76%), B− (70–72%), C+ (67–69%), C (63–66%), C− (60–62%), and F (below 60%). GPA values on the formal scale are assigned to each letter band with most universities using a 4.0 maximum, though some assign A+ = 4.3 creating a 4.3-maximum GPA — students should check their institution's specific scale as it affects how international applications are evaluated.

The minimum passing grade at most Taiwanese universities is 60 percent. A grade below 60% is a fail (F), which means the course must be retaken in order to count toward graduation requirements. Unlike some grading systems, the Taiwanese system does not use a "D" grade — the boundary between pass and fail is set at 60% with no intermediate marginal-pass category, making the Taiwanese pass/fail threshold clear-cut.

Taiwanese universities maintain moderately rigorous grading standards. Grades in the A range — 85% and above — represent genuinely strong academic performance. The distribution of grades at competitive Taiwanese institutions tends toward the middle of the scale, with the majority of students scoring between 70 and 85 percent, meaning that A-range grades are a meaningful distinction rather than a default outcome. This grading culture is particularly pronounced in competitive STEM departments at NTU, NTHU, and NYCU, where even high-achieving students may find it difficult to score above 90%. Calculating your GPA or CGPA helps you understand your cumulative standing across all courses.

Taiwan's higher education structure mirrors international norms: Bachelor's degrees are four years, Master's degrees one to two years, and PhD programmes three to four years. Taiwan uses a credit system (學分 — xuéfēn) broadly comparable to the US credit hour system, where each credit hour represents approximately one hour of classroom instruction per week per semester. This compatibility makes credit transfer and international evaluation relatively straightforward. For credit conversion see the Credit Hours to ECTS Converter.

National Taiwan University (NTU — 國立臺灣大學, founded 1928) is Taiwan's most prestigious and internationally recognised research university. Consistently ranked as Taiwan's highest-rated institution globally, NTU is particularly strong in engineering, computer science, medicine, natural sciences, and social sciences. NTU's official website details its extensive research partnerships with leading global institutions. NTU graduates are well-regarded by US and European graduate programmes, and the university's College of Engineering and College of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science are particularly well-known internationally. Explore the Computer Science Degree Guide and Electrical Engineering Degree Guide for programme comparisons.

National Tsing Hua University (NTHU — 國立清華大學) in Hsinchu is particularly renowned in nuclear science, engineering, materials science, and computer science. Founded as a branch of the original Tsing Hua University established in Beijing in 1911, NTHU has a strong historical legacy and is among the most technically rigorous universities in East Asia. It has extensive research partnerships with US universities and national laboratories. National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU — 國立陽明交通大學) was formed in 2021 from the merger of National Chiao Tung University and National Yang-Ming University and is now Taiwan's leading university for computer science, electrical engineering, information technology, and biomedical sciences. National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) in Tainan is particularly strong in engineering, architecture, and sciences.

Taiwan's world-leading semiconductor and technology ecosystem — home to TSMC, MediaTek, and other global technology leaders — creates exceptionally strong demand for graduates with engineering and computer science qualifications from leading Taiwanese universities. US technology companies and graduate programmes are very familiar with Taiwanese technical education and hold NTU, NTHU, and NYCU graduates in high regard. This name recognition is a significant advantage for Taiwanese applicants to US STEM graduate programmes.

Taiwan is home to the world's most advanced semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem. TSMC alone manufactures the majority of the world's most advanced chips, and Taiwanese universities — particularly NTHU, NYCU, and NTU — have extremely strong engineering and computer science programmes that feed directly into this globally critical industry. This context means that Taiwanese engineering and computer science graduates are highly valued by US technology companies and graduate programmes. US admissions committees at leading engineering and computer science graduate programmes are generally very familiar with NTU, NTHU, and NYCU, and their graduates' credentials carry strong name recognition in ways that credentials from institutions in many other countries do not.

