The formula is portable; grading rules are not
A credit-weighted GPA divides total quality points by GPA-bearing credits. The harder question is which points and credits belong in that calculation. Use an institution’s published rules rather than a generic conversion chart.
United States: check points and rounding
The University of Illinois explains quality points as grade points multiplied by course credit hours. Its official GPA is truncated to two decimal places. Our planning calculators round to two decimals, so even a correct input can differ slightly from an official transcript.
Source: University of Illinois GPA method
United Kingdom: a weighted mark is not a degree award
UK module marks may be weighted by credits, and degree results may also weight years differently. Manchester describes degree classes using weighted marks and publishes separate regulations. A general module average cannot apply every classification or borderline rule.
Source: Manchester grading and assessment
Canada: use the evaluating institution’s scale
UBC publishes percentage grades and explains that a GPA equivalent requires the evaluating body’s scale. Multiplying a percentage by 4/100 is not a universal conversion. For applications, first check whether the recipient wants the original mark or its own conversion.
Source: UBC grades and performance
What to check before calculating
- The grade points assigned to each grade.
- Which courses count toward GPA, including transfer, pass/fail and withdrawn courses.
- Whether repeated courses replace previous attempts.
- Whether credits use semester, quarter or another unit system.
- Whether the institution rounds or truncates results.
Use the GPA and semester calculator with institution-defined numeric points, or the weighted calculator for percentage module averages.