Grade conversion and credit transfer for RMIT schools – approving study plans and converting grades

There are three stages academics may need to work out grades from our overseas institutions. We hope the following will offer some assistance.

Outgoing (RMIT students)

The first stage is when assessing study plans that have been submitted by RMIT students when applying to study at an overseas partner institution for one or two semesters of exchange or study abroad. The second stage is when you receive the RMIT student’s academic transcript from the partner institution.

Incoming (Overseas students to RMIT)

The third stage is if Selection Officers or RMIT academics need to look at the overseas results of our exchange/study abroad students when approving selected RMIT courses for approval on their study plans.

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Converting overseas grades (for study plans)

There is no standardised international guide for grade conversion, Academics need to work from a general guide only; it is not an exact science.

Some institutions will use a model called ‘contact-hour method’ for calculating credit. This method is probably the most suitable (or easiest) for RMIT when assessing credit transfer (approving study plans) for RMIT students going overseas. It is based on calculating the home institutions contact hours and assessment for an average course over a semester and comparing it to a course at RMIT.

For Example:

A typical RMIT undergraduate semester is made up of 12 teaching weeks and 4 weeks of exams. A typical course will be for 12 credit points and have 3 hours of teaching per week. Therefore, for an undergraduate course at RMIT a student will undertake 36 teacher guided hours (contact hours) for the semester for 12 credit points.

12 weeks x 3 hrs per week = 36 contact hours per semester, per course

This can then be compared to the host institutions course work load, to establish if the contact hours for credit can be used as a measure. For example, the number of weeks the course runs at the host institution multiplied by the contact hours per week, multiplied by the number of courses required for a semester for a full time load.

Identifying the year level of a particular course offered at the host institution may assist for comparison with the course being offered at RMIT. However, it should be noted that many European institutions do not identify courses in this way, in which case, it will have to be determined by course outlines or syllabus.

It may also be helpful to know what assessment is required for the overseas course so this can be compared with what is required at RMIT, for example; exams plus assignments; assignments only; or some other combination.

The Education Abroad Office (EAO) has requested that RMIT students applying for an exchange program provide as much information as possible when seeking study plan assessment and approval from their school. They are required to attach hard copies to their application forms of; course outlines, assessment, and hours over a semester period.

Another model that can be used for students going to Europe is the overseas institutions credit point scale. For example: Europe has the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). A maximum full time semester load is equal to 30ECTS this can be made up of 4 courses at 7.5 ECTS each, therefore 1 x RMIT 12 credit point course would generally be equal to 1 x 7.5 ECTS course. However, often the 30 ECTS are made up of courses that can vary in credit point value from 1 ECTS to 15 ECTS. In this instance assessors may have to use the ‘contact hour method’.

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Translating grades from overseas institutions for RMIT students

RMIT schools are not required to translate grades into marks for an RMIT student’s academic record. Normally students receive an External Pass Grade (EPG) or External Fail Grade (EFG) for courses completed overseas.

If specific schools are happy to convert grades for students then they must advise the student to bring back all their assessment material from their exchange program.

The following are examples of how you can convert the grades but please be aware of the problems that can also arise if you agree to do this.

  1. Direct transfer based on the overseas institutions grades/marks as shown on their academic transcript.

    Problems/Risk:

    (i) The problem with this system is that it may not fit the RMIT marking curve.

    (ii) If a student only receives a credit based on their overseas marks, but usually receive distinctions from RMIT they may complain on how they have been assessed by the partner institution. They could argue that the partner institution marked much harder than RMIT or, the course was more difficult as it was run in another language.

    (iii) The opposite could also be the case where a student normally receives credits at RMIT but during their overseas exchange program they receive Distinctions or High Distinctions. The student is unlikely to complain about this but other students may.


  2. Re-assess the student’s work and assessment they did at the host institution. This involves the student bringing back all assessment work including assignments and exams and then these will need to be remarked using RMIT standards.

    Problems/Risk:
    The same risks as section one, however the student could appeal against the RMIT’s Academic assessment.

It is not clear if the RMIT Appeals Assessment Policy would cover an appeal in relation to schools who decide to mark outside the normal EPG and EFG. Arguments that students may raise would be subjective as there would be no means to a) assess whether the overseas institution’s marking is tougher than RMIT’s, or b) to prove other extenuating circumstances such as, studying in a different culture or language.

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Grading Scales

Appendix 1 provides some examples of scales used in other countries but it should be noted that grading can still vary from institution to institution within each country. The World Education Services (WES) (opens in new window) is a helpful web site for finding grading scales throughout the world. This site only converts to the USA grading system. For institutions not in the USA it may be necessary to convert the overseas institutions grades to USA grades and then the USA grades into Australian grades.

Also the grading scales for specific institutions will be set out on the student’s academic transcript that they have received from the partner institution. This is usually forwarded to the EAO and then onto the relevant RMIT school.

Helpful Links

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Appendix 1:

The following are examples as a guide only. Grading may differ for each institution in the same country, for example, grading in Canada various in each province.

