Understanding WES Course-by-Course Evaluations
When international applicants submit foreign academic records to North American universities, admissions officers typically require a course-by-course evaluation from a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), most notably World Education Services (WES).
A standard WES evaluation does not merely translate a student’s overall percentage or degree classification with a linear mathematical formula. Instead, WES evaluators assess every individual course taken, map the local mark to an equivalent US letter grade according to the country’s grading culture and institutional tier, and compute a credit-weighted Grade Point Average on the standard 4.0 scale.
WES Conversion Benchmarks by Origin Country
| Country | Local Scale / Passing Mark | US Grade A (4.0) | US Grade B (3.0) | US Grade C (2.0) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | 10-Point / 40% (Pass) | 70%+ / 8.0+ | 60–69% / 7.0–7.9 | 50–59% / 6.0–6.9 |
| United Kingdom | Honours / 40% (Pass) | 70%+ (1st Class) | 50–69% (2:1 / 2:2) | 40–49% (3rd Class) |
| Pakistan | 4.0 HEC / 50% (Pass) | 80%+ / 3.66+ | 70–79% / 3.0–3.65 | 60–69% / 2.0–2.99 |
| Nigeria | 5.0 NUC / 45% (Pass) | 70%+ / 4.50+ | 50–69% / 2.40–4.49 | 45–49% / 1.50–2.39 |
| Philippines | 1.00–5.00 / 3.00 (Pass) | 1.00–1.25 | 1.50–2.25 | 2.50–2.75 |