I've created a blog post that thoroughly explains the Japanese grading system, how to calculate GPA and CGPA, and how to convert them to international standards, for Japanese university and high school students who are managing their grades, studying abroad, or job hunting.
This text incorporates the friendly tone of Ameba Blog (emojis and heading structure) and includes a natural link to our proprietary tool, " GPACONVERTER ."
[Complete Guide] How to Calculate Japanese Grade Levels (S, A, B, C) and GPA/CGPA! A Useful Conversion Guide for Studying Abroad and Job Hunting
Hello everyone! ✨
When it's time for university grades to be released, have you ever wondered, "Is my GPA high?" or "What's the difference between a CGPA and a regular GPA?"
Understanding the grading system (GPA/CGPA) is especially important for those considering studying abroad or preparing for entrance exams to foreign companies or graduate schools !
This time, we'll explain everything from the grading scales commonly used in Japanese universities (S, A, B, C, F, etc.) to the specific calculation methods for GPA and CGPA, and techniques for correctly converting them to international standards (such as the US 4.0 scale and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's MEXT scale)!
Finally, I'll introduce a free and convenient tool that can calculate your accurate GPA in an instant , so be sure to check it out until the end!
1. Common grading scales used in Japanese universities
In many universities in Japan, students' progress in lectures is evaluated based on a raw score out of 100 points, and this is recorded on the report card using letters (or kanji) such as "Excellent, Very Good, Good, Pass, Fail" or "S, A, B, C, F".
The following is a general table of grade evaluations.
| Rating (symbol) | Evaluation (in kanji) | Raw score (out of 100 points) | Pass/Fail | Standard GP (Grade Points) |
| S (or A+) | excellence / excellence | 90 points ~ 100 points | Passed | 4.0 (some 4.3) |
| A | Excellent | 80 points ~ 89 points | Passed | 3.0 |
| B | good | 70 points ~ 79 points | Passed | 2.0 |
| C | Possible | 60 points ~ 69 points | Passed | 1.0 |
| F (or D/Not allowed) | Not possible/Rakuten | 0 points ~ 59 points | Fail | 0.0 |
*Please note that specific criteria may vary depending on the university, such as "S is 90 points or higher, A is 85 points or higher" or "A+ (4.3) is included." Please check your university's "Curriculum Guide."
2. What is the difference between GPA and CGPA?
When looking at your report card, you might come across two terms: "GPA" and "CGPA." Many people probably wonder, "What's the difference between these two?"
To put it simply, the "period covered" is different!
① GPA (Grade Point Average)
Typically, this refers to the average grades for a specific semester or year .
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Example: "My GPA for the first semester of my first year was 3.2."
② CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average)
As the term "cumulative" suggests, it refers to the cumulative average score for all semesters from the time of enrollment to the present (or graduation) .
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Example: "My total CGPA over four years of university was 3.5."
Many of the "GPA" requirements for exchange programs at overseas universities and for graduate school applications are actually referring to this cumulative GPA !
3. How to calculate GPA/CGPA by hand! The correct procedure for calculating GPA/CGPA
GPA (and CGPA) is not simply calculated by "adding up the points earned in grades and dividing by the number of subjects." It is calculated using a weighted average that takes into account "the number of credits (credits) for each subject."
📐 Basic formula for calculating GPA
$$GPA = \frac{\sum (\text{GP for each subject} \times \text{number of credits for that subject})}{\text{total number of credits}}$$
It might sound a little complicated when explained in words, but you can easily calculate it in the following three steps!
Step 1: Calculate the "points earned" for each subject.
The GP (Grade Points) corresponding to the evaluation of each subject are multiplied by the number of credits for that subject.
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Example: If you receive an "S grade (GP 4.0)" in a course worth "2 credits"
👉 $4.0 x 2 = $8.0 points
Step 2: Sum up the points for all subjects.
The points earned from all the courses you have taken will be added together.
Step 3: Divide the total points by the total number of units.
