Does Canada use a 4.0 or 4.3 GPA scale?

Both. Some universities (e.g. McGill, parts of UBC) use a 4.0 scale where A and A+ are both 4.0, while others (e.g. parts of UofT, Carleton) use a 4.3 scale where A+ = 4.3. This tool shows both so you can match your institution.

How is the GPA weighted?

GPA = Σ(grade point × credit hours) / Σ(credit hours). A grade in a 3-credit course counts more than the same grade in a 1-credit course, so the average is weighted by course size.

On the 4.0 scale A+ caps at 4.0 (same as A). On the 4.3 scale A+ = 4.3, A = 4.0, and A- = 3.7, so a strong A+ student scores higher on the 4.3 scale.

What is a good GPA in Canada?

A GPA around 3.0 (B) is solid, 3.5+ (A-/A) is strong for grad school and scholarships, and 3.7+ is excellent. Many graduate programs require a minimum last-two-years GPA of 3.0–3.3.

Why do my two scale numbers differ?

The 4.3 scale rewards A+ grades with extra points, so if you have any A+ marks your 4.3 GPA will be slightly higher. Without A+ grades the two scales produce nearly identical results.

Canadian GPA Calculator

Email me this result

Get this tool's output sent to your inbox, plus one useful tool a week. No spam, unsubscribe any time.

Calculate your Canadian university GPA

Canadian universities convert letter grades to grade points and average them weighted by credit hours — but there is no single national scale. Some schools use a 4.0 scale (A and A+ both = 4.0) and others a 4.3 scale (A+ = 4.3). This tool computes your GPA on both scales at once so you can report the one your university uses.

How it works

Each letter grade maps to a grade point, and GPA is