How To Calculate CGPA (CGPA Calculator)
Discover How To Calculate Your Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) By Yourself. 
Many students in higher institutions find it very difficult trying to calculate their CGPA. Learning to calculate your CGPA is very important, it helps you keep monitor your grades so that you do not fall short of your expected CGPA at the end of the day. If you want to learn to calculate your CGPA, then keep reading this article.
CGPA Meaning
CGPA is an acronym for Cumulative grade point average which is gotten from adding the total quality points for all your semesters and dividing it by the total credit units. Your final CGPA is usually gotten at the end of your program or degree.
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CGPA Grading
The kind of CGPA grading differs from school to school. In Nigeria for instance, some schools use a 4.0 grading scale, other use a 5.0 and 7.0. You must understand the kind of scale your school uses before you can learn to calculate your CGPA because they cannot be calculated the same way.
CGPA For Direct Entry
If you have gone to a college or a polytechnic and you are looking forward to going to the university through direct entry, you must understand that every school have their own standard of CGPA you will have to meet before you can be admitted. Usually, universities accept a minimum of 3.0/5.0 (second class lower) CGPA before you can be admitted for a direct entry. Some very competitive universities place their CGPA mark way higher than this.
If you have a lower CGPA, you can try universities that are less competitive, You might just be admitted.
How To Calculate CGPA
Your CGPA is easier to calculate than you probably think but you mjst first understand the kind of grading system your school runs. The popular grading system for CGPA in most countries are 4.0 grading scale and 5.0 scale. Here is how to check how much your grade is worth on each of the scales.
1. 5 Point Grading Scale
| Scores | Grade | Grade Point |
| 70 and above | A | 5.00 |
| 60- 69 | B | 4.00 |
| 50- 59 | C | 3.00 |
| 45- 49 | D | 2.00 |
| 40-44 | E | 1.00 |
| 0-39 | F | 0.00 |
4.50- 5.00 = first class
3.50- 4.49 = second class (upper division)
2.40- 3.49 = second class (lower division)
1.50- 2.39 = third class
1.0- 1.49 = Pass
0.99 and below = fail
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2. 4 Point Grading Scale
| Scores | Grade | Grade point |
| 70 and above | A | 4.00 |
| 60-69 | B | 3.00 |
| 50-59 | C | 2.00 |
| 45-49 | D | 1.00 |
| 0-44 | F | 0.00 |
3.5- 4.0 = first class
3.0-3.49 = second class (upper division)
2.0-2.99 = second class (lower division)
1.0- 1.99 = third class
0.99 and below = fail
How To Calculate CGPA In University
Now you know how much your grade is worth, lets go straight to calculating your CGPA, follow these simple steps to calculate your CGPA:
- The first thing you need to do is calculate your points for every course in the semester which is calculated by multiplying your credit units by your grade point.
- Next, add all your points for every course in the semester and divide it by the total credit. You should do this every semester till you get to your final year.
N.B: Your total credit is the total of all the course credits you have taken.
Difference Between GPA And CGPA
Many students get confused on the meaning of GPA and CGPA, some others think they are the same thing. Well, they are not.
GPA simply means grade point average while CGPA means cumulative grade point average. The major difference between these two is that GPA is calculated for particular semester while CGPA is the mean of your GPAs for all semesters that you have been in school.
CGPA Calculator 5.0 Scale
If you use a 5.0 grading scale in your school, this is how to calculate your CGPA:
| Scores | Grade | Grade Point |
| 70 and above | A | 5.00 |
| 60- 69 | B | 4.00 |
| 50- 59 | C | 3.00 |
| 45- 49 | D | 2.00 |
| 40-44 | E | 1.00 |
| 0-39 | F | 0.00 |
4.50- 5.00 = first class
3.50- 4.49 = second class (upper division)
2.40- 3.49 = second class (lower division)
1.50- 2.39 = third class
1.0- 1.49 = Pass
0.99 and below = fail
- The first thing you need to do is calculate your points for every course in the semester which is calculated by multiplying your credit units by your grade point.