US Grading Scale

A

90 – 100%

4.0

B

80 – 89%

3.0

C

70 – 79%

2.0

D

60 – 70%

1.0

German

In German universities a 1 to 5 scale is used:

  • 10-1,3 sehr gut (very good: an outstanding achievement)
  • 1,7-2,3 gut (good: an achievement, which lies substantially above average requirements)
  • 2,7-3,3 befriedigend (satisfactory: an achievement, which corresponds to average requirements)
  • 3,7-4,0 ausreichend (sufficient: an achievement, which still meets the requirements)
  • 4,3-5,0 nicht ausreichend / nicht bestanden (not sufficient / failed: an achievement, which does not meet the requirements)

There is no grade for failing; in this case the dissertation is formally rejected without a grade.

Spanish

For tertiary education (Diplomado and Licenciado programs), the scale used is as follows:

Mark

Comment

Translation

10  

Sobresaliente con Matricula de Honor

(distinction with honour)

9(includes 9.5, 9.0 and 8.5)

Sobresaliente

(distinction)

7-8 (includes 8.0, 7.5 and 7.0) 

Notable

(very good)

5-6 (includes 6.5, 6.0, 5.5 and 5.0)

Aprobado

(good)

0-4 (includes  4.5 and below)

Suspenso

(fail)

Italian

Individual university courses are graded on a scale of 0-30, with 18 the minimum pass grade and 30 the maximum achievable grade. The table below outlines European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) grades and the corresponding Italian grades.

ECTS grade

Definition

Corresponding Italian grade

A

Excellent

30-30 Laude

B

Very Good

27-29

C

Good

24-26

D

Satisfactory

19-23

E

Sufficient

18

FX

Fail

14-17

F

Fail

0-13

Canadian

A wide variety of grading systems are used in Canadian universities:

Percentage

Letter grade

0-4.3 Scale

0-4 Scale

0-10 Scale

0-13 Scale (not common)

0-12 Scale (not common)

Cut offs for grades and marks vary between universities.

British - Hardly ever use top 20% of their scale

Bachelor Degrees (Honours) use the following system:

Classification

Marks (%)

Class I

70-100

Class II, Division 1

60-69

Class II, Division 2

50-59

Class III

40-49

Pass

35-39

Fail

Below 35

Pass or Ordinary Bachelor Degrees are not classified.

Grades are not used in the assessment guidelines. If the level of academic achievement is a factor in your evaluation, you should be aware that UK universities have a low-marking system compared with Australia.

French - Use ECT’s. Hardly ever use top 20% of their scale

RMIT -formative and summative’ assessment

Grading systems differ widely in philosophy and practice from one country to another. Even within Australia grading systems can vary significantly.

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Appendix 2

RMIT Standard assessment Higher Education - Grading

HD

High Distinction

80 - 100

DI

Distinction

70 - 79

CR

Credit

60 - 69

PA

Pass

50 - 59

NN

Fail

 0 - 49

Additional grades

DEF

Deferred Assessment - Applies to formal exams or assessment that has been deferred as a result of the Special Consideration process.

RW

Result Withheld – This grade may apply if results are pending due to an extension of time for an assessment, or if Supplementary Assessment has been granted as a result of the Special Consideration process.

SP

Supplementary Pass – This grade may apply when a student successfully completes an approved Supplementary Assessment task.

NEX

No Assessment Scheduled.

DNS

Did Not Submit for Assessment.

PC

Pass Conceded

PX

Pass Grade Only – This grade will appear when no higher grading is available for an assessment.

WDR

Withdrawn from Course

LWN

Late Withdrawal

Credit Transfer and external grading

EX

Exemption Granted

BX

Block Exemption

AL

Assessed / Recognised Learning

EPG

External Pass Grade - For students engaged in exchange, study abroad and cross-institutional study.

EFG

External Fail Grade - For students engaged in exchange, study abroad and cross-institutional study.

ECP

External Compassionate Pass - For students engaged in exchange, study abroad and cross-institutional study.

RMIT TAFE general grades

HD

High Distinction

80 - 100

DI

Distinction

70 - 79

CR

Credit

60 - 69

PA

Pass

50 - 59

NN

Fail

0 - 49

Additional grades

CA

Competency Achieved

NYC

Not Yet Competent

PX

Pass Grade Only – This grade will appear when no higher grading is available for an assessment.

DNS

Did Not Submit for Assessment.

NEX

No Assessment Scheduled – valid only for VCE.

S

Supplementary Exam granted.

SP

Supplementary Pass.

RW

Results Withheld - This grade may apply if results are pending due to an extension of time for an assessment or if Supplementary Assessment has been granted, as a result of the Special Consideration process.

Credit Transfer and Recognition of Prior Learning grading

AL

Assessed/Recognised Learning (appears only for RPLs granted prior to 2007)

EX

Exempt Single Course (subject)

RCG

Recognition of Current Competency – Granted

RCN

Recognition of Current Competency – Not Granted

RLG

Recognition of Prior Learning – Granted (appears only for RPLs granted from 2007)

RLN

Recognition of Prior Learning – Not Granted
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