Hong Kong HKDSE Best 5 Score Calculator
Hong Kong universities typically score HKDSE applicants using either Best 5 or 4 core + 1/2 elective totals on a 7-point scale (5** = 7, 5* = 6 … U = 0). Pick each subject grade to see all three weightings instantly.
Core subjects (4)
Elective subjects
Enter at least 5 subject grades to see Best 5.
Best 5 total
25 / 35
Sum of any top 5 subjects (max 35)
4C + 1X (5 subjects)
25
4 core + best 1 elective
4C + 2X (6 subjects)
30
4 core + best 2 electives
Uses the JUPAS 7-point conversion (5** = 7, 5* = 6, 5 = 5 … U = 0). Some programmes apply subject weightings or require specific subjects — always confirm with the institution.
Formula
5** = 7, 5* = 6, 5 = 5, 4 = 4, 3 = 3, 2 = 2, 1 = 1, U = 0 → Best 5 = sum of the top 5 subject scores
- · The 7-point scale is the JUPAS baseline conversion adopted by HKU, CUHK, HKUST, PolyU, CityU and most local universities.
- · Best 5 = sum of any top 5 subjects (core + electives combined), maximum 5 × 7 = 35.
- · 4C+1X = 4 core subjects + best 1 elective = 5 subjects, max 35 (minimum bar for many programmes).
- · 4C+2X = 4 core subjects + best 2 electives = 6 subjects, max 42 (used by competitive medicine / business programmes).
- · Some programmes (e.g. CUHK Medicine, HKU Dentistry) apply extra weighting — bonuses for 5**, double counting of electives, minimum subject scores. This tool does not model programme-specific weightings.
- · From 2024, Liberal Studies (LS) was replaced by Citizenship & Social Development (CSD), which is graded Attained / Not Attained only. Leave the LS slot blank ("—") if you do not have a numerical grade.
Frequently asked
What is the points difference between 5** and 5*?
In the standard JUPAS 7-point conversion, 5** = 7, 5* = 6 and 5 = 5 — so a 5** is worth 1 point more than 5*. Under 4C+2X, a single grade difference can decide admission to competitive programmes.
Which formula is most commonly used by universities?
Best 5 is the most common baseline. Highly competitive programmes — medicine, business, computer science — often use 4C+2X to factor in an extra elective. A handful of engineering or arts programmes use 4C+1X or other inclusive formulas.
How are Liberal Studies (LS) and CSD scored?
For 2023 and earlier, LS used the same 7-point grade as other core subjects. From 2024, CSD is a binary Attained / Not Attained subject with no numeric grade. If you sat the 2024+ exam, set the LS / CSD slot to "—"; the Best 5 will count the remaining 3 core subjects plus your electives. Some universities still require CSD "Attained" for admission.
I have fewer than 5 subjects — can I still use this?
Yes — each metric shows "—" until enough grades are entered. Best 5 needs any 5 subjects, the core total needs 4 cores, 4C+1X needs 4 cores + 1 elective, and 4C+2X needs 4 cores + 2 electives.
Related tools
GPA Calculator
Enter each course grade and credit, get GPA on the 4.3 scale (HKU / CityU / HKUST / PolyU) or US 4.0 scale.
Final Exam Grade Calculator
Given your current course grade and the weight of the final exam, find the exam score you need to hit a target overall grade.
Reading Time / WPM Calculator
Estimate how long a piece of text takes to read from word count and words-per-minute, with presets for silent reading, reading aloud, proofreading and audiobook narration.
Test Grade Calculator
Enter correct answers and total questions to get the percentage and letter grade — supports US A–F, US plus/minus, and UK honours (1st / 2:1 / 2:2 / 3rd).
Letter Grade Calculator
Enter a percentage (or score out of total) and map it to a letter grade and GPA across four standard scales — US 4.0 with +/−, US 10-point, UK Honours, and IB 1–7.
Class Rank Percentile Calculator
Translate a class or cohort rank into percentile rank using all three common conventions (CDF, mid-rank, inclusive) plus quartile / decile / top-X% labels — for college applications, scholarships and standardized-test comparisons.
Attendance Calculator
Enter classes attended, classes missed and total classes in the term to see your current attendance %, the maximum classes you can still skip, or how many you must attend to reach your target (default 75 %).
Word Count / Text Statistics Calculator
Paste text to instantly count words, characters (with and without spaces), sentences, paragraphs, average word length and estimated reading time.
Flesch-Kincaid Readability Calculator
Paste an English passage and instantly get the Flesch Reading Ease and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level scores — the standard readability metrics used by US schools, MS Word and government plain-language guidelines.
IELTS Overall Band Score Calculator
Enter your Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking scores to get the IELTS overall band using the official rounding rule (.25 rounds up to .5, .75 rounds up to the next whole band).
Words to Pages Calculator
Estimate how many pages a piece of writing will fill from word count, font size and line spacing.
IB Diploma Points Calculator
Enter your six IB subject grades (HL/SL) plus the EE/TOK bonus matrix to compute your total IB Diploma score out of 45.
UCAS Tariff Points Calculator
Enter A-Level, AS, EPQ, IB or BTEC grades to compute your total UCAS Tariff points and see how they line up against AAA / AAB / ABB conditional offers.
SAT to ACT Score Converter
Enter an SAT total or ACT composite score and instantly see the equivalent score range using the official 2018 College Board / ACT concordance table.
CEFR Language Level Converter
Enter an IELTS, TOEFL iBT, Cambridge English Scale or TOEIC score and instantly map it to a CEFR level (A1 – C2).
Cumulative GPA (CGPA) Calculator
Combine your current cumulative GPA and total credits with this term’s GPA and credits to see the updated cumulative GPA and how much it moved.
TOEFL ↔ IELTS Score Converter
Convert between TOEFL iBT total scores (0-120) and IELTS Academic Band scores (4.5-9.0) using the official 2018 ETS concordance.
Number to Words Converter (Cheque Writing)
Convert numbers into English words and Chinese cheque-style capital form (壹貳參…) for writing cheques, contracts or homework.
Pomodoro Session Planner
Enter the total focus time you want and get the required 25-minute Pomodoro count, short/long break tally and overall wall-clock duration.
Spaced Repetition (SM-2) Schedule Calculator
Enter a study date and ease factor and use the SuperMemo SM-2 algorithm to project the next review dates — handy for flashcards or vocabulary.