GPA vs CGPA: Differences, Formulas and Examples
Understand semester GPA, cumulative GPA, credit weighting and grading scales.
GPA and CGPA both summarize academic results, but they cover different periods. A semester GPA summarizes courses within one term. Cumulative GPA or CGPA combines academic work over multiple terms, often weighting it by course or semester credits.
How to calculate semester GPA
Convert each course grade into a grade point using your institution’s official grading table. Multiply each grade point by the course’s credit value. Add those weighted points and divide by the total graded credits.
GPA = Σ(grade points × course credits) ÷ Σ(course credits)
For example, take an A worth 4.0 grade points in a 3-credit course and a B worth 3.0 points in a 2-credit course. The GPA is (4×3 + 3×2) ÷ 5 = 3.60.
How to calculate CGPA
If semester GPAs share the same underlying grade-point scale, use each term’s graded credits as weights:
CGPA = Σ(semester GPA × semester graded credits) ÷ Σ(graded credits)
Suppose a student receives an 8.0 GPA with 16 credits and a 9.0 GPA with 24 credits, both on the same 10-point scale. The CGPA is (8×16 + 9×24) ÷ 40 = 8.60. Averaging 8.0 and 9.0 without weights would incorrectly return 8.50 for this example.
Four-point and ten-point grading scales
The US-style 4.0 scale is common but not universal. Ten-point and percentage-based systems are also used. A 3.5 on a 4.0 scale is not automatically equivalent to 8.75 on a 10-point scale. Each school can define grade boundaries, plus/minus grades, and repeated-course rules differently.
Can CGPA be converted to percentage?
Sometimes, but only with the formula supplied by your university or examining body. Multiplying CGPA by 9.5 is one convention in certain contexts, not a universal rule. Check whether the institution uses a factor, an offset, or a separate conversion table.
Avoid common GPA mistakes
Do not include ungraded credits unless your policy requires it. Do not combine incompatible scales without an official equivalence. Also review how failed, withdrawn, transferred, or repeated courses count. The most reliable source for an official academic result is your transcript or registrar.
When to use each metric
Use semester GPA to monitor one term, and CGPA to monitor overall academic performance. For admissions or scholarships, consult the exact definition in the application requirements rather than assuming all institutions interpret GPA identically.