How it works
A grade point average (GPA) is a weighted average: each course’s grade points are multiplied by its credit hours, the results are added up, and the total is divided by the total hours. A 4-hour course therefore counts twice as much as a 2-hour course.
GPA = Σ(grade points × credit hours) ÷ Σ(credit hours)For the cumulative GPA, your previous GPA is turned back into points (previous GPA × previous hours) and added in:
cumulative = (previous GPA × previous hours + term points) ÷ (previous hours + term hours)Grade points on each scale
| Grade | 5-point (most Saudi universities) | 4-point (regional) | U.S. 4.0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 5 | 4 | — |
| A | 4.75 | 3.75 | 4.0 |
| A− | — | — | 3.7 |
| B+ | 4.5 | 3.5 | 3.3 |
| B | 4 | 3 | 3.0 |
| B− | — | — | 2.7 |
| C+ | 3.5 | 2.5 | 2.3 |
| C | 3 | 2 | 2.0 |
| D+ | 2.5 | 1.5 | 1.3 |
| D | 2 | 1 | 1.0 |
| F | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Universities publish their own tables and a few differ from these, so check your student handbook. Grades that do not exist on the chosen scale (for example A− on the Saudi scales) are skipped and listed under the result.
Worked example (5-point scale). A+ in a 3-hour course (5 × 3 = 15 points), B+ in 3 hours (4.5 × 3 = 13.5), A in 4 hours (4.75 × 4 = 19) and C+ in 2 hours (3.5 × 2 = 7). Total points = 54.5, total hours = 12, term GPA = 54.5 ÷ 12 = 4.54 out of 5. If your previous GPA was 4.00 over 30 hours, the cumulative GPA is (120 + 54.5) ÷ 42 = 4.15.
Converting a GPA to a percentage
The result also shows the GPA as a simple percentage of the maximum (for example 4.54 ÷ 5 = 90.8%). Some employers and universities use their own conversion tables instead, so use the official table when one is required. For high-school or admission scores, use the weighted percentage calculator; for a plain average of marks, the average calculator.