The total points earned are divided by the total number of credits taken (including courses that received a failing grade, such as an F).
💡 [Calculation Example] A student's grades for the first semester
For example, let's say Person A took the following five courses in the first semester.
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English I (2 credits): S grade (GP 4.0) 👉 $4.0 \times 2 = $8.0
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Fundamentals of Economics (2 credits): Grade A (GP 3.0) 👉 $3.0 \times 2 = $6.0
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Programming (4 credits): Grade B (GP 2.0) 👉 $2.0 \times 4 = $8.0
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Second foreign language (1 credit): Grade C (GP 1.0) 👉 $1.0 \times 1 = 1.0$
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Statistics (2 credits): F grade (GP 0.0 *Failed) 👉 $0.0 \times 2 = 0.0$
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Total points earned :
$8.0 + 6.0 + 8.0 + 1.0 + 0.0 = 23.0 points
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Total number of credits taken :
$2 + 2 + 4 + 1 + 2 = 11 units
Applying this to the formula...
$$GPA = \frac{23.0}{11} \approx 2.09$$
Student A's GPA for this semester will be 2.09 !
⚠️Important points to note!
Even if you fail a course (receive an F grade or fail), it will almost always be included in the "denominator of the total number of credits" since you registered for it. This is why having many failed courses can significantly lower your GPA!
4. The "GPA conversion" barrier encountered when applying for and studying abroad
Even if you think, "Okay, I've calculated my GPA from my transcript!", there's one more thing to keep in mind when applying for overseas study or scholarships (such as the MEXT scholarship from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) .
This means that the GPA conversion scale may differ between Japan and other countries (especially the United States) .
Main types of GPA scales
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American standard 4.0 scale (Unweighted 4.0 Scale)
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Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) Scholarship Scale (3.0 maximum score)
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Evaluation standards such as those of WES (World Education Services)
If universities try to directly apply their own grading systems (S/A/B/C) to international standards, complex problems arise, such as "Does a Japanese S grade correspond to an American A grade (4.0)?" and "Is it necessary to recalculate from a percentage (out of 100 points)?"
When you have more than 30-40 courses, manually entering each one into Excel and multiplying the number of credits by the GP (Grade Point) becomes incredibly tedious and prone to calculation errors .
5. Finish tedious calculations in an instant! Recommended tool: "GPACONVERTER"
"Multiplying by the number of units is a pain..."
"I want to get an accurate CGPA for my overseas application right away!"
For those of you looking to calculate your GPA, we recommend the free online GPA calculator and converter, <font dir="auto" style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font dir="auto" style="vertical-align: inherit;">GPACONVERTER</font></font> (www.gpaconverter.com)! ✨
🌟 Why choose GPACONVERTER?
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Supports various evaluation scales in Japan and overseas.
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You can instantly convert scores from various formats, including raw scores out of 100, S/A/B/C ratings, and a 4.0 scale.
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Intuitive and simple design
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Simply select the subject name, number of credits, and grade, and your accurate GPA and CGPA will be calculated in real time.
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Completely free and no registration required.
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Anyone can use it immediately from their browser without the hassle of registering as a member or entering personal information.
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If you're looking to find out your exact GPA quickly, whether for graduate school, an exchange program, or preparing application documents for job hunting, be sure to try www.gpaconverter.com !
6. Summary
This time, we explained the differences between GPA and CGPA, which are grading scales used in Japanese universities, and how to calculate them manually!
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GPA : Average grade point average for a given semester
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CGPA : Total academic performance from enrollment to the present.
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Calculation tip : Add up the "GP × number of credits" for each subject and divide by the "total number of credits"!
Accurately knowing your GPA is the first step in planning your future career and study abroad. While this task can be time-consuming if done manually, convenient tools can complete it in an instant!
Be sure to use GPACONVERTER to manage your grades smartly!
We're cheering you on in your studies and study abroad endeavors! If you have any questions or anything you're curious about, please let us know in the comments!