Semester GPA Calculator
Calculate the GPA for a single term. Name it, add your courses, and save it to your academic record so you can build up a cumulative picture over time.
Used when you copy or save this calculation.
Course roster
Semester GPA
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Semester credits
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Quality points
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| Course | Credits | Grade | Points | Quality points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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This is your GPA for this term alone. To see what it does to your overall record, use the Cumulative GPA Calculator or the College GPA Calculator, which folds a semester into an existing GPA for you.
Related calculators
Cumulative GPA Calculator
Combine your existing GPA with a new semester, or add several semesters together, to get your overall GPA.
College GPA Calculator
Work out your semester GPA and see how it changes your cumulative GPA across a degree.
GPA Calculator
Calculate your GPA from course credits and grades, using letter grades, percentages or grade points.
How to use this calculator
- Name the semester if you want the label to appear when you copy or save the result.
- Pick your grading scale and how you are entering grades.
- Add each course with its credit hours and grade. Blank rows are ignored.
How the calculation works
Each course contributes its grade points multiplied by its credit hours. Those quality points are added together and divided by the total credits.
The division by credits is what makes it a weighted average. A four-credit course counts for twice as much as a two-credit course with the same grade.
A worked example
| Course | Credits | Grade | Grade points | Quality points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Psychology 201 | 3 | A- | 3.7 | 11.1 |
| Statistics | 4 | B | 3.0 | 12.0 |
| Spanish II | 3 | A | 4.0 | 12.0 |
| Chemistry Lab | 1 | B+ | 3.3 | 3.3 |
| Total | 11 | — | — | 38.4 |
38.4 ÷ 11 = 3.49.
Notice the one-credit lab. It carries the same B+ as a three-credit course would, but contributes only a third as much to the average. Low-credit courses move a GPA far less than students expect, in either direction.
Important notes and limitations
Grading scales vary
Grade point values differ between schools, and some do not distinguish a B+ from a B at all. Check your syllabus or student handbook, and switch the scale above if yours differs.
- Pass/fail courses earn credits but carry no grade points, so they change your credit total without changing your GPA.
- A withdrawal normally does not affect GPA, but some schools record a punitive W that does.
- An incomplete usually has no grade points until it resolves, so leave it out until it does.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between semester GPA and cumulative GPA?
A semester GPA covers one term. A cumulative GPA covers every graded credit you have taken. A single strong semester lifts a cumulative GPA only slightly once you have a lot of credits behind you — see Semester GPA vs Cumulative GPA.
Does a one-credit lab really matter?
Less than you would think. Its grade points are multiplied by one credit, so it carries a third of the weight of a three-credit course. That cuts both ways: a poor grade in a one-credit course does relatively little damage.
Can I include a course I have not finished?
Yes, using your expected grade. That turns the result into a projection, which is useful for planning but not something to quote as your actual record.
What if my school uses quarters or trimesters?
The formula is the same. Enter the courses and credits for whatever term you are calculating.
Guides that explain this
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How to Calculate GPA
The grade point average formula, why credit hours change the answer, and a worked example you can follow along with.
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Semester GPA vs Cumulative GPA
How one term relates to your overall record, and why a strong semester moves a cumulative GPA less than you would expect.