GPA calculator (4.0 scale)
Say your scholarship requires you to keep a 3.0, finals just ended, and you're staring at five course grades wondering whether you made the cut.
- Step-by-step explanation of the math
- Worked examples included
- Faster than a spreadsheet
GPA calculator (4.0 scale)
Enter your numbers and press Calculate
How to use the GPA calculator
The grid holds up to 6 courses. For each one you enter two numbers:
1. Grade on the 4.0 scale: the grade you earned, from 0 to 4 (decimals allowed, e.g. 3.7 for an A−). 2. Credits: the credit hours the course is worth (0 to 12).
Took fewer than 6 courses? Leave the unused rows at 0 credits and they are automatically excluded from the math.
The standard weighted-average formula is:
GPA = (grade1 × credits1 + grade2 × credits2 + ... + grade6 × credits6) / (credits1 + credits2 + ... + credits6)
Worked example: three 3-credit courses with grades of 3.5, 3.0 and 4.0.
- Grade points: 3.5 × 3 + 3.0 × 3 + 4.0 × 3 = 10.5 + 9 + 12 = 31.5
- Total credits: 3 + 3 + 3 = 9
- GPA = 31.5 / 9 = 3.50
If your school reports letter grades, convert them first (A = 4.0, A− = 3.7, B+ = 3.3, B = 3.0, and so on — the full table is in the FAQ below) and type the numeric value. Besides the GPA itself, the calculator reports total credits and total grade points, because transcripts and scholarship forms often ask for those two figures separately.
Worked GPA examples
Case 1 — A typical fall semester at a state university:
| Course | Grade (4.0) | Credits | Grade × credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Organic Chemistry | 3.7 | 4 | 14.8 |
| US History | 3.3 | 3 | 9.9 |
| Calculus II | 4.0 | 3 | 12.0 |
| English Composition | 2.7 | 2 | 5.4 |
| Spanish I | 3.0 | 3 | 9.0 |
| Phys Ed | 3.7 | 1 | 3.7 |
Grade points: 14.8 + 9.9 + 12.0 + 5.4 + 9.0 + 3.7 = 54.8. Total credits: 16. GPA = 54.8 / 16 = 3.43.
Case 2 — Did I keep my 3.0 scholarship? A student finishes the spring term with:
| Course | Grade (4.0) | Credits | Grade × credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statistics | 2.3 | 3 | 6.9 |
| Microbiology | 3.0 | 3 | 9.0 |
| Anatomy | 3.3 | 4 | 13.2 |
| Ethics | 2.0 | 3 | 6.0 |
Grade points: 6.9 + 9.0 + 13.2 + 6.0 = 35.1. Credits: 13. GPA = 35.1 / 13 = 2.70 — below the 3.0 requirement, so the student would need roughly straight B+ grades (3.3) next term across the same credit load to pull the year average back to 3.0. Running the numbers before the term ends tells you exactly which final exams matter most.
The 4.0 scale vs grading systems abroad
The 4.0 GPA scale is the US standard: every letter grade maps to grade points (A = 4.0, B = 3.0, C = 2.0, D = 1.0, F = 0, with +/− steps of 0.3) and gets weighted by credit hours. In high school you may also meet the weighted GPA, where AP, IB, or honors courses earn a bonus (an A in an AP class often counts as 5.0), which is why some weighted GPAs exceed 4.0 — this calculator computes the standard unweighted-scale, credit-weighted version that colleges use on transcripts.
If you have grades from abroad, here is how the major systems compare:
| Country | Scale | Best grade | Passing mark | Rough A equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 0 – 4.0 | 4.0 | 2.0 (D varies) | 4.0 |
| Spain / Brazil | 0 – 10 | 10 | 5 (Spain) / 6–7 (Brazil) | 9 – 10 |
| Germany | 1 – 6 (inverted) | 1.0 | 4.0 | 1.0 – 1.5 |
| France | 0 – 20 | 20 | 10 | 16 – 20 |
Note the traps: the German scale runs backwards (1.0 is the best possible grade), and a French 16/20 is genuinely rare — French professors almost never award 19 or 20, so credential evaluators treat 14/20 as a strong result. There is no single official conversion; universities and services such as WES publish their own tables. When in doubt, convert each course grade conservatively, weight by credits with this tool, and report the method you used alongside the result.
About this calculator
Or you're filling out a college application that asks for your GPA on the 4.0 scale. This calculator gives you your credit-weighted grade point average in seconds: enter up to 6 courses with the grade earned (on the 4.0 scale) and the credit hours for each, leave unused rows at 0 credits, and you'll instantly see your GPA, total credits, and total grade points. Weighting matters more than most students expect: an A in a 4-credit organic chemistry course lifts your average twice as much as an A in a 2-credit elective, which is why a simple average of your grades almost never matches your official transcript GPA.
Frequently asked questions
How many grade points is each letter grade worth?
The standard US table is: A = 4.0, A− = 3.7, B+ = 3.3, B = 3.0, B− = 2.7, C+ = 2.3, C = 2.0, C− = 1.7, D+ = 1.3, D = 1.0, and F = 0. Some schools award A+ = 4.3, but most cap the scale at 4.0. Convert each letter to its numeric value and enter it in the grade field for that course.
My school uses a different scale (0-10, 0-20, 1-6). How do I enter my grades?
Convert each grade to its 4.0 equivalent first, then enter the converted value with the course's credits. Rules of thumb: on a 0-10 scale, 9-10 ≈ 4.0 and 7-7.9 ≈ 3.0; on the French 0-20 scale, 16+ ≈ 4.0 and 12-12.9 ≈ 3.0; the German 1-6 scale is inverted, so 1.0-1.5 ≈ 4.0 and 3.6-4.0 ≈ 2.0. No conversion is official — for formal applications, universities usually require a certified credential evaluation.
What is the difference between a weighted and an unweighted average?
A simple average adds up your grades and divides by the number of courses, as if every class counted equally. A weighted average multiplies each grade by its credit hours first, so a 4-credit course moves your GPA twice as much as a 2-credit one. Official transcripts always use the weighted version: with uneven credit loads the two figures can differ by several tenths of a point — enough to cross (or miss) a scholarship cutoff.
What counts as a good GPA?
As a general benchmark in the US system: 2.0 is the minimum for good academic standing, 3.0 (a B average) is the typical requirement for grad programs and scholarships, 3.5 is competitive, and 3.7+ puts you in honors territory (cum laude and above). The real bar depends on the program: a competitive master's may demand 3.5 while others accept 2.75. Always check the specific requirement of the program or scholarship you are targeting.