Australian Shoe Sizes Explained
Australian shoe sizing has a quirk that catches out almost every international shopper: it's gender-specific. Women's AU sizes match the US scale exactly, while men's AU sizes match the UK scale - which means an AU 9 men's shoe is NOT the same size as an AU 9 women's shoe.
The safest move is to know which gender scale you're reading, then convert. The converter below is pre-set to women's AU 8 - switch the gender tab to see how the men's offset shifts the result.
Convert an Australian shoe size
Pre-set to women's AU 8. Toggle the gender tab to see the men's UK-aligned conversion.
| System | US / CA | UK | EU | AU | JP (cm) | KR (mm) | CN | MX | Foot (cm) | Foot (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your size |
Sizes are approximate and may vary by brand. Check the manufacturer's size chart before buying.
Women's Australian shoe size conversion
AU women's = US women's.
| AU | US | UK | EU | Foot (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 4 | 2 | 34 | 21.0 |
| 5.5 | 4.5 | 2.5 | 34-35 | 21.3 |
| 6 | 5 | 3 | 35 | 21.6 |
| 6.5 | 5.5 | 3.5 | 35-36 | 22.0 |
| 7 | 6 | 4 | 36 | 22.5 |
| 7.5 | 6.5 | 4.5 | 36-37 | 22.9 |
| 8 | 7 | 5 | 37 | 23.3 |
| 8.5 | 7.5 | 5.5 | 37-38 | 23.7 |
| 9 | 8 | 6 | 38 | 24.1 |
| 9.5 | 8.5 | 6.5 | 38-39 | 24.5 |
| 10 | 9 | 7 | 39 | 25.0 |
| 10.5 | 9.5 | 7.5 | 39-40 | 25.4 |
| 11 | 10 | 8 | 40 | 25.9 |
| 11.5 | 10.5 | 8.5 | 40-41 | 26.2 |
| 12 | 11 | 9 | 41 | 26.7 |
| 12.5 | 11.5 | 9.5 | 41-42 | 27.1 |
| 13 | 12 | 10 | 42 | 27.6 |
Men's Australian shoe size conversion
AU men's = UK men's. Note the US column runs half a size larger.
| AU | US | UK | EU | Foot (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 6 | 5.5 | 38-39 | 23.5 |
| 6.5 | 6.5 | 6 | 39 | 23.8 |
| 7 | 7 | 6.5 | 39-40 | 24.1 |
| 7.5 | 7.5 | 7 | 40 | 24.5 |
| 8 | 8 | 7.5 | 40-41 | 25.0 |
| 8.5 | 8.5 | 8 | 41 | 25.4 |
| 9 | 9 | 8.5 | 41-42 | 25.7 |
| 9.5 | 9.5 | 9 | 42 | 26.0 |
| 10 | 10 | 9.5 | 42-43 | 26.5 |
| 10.5 | 10.5 | 10 | 43 | 27.0 |
| 11 | 11 | 10.5 | 43-44 | 27.3 |
| 11.5 | 11.5 | 11 | 44 | 27.9 |
| 12 | 12 | 11.5 | 44-45 | 28.3 |
| 12.5 | 12.5 | 12 | 45 | 28.6 |
| 13 | 13 | 12.5 | 45-46 | 29.2 |
| 14 | 14 | 13.5 | 47 | 30.0 |
| 15 | 15 | 14.5 | 48 | 30.8 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Australian shoe size the same as UK?
For men, yes - AU and UK sizes are identical. For women, AU sizes follow the US system, not UK.
Why are Australian men's and women's shoe sizes scaled differently?
It is a historical split. Australian men's shoes inherited the British (UK) sizing convention from the country's colonial-era trade ties, while women's footwear later adopted the US scale as American brands came to dominate that side of the market. The two scales never reconciled, so AU sizing carries both conventions to this day.
What is AU 9 in US shoe size?
It depends on gender. Women's AU 9 is US 9 - they match one-for-one. Men's AU 9 is US 9.5, because men's AU follows the UK scale and US men's sizing runs half a size larger than UK.
Sizes are approximate and may vary by brand. Check the manufacturer's size chart before buying.