Assessments and exams

Calculating your grade point average and weighted average mark

What it means, where to find it, and what counts towards it.

Adelaide University students gathering

What a GPA is

Your grade point average (GPA) is a single number that sums up how you're going academically. It's worked out from every course you've completed in your program so far.

Two things go into it: the grade you got for each course and the unit value of that course. A course worth more units carries more weight, meaning it will make a bigger impact on your GPA.

Where to find it

In myAdelaide, go to Academic results.

When it updates

Overnight. A new grade appears in your GPA the next day.

If you have questions

Contact Student Assist and we'll go through it with you.

How to work out your GPA

Every GPA at Adelaide University uses the same formula.

The GPA formula = sum of (grade points × course units) ÷ sum of (course units)

Turn each grade into grade points

A distinction is 6 points, a credit is 5, and so on.

Multiply by the course units

Do this for each course, then add all the answers together.

Divide by your total units

Add up the units of those same courses and divide.

Which numbers to choose for your GPA calculation

This depends on where you commenced and completed your studies. Click the option below that applies to you. 

All your completed courses count, using the Adelaide University grading scheme.

Find your grade points

Match each of your grades to its grade point value.

GradePercentage markGrade points
High distinction (HD)85–1007
Distinction (D)75–846
Credit (C)65–745
Pass (P)50–644
Fail (F) or Fail hurdle (FH)0–491.5
Withdraw fail (WF)Not applicable1.5
Withdraw not fail (W)Not applicableNot included
Non-graded results don't count
Pass non-graded (PNG) and fail non-graded (FNG) results are left out of your GPA. This is set out in the Grading Procedure.

See worked example

Ash has completed eight courses, each worth 6 units. One was non-graded (PNG), so it's left out completely.

GradeGrade pointsUnitsGrade points × units
PNGNot includedNot included- 
Pass4624
Credit5630
Distinction6636
Distinction6636
Credit5630
Distinction6636
Credit5630
Totals 42222

222 ÷ 42 = GPA 5.28

This applies to you if you started your program at the University of South Australia (UniSA) or the University of Adelaide and have continued it at Adelaide University. Those earlier results count towards your GPA.

In short, two things are different for you:

  1. Foundation university course units must be converted to Adelaide University units.
  2. A pass from either foundation university is worth 4.5 grade points, not 4.

Both rules exist because the foundation universities had different approaches for grading and course units. Without them, some transitioning students could be disadvantaged.

Step 1 - Convert your old course units

Units show how much work a course involves. Both foundation universities counted units differently to Adelaide University, so start by converting them.

UniSA unitsUniversity of Adelaide unitsAdelaide University units
4.536
9612
13.5918
181224

If your course unit value isn't in the table: multiply University of Adelaide units by 2. For UniSA units: divide the course units by 3, then multiply by 4.

Step 2 - Find your grade points

For each course, use the column that matches where you completed it. Only one row differs – a pass from a foundation university is worth 4.5.

GradePercentage markGrade points at Adelaide UniversityGrade points at UniSA or the University of Adelaide
High distinction (HD)85–10077
Distinction (D)75–8466
Credit (C)65–7455
Pass (P)50–6444.5
Fail (F) or Fail hurdle (FH)0–491.51.5
Withdraw fail (WF)Not applicableNot included
Withdraw not fail (W)Not applicableNot included

Withdrawn results from foundation universities – W and WF – aren't included at all.

Have a non-graded pass (NGP) result from UniSA? Leave it out of your GPA calculation.
There's one exception. If your GPA comes out below 4, work it out again with your NGP courses included - this will lift your GPA slightly. We check this for you and always use whichever result is better.

Your foundation university courses and your Adelaide University courses all go into the one calculation.

A small number of students who started at a foundation university have results that need extra treatment. We take care of this in your official GPA, and we'll contact you if it applies to you.

See worked examples

Zac completed four courses at UniSA, each worth 4.5 units, then four courses here, each worth 6 units. The old units convert to 6 each. One UniSA result was NGP.

UniSA courses
GradeGrade pointsConverted unitsGrade points × units
Fail1.569
Pass4.5627
Credit5630
NGPNot includedNot included–
Subtotal 1866
Adelaide University courses
GradeGrade pointsUnitsGrade points × units
High distinction7642
Distinction6636
Pass4624
Credit5630
Subtotal 24132

Total units 18 + 24 = 42. Total grade points × units 66 + 132 = 198.

