CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average) confuses students every semester — usually because of one small mistake in the formula. Here is the exact method, with a worked example.

The formula

For each course, multiply its credit hours by its grade points. Add all of those up, then divide by the total credit hours.

CGPA = (sum of credit hours × grade points) ÷ (total credit hours)

Grade points (common scale)

  • A / A+ = 4.0
  • A- = 3.7
  • B+ = 3.3
  • B = 3.0
  • B- = 2.7
  • C+ = 2.3
  • C = 2.0
  • F = 0.0

Scales vary by university — always check your institution's official scale.

Worked example

  • Course 1: 3 credits × 4.0 = 12.0
  • Course 2: 3 credits × 3.3 = 9.9
  • Course 3: 2 credits × 3.0 = 6.0
  • Total: 27.9 ÷ 8 credits = 3.49

The common mistake

Averaging the GPAs directly (e.g., (4.0 + 3.3 + 3.0) ÷ 3 = 3.43) ignores credit hours and gives the wrong answer. Weight by credits — that is the whole point of the "cumulative" in CGPA.

Try it yourself

Use our free CGPA calculator to compute yours in seconds — no sign-up, no data stored.