- Next, add all your points for every course in the semester and divide it by the total credit. You should do this every semester till you get to your final year.
How To Calculate CGPA In Polytechnic
The grading scale in polytechnics are slightly different from universities. Here is how to calculate your CGPA in polytechnic:
If you use a 5.0 grading scale in your school, this is how to calculate your CGPA:
| Scores | Grade | Grade Point |
| 75-100 | A | 4.00 |
| 70-74 | AB | 3.50 |
| 65-69 | B | 3.25 |
| 60-64 | BC | 3.00 |
| 55- 59 | C | 2.75 |
| 50- 54 | CD | 2.50 |
| 45- 49 | D | 2.25 |
| 40-44 | E | 2.00 |
| 0-39 | F | 0.00 |
3.50- 4.00 = Distinction
3.00- 3.49 = Upper credit
2.50- 2.99 = Lower credit
2.00- 2.49 = Pass
1.99 and below = fail
- The first thing you need to do is calculate your points for every course in the semester which is calculated by multiplying your credit units by your grade point.
- Next, add all your points for every course in the semester and divide it by the total credit. You should do this every semester till you get to your final year.
How To Calculate CGPA On A 4.0 Scale
If you use a 4.0 scale in your school, follow these steps to calculate your GPA properly:
| Scores | Grade | Grade point |
| 70 and above | A | 4.00 |
| 60-69 | B | 3.00 |
| 50-59 | C | 2.00 |
| 45-49 | D | 1.00 |
| 0-44 | F | 0.00 |
3.5- 4.0 = first class
3.0-3.49 = second class (upper division)
2.0-2.99 = second class (lower division)
1.0- 1.99 = third class
0.99 and below = fail
- The first thing you need to do is calculate your points for every course in the semester which is calculated by multiplying your credit units by your grade point.
- Next, add all your points for every course in the semester and divide it by the total credit. You should do this every semester till you get to your final year.
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What Is The Meaning Of CGPA Requirement For Masters In Nigeria
If you want to further your education in Nigeria, you need to meet a particular CGPA for your Bachelors degree before you can be admitted. If you have not met this requirement, you will not be admitted. Before you pick any school, check out the CGPA requirement to get a masters degree. Many schools however, many not need high CGPA requirement. If your previous CGPA for your bachelor’s degree was low, you can look out for less competitive schools, you might get admitted.
NOUN CGPA Grading System
The approved grading system for the National open university of Nigeria is 5.0. This means that it is calculated this way:
| Scores | Grade | Grade Point |
| 70 and above | A | 5.00 |
| 60- 69 | B | 4.00 |
| 50- 59 | C | 3.00 |
| 45- 49 | D | 2.00 |
| 40-44 | E | 1.00 |
| 0-39 | F | 0.00 |
4.50- 5.00 = first class
3.50- 4.49 = second class (upper division)
2.40- 3.49 = second class (lower division)
1.50- 2.39 = third class
1.0- 1.49 = Pass
0.99 and below = fail
Second Class Lower CGPA In Nigeria
The second class lower CGPA in Nigeria differs depending on your school and your grading scale. Typically, second class lower CGPA on a 4.0 scale is from 2.0-2.99 and 2.40- 3.49 on a 5.0 grading scale.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Do Secondary Schools Use CGPA?
A few secondary schools make use of CGPA in Nigeria. However, a larger number do not.
2. What Does CGPA Mean?
CGPA is short form for cumulative grade point average
3. Is A 3.5 A Good GPA?
It largely depends on the kind of scale your school runs. If your school uses a 4.0 scale, then 3.5 should be a distinction. It is a good GPA.
Conclusion
If the steps giving in this article is taken religiously, one will be able to calculate one’s CGPA easily. However, if you are still struggling with your CGPA calculation after reading this, let us know how we can help you in the comment section down below.