This technological excellence has also attracted significant investment in research partnerships between Taiwanese and US universities. TSMC's partnerships with MIT, Stanford, and other leading US research universities have strengthened academic ties and increased familiarity with Taiwanese technical education among US faculty and graduate admissions committees. These joint research programmes create pathways for Taiwanese students into US PhD programmes and strengthen the international profile of Taiwanese engineering and computer science education at a time when semiconductor supply chain security is a strategic global priority.

WES (World Education Services) evaluates Taiwanese credentials from universities accredited by the Ministry of Education Taiwan (教育部 — MOE) and uses conversion tables calibrated for the Taiwanese percentage system and both GPA scales. WES verifies institutional accreditation through the MOE registry — all national universities and accredited private universities in Taiwan are listed on the MOE registry. Use the WES GPA Calculator to estimate your WES-converted GPA. The authoritative reference for WES evaluation policies is wes.org .

WES requires official transcripts sent directly from the Taiwanese institution. The official Taiwanese academic transcript (成績單 — chéngjī dān) must be sent from the university's registrar or academic records office, not provided by the student. Taiwanese transcripts are typically issued in both Traditional Chinese and English — the English version is accepted directly by WES without requiring certified translation. Students should confirm with their registrar whether official English transcripts can be issued and sent directly to WES.

WES evaluation processing typically takes seven business days for the course-by-course evaluation (the most comprehensive type) once all documents are received. The course-by-course evaluation costs approximately US$205 as of 2025. The document-by-document evaluation (a summary only, without individual course grades) is less expensive but is not accepted by many US graduate programmes and fellowships. Students applying to US graduate programmes should request the course-by-course evaluation.

Most US graduate programmes require a minimum GPA equivalent of 3.0 on the US 4.0 scale. For Taiwanese students on the percentage system, this corresponds approximately to a grade average of 77 to 80 percent — the B+ boundary. Students below this threshold are generally advised to build their application with strong research experience, publications, or GRE scores to compensate, though some US programmes do evaluate applications holistically. Use the University Match Calculator and the College Admission Chance Calculator to assess your competitiveness at specific US programmes.

Taiwanese students with percentage averages of 80 and above (A− range) from NTU, NTHU, NYCU, or NCKU are competitive for strong US graduate programmes, and students with averages above 85 percent (A range) are competitive for highly selective US programmes including the graduate schools of MIT, Stanford, and Caltech. Taiwanese students in STEM fields — particularly computer science, electrical engineering, and materials science — are exceptionally well-represented in US PhD programmes and Taiwanese academic training in these fields is among the most respected in Asia. Taiwan consistently ranks among the top ten countries of origin for international students at US universities.

Most US graduate programmes require Taiwanese students to submit English language test scores (TOEFL or IELTS). Students who completed their undergraduate degree in an English-medium programme may be eligible for waivers at some programmes. Taiwanese universities increasingly offer English-medium instruction particularly in STEM fields — this may support waiver applications. Students should check the specific English language requirements for each programme. Use the IELTS Band Calculator or the TOEFL Score Calculator to assess your English test scores.

UK universities typically convert Taiwanese percentage grades using the following general equivalence: 85% and above = First Class Honours equivalent, 75–84% = Upper Second (2:1) equivalent, 65–74% = Lower Second (2:2) equivalent, and 60–64% = Third Class equivalent. These equivalences are broadly applied by UK admissions teams though individual universities may have their own conversion tables. Use the UK University Grade Calculator for detailed UK conversion guidance, and see UK Grades vs US Grades for a comparison of the two systems.

Most UK Master's programmes require a minimum 2:1 equivalent, meaning Taiwanese students need a percentage average of approximately 75% and above for competitive UK postgraduate entry. Students from NTU, NTHU, or NYCU with averages of 75% and above are generally considered competitive applicants for strong UK Master's programmes. UK universities are generally familiar with Taiwanese higher education credentials particularly in engineering and technology fields, where Taiwan's reputation is strong.