Planning to study in Canada is exciting and promising, but the first thing you need to get familiar with is how Canadian universities grade students. The grading system there works differently from what you’re used to in India. Learning about GPA scales, letter grades, and percentage conversions early on will make your university application process much smoother and help you set realistic academic goals.
Key highlights:
- Grading System in Canada: Letter Grades, Percentages and GPA
- Canadian Universities Grading System – Difference Between GPA 4.0, 4.33 and 9.0
- Province-Wise Grading System in Canada
- Academic Grading in Canada: Understanding the Credit System
- How to Calculate Your Weighted GPA?
- What is a Good GPA Score in Canada?
- Key Factors that Affect Academic Grading in Canada
Grading System in Canada: An Overview
The three most common grading formats used in the Canadian grading system are:
Letter Grades
This system provides a clear way to assess your performance. You get a letter from A to F, with plus (+) and minus (-) nuances. Each letter represents a percentage range. For example, an A+ generally means you scored between 90-100% (though some universities set the limit at 95%), while an A- falls in the 85-89% range.
Percentage Grade
A percentage grade provides a more detailed measure of the student’s academic performance. Here’s how percentages typically map to letter grades:
- 90–100%: A
- 80–89%: B
- 70–79%: C
- 60–69%: D
- Below 60%: F
GPA
Here is where things get interesting. Grade Point Average (GPA) is a single number that represents your overall academic performance across all courses. It is derived from an average of letter grades or percentage scores. Canadian universities mostly use either a 4.0 or 9.0 scale, though the exact scale can vary between provinces and even individual institutions.
Percentage to Letter Grade and GPA Conversion (4.0 scale) Conversion
Step 1: Percentage to Letter Grade
- If your percentage ≥ 90, then the letter grade is A+
- If 80 ≤ your percentage < 85, then the letter grade is A- (and so on for all grade ranges)
Step 2: Letter Grade to GPA (4.0 scale)
- A+ = 4.0 | A = 4.0 | A- = 3.7
- B+ = 3.3 | B = 3.0 | B- = 2.7
- C+ = 2.3 | C = 2.0 | C- = 1.7
- D+ = 1.3 | D = 1.0 | D- = 0.7 | F = 0.0
Note: The GPA above represents your grade point for each course. Your overall GPA (also called cumulative or weighted GPA) is calculated by combining all your course grade points, weighted by credit hours, which we will learn later in the blog.
Canadian Universities Grading System – Difference Between GPA 4.0, 4.33 and 9.0
Universities across different provinces use Scale I (4.0/4.33) or Scale II (9.0) to calculate GPA. Several provinces follow a teacher-centric grading system where the instructor decides how letter grades convert to GPA scores, such as whether an A equals 4.0 to 4.33.
Here is a table displaying both scales:
| Scale I | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Letter Grade | Percentage (%) | GPA (4.0) | GPA (4.33) |
| A+ | 90-100 | 4.0 | 4.33 |
| A | 85-89 | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| A- | 80-84 | 3.7 | 3.7 |
| B+ | 77-79 | 3.3 | 3.3 |
| B | 73-76 | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| B- | 70-72 | 2.7 | 2.7 |
| C+ | 67-69 | 2.3 | 2.3 |
| C | 63-66 | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| C- | 60-62 | 1.7 | 1.7 |
| D+ | 57-59 | 1.3 | 1.3 |
| D | 53-56 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| D- | 50-52 | 0.7 | 0.7 |
| F | 0-49 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Scale II | ||
|---|---|---|
| Letter Grade | Percentage (%) | GPA |
| A+ | 90-100 | 9 |
| A | 80-89 | 8 |
| B+ | 75-79 | 7 |
| B | 70-74 | 6 |
| B- | 65-69 | 5 |
| C+ | 60-64 | 4 |
| C | 55-59 | 3 |
| C- | 50-54 | 2 |
| D | 40-49 | 1 |
| F | 0-39 | 0 |
Province-Wise Grading System in Canada
Here’s an overview of the grading system in some of the top provinces in Canada:
| S. No | Province | Grading System | GPA Scale | Top Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ontario | Percentage-based | 4.0 or 4.3 | A+ (90–100%) |
| 2 | Quebec | 10-point Scale | 4.0 | 10 = Excellent (90–100%) |
| 3 | British Columbia | Letter Grades and Percentages | 4.33 | A (86–100%) |
| 4 | Alberta | Letter Grades and Percentages | 4.0 or 4.3 | A+ (90–100%) |
Note : Grading scales can vary between universities, even within the same province. Always check with the university you are applying to.
Academic Grading in Canada: Understanding the Credit System
It is important to understand how credits work in the Canadian system to calculate your weighted GPA.
What Are Credits?
Every course you take is assigned a specific number of credits based on its workload and weekly hours. Usually, 1 credit = 1 hour of class per week. So, a course that meets three times a week for one hour each session carries 3 credits.
Why Credits Hours Matter?
Credit hours reflect both the time commitment and academic difficulty of a course. The credits you earn from successfully completed courses impact your overall GPA and progress toward graduation.
How Many Credits Do You Need?
- Bachelor’s degree: Typically requires 120 credits (though this varies by programme and university)
- Master’s degree: Usually needs 30-60 credits, depending on the programme
The number of credits for each course is decided by the faculty and clearly mentioned in the course schedule, so you’ll always know what you’re signing up for.
How to Calculate Your Weighted GPA in Canada?
Your overall GPA is calculated using this formula:
GPA = [Total of (Course GPA × Credit Hours)] / Total Credit Hours
Note: Each university decides the credit hours per course. You can check the course schedule on the university’s website.
Convert Indian CGPA to Canadian GPA
Indian students use a 10-point Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) system, while Canada typically uses a 4-point GPA scale. To convert:
(Your CGPA/Maximum CGPA) × 4 = Canadian GPA
For example, if your CGPA is 8.8 out of 10, the calculation is as follows:
(8.8/10) × 4 = 3.52 GPA
What is a Good GPA in Canada?
A GPA between 3.0 and 4.0 is considered good on a 4-point scale. A GPA of 3.5 or higher is considered very good, and anything above 4.0 (on a scale of 4.33) is viewed as excellent.
Also Read: Top MBA Programmes in Canada 2026: Best 10 Picks
Key Factors that Affect Academic Grading in Canada?
While GPA is crucial for university admissions, these factors can influence how your academic profile is viewed:
- Standardised test scores such as the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) or the American College Testing (ACT) for admission into undergraduate programmes, and the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) for post-graduate courses
- Letters of Recommendation (LOR), especially from professors or employers, provide insight into your academic abilities and personal strengths.
- A Statement of Purpose (SOP) highlights your motivation for pursuing the specific programme.
- Canadian universities deeply value participation in extracurricular activities like sports, student clubs, leadership roles, or community service as part of the student’s overall profile.
As an Indian student planning to study in Canada, understanding the Canadian grading system helps you with university applications. Beyond academics, planning your finances early is equally important. Tuition fees, living expenses, transportation and other education expenses can quickly add up. This is where education loans for studying abroad are helpful.
At Avanse Financial Services, we offer education loans to support your Canadian education journey. You can use our online EMI calculator to calculate EMI for education loans to plan better. Please feel free to contact us for any queries.
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