198 ÷ 42 = GPA 4.71

Zac's GPA is above 4, so the NGP result stays out of the calculation.

Jo completed four courses at the University of Adelaide, each worth 3 units, then four courses here, each worth 6 units. The old units convert to 6 each.

University of Adelaide courses
GradeGrade pointsConverted unitsGrade points × units
Distinction6636
Pass4.5627
Credit5630
High distinction7642
Subtotal 24135
Adelaide University courses
GradeGrade pointsUnitsGrade points × units
Distinction6636
Distinction6636
Pass4624
Credit5630
Subtotal 24126

Total units 24 + 24 = 48. Total grade points × units 135 + 126 = 261.

261 ÷ 48 = GPA 5.43

Your weighted average mark

A weighted average mark (WAM) measures your overall achievement using your percentage marks and course units.

Most of the time you won't need it, because Adelaide University uses the GPA as its standard grading scheme. You might be asked for it when you apply for other opportunities after study, such as a graduate scheme. Student Assist can confirm your WAM and provide it in a letter.

Your program WAM and your honours grade are two separate things. Choose the one you need.

The WAM formula = sum of (course mark % × course units) ÷ sum of (course units)

WAM goes to two decimal places – it doesn't get rounded up or down.

Non-graded courses and all withdrawn results (W and WF) don't count towards a WAM.

See worked example

Kim has completed eight courses, each worth 6 units. One was non-graded (PNG), so it's left out.

Course markUnitsMark × units
PNGNot included–
68%6408
80%6480
65%6390
77%6462
60%6360
55%6330
84%6504
Totals42 2934

 

2934 ÷ 42 = WAM 69.85

Honours courses are graded on the normal scale and count towards your GPA like any other course. You won't get an honours grade for each course.

Your honours grade – such as First Class or Second Class – comes from a WAM of your honours courses only. You'll get it on your completion transcript, once you're assessed as eligible to graduate.

To check which courses are included, look at your program page, or ask your program director or honours supervisor.

See worked example

Sam completed an honours program with eight courses in total. Four of those are honours courses, per the program rules, so only those four go into the honours WAM.

Course markUnitsCourse mark × units
75%6450
68%6408
87%6522
90%6540
65%6Not included
60%6Not included
70%6Not included
68%6Not included
Totals241920

 

1920 ÷ 24 = honours WAM 80

An honours WAM of 80 is a First Class (H1) honours program grade, per the University's Grading Procedure.

Common questions

Usually no. Credit granted for study in another program at Adelaide University, or at another university, isn't included in your GPA.

There’s an exception if you started this program at the University of South Australia (UniSA) or the University of Adelaide: those results do count – with the conversions above applied so you're not disadvantaged.

Non-graded results from Adelaide University, such as PNG (pass non-graded) and FNG (fail non-graded), don't contribute to your GPA or WAM. Neither the grade nor the units are counted.

If you have an NGP (non-graded pass) result from UniSA, it's left out too – unless your GPA is below 4. In that case, recalculate your GPA and include your NGP results (worth 4 grade points each) and the course units, which lifts your GPA. The University will work this out for you and will always use whichever is the best result.

No. Only the unit value changes how much a course counts in your GPA. If all your courses are worth the same number of units, every grade counts equally – whatever year level it sits at.

A few things commonly explain a difference:

  • transitioning students have missed the step to convert the unit values of their foundation university courses
  • courses still in progress aren't counted yet
  • credit from other study is excluded (except for transitioning students)
  • non-graded results and their units are excluded
  • your GPA is shown to two decimal places – it isn't rounded up or down.

Still not adding up? Contact Student Assist – we'll go through it with you.

Words used on this page

More enrolment terms are in the Enrolment Glossary.

Course

A single subject you enrol in. The term 'program' means your whole degree.

Course units

The study load of a course. Most Adelaide University courses are 6 units.

Graded course

You get a letter grade and a percentage mark, such as credit 68%.

Grade points

The number that stands in for a grade in the GPA formula.

Non-graded course

You get a pass or fail only, with no mark – shown as PNG or FNG here, or NGP at UniSA.

Fail hurdle (FH)

A fail recorded because a compulsory requirement in the course wasn't met.

Still have a question about your GPA or WAM?

Student Assist can check your results and explain how they were calculated.

Contact Student Assist