International transcripts use the same Transcript Reader as domestic ones, with one extra job: converting each transcript's grades to U.S. letter grades using the grading scale for that country. Your GPA rules then apply to the converted grades, the same way they do for domestic transcripts.
International transcripts run as their own workflow, separate from domestic, because grading scales differ by country, school, and credential.
New to transcript processing? Start with How does transcript processing with CollegeVine's Transcript Reader work?
How it works
Read the transcript. The Transcript Reader extracts the school name, each course with its grade, the grade year and term, and any grading key printed on the transcript.
Find the grading scale. The transcript's country, school, and credential are matched to the grading scales set up for your office. See "How the grading scale is chosen" below.
Convert each grade. Every grade is converted to its U.S. letter equivalent on that scale. The grade as printed is kept alongside the converted letter.
Apply your rules. Your GPA rules decide which courses and grade years count and how grades and course levels are weighted, exactly as for domestic transcripts.
Return the result. The GPA, the included and excluded courses, and any review note are written to the student record.
How the grading scale is chosen
As on the domestic side, we start in discovery by asking how your office calculates GPA. For international transcripts, that means asking for the grading scales and conversion tables you have used in prior cycles, by country (and by credential where it matters). We then build the mappings that translate each country's grades into U.S. letter grades, the same way we build the mappings for domestic grades.
For examples of what country-level scales can look like, see International Grading Scales. These are sample scales, and they might not reflect your process. Your own scales and tables take priority.
If there is no mapping for a country yet, the grades are not guessed. See "When a GPA can't be calculated" below.
When a GPA can't be calculated
The Transcript Reader does not guess. When it cannot calculate a GPA, the GPA is left blank and a written reason is added to the student record, so your team can review the transcript. Common reasons:
The scale could not be identified with enough confidence.
No conversion table exists yet for the country or credential.
The grades could not be converted on the matched scale, for example a mark that falls outside the scale.
No courses fall inside your rules. For example, your GPA counts grades 9 through 11, but the transcript only lists final-year results, such as a leaving certificate.
When a GPA is calculated but something in it deserves a second look, such as a course whose grade could not be converted, the record carries a review note alongside the GPA.
Tips for better results
Gather the grading scales and tables you have used in prior cycles before your discovery call.
Send every page of the transcript, and every transcript for the student. If a student attended more than one school, include all of them but keep them in separate PDFs. See How does the Transcript Reader handle multiple transcripts?
Make sure the country of the student's school is sent with the student record. It helps when the transcript does not name a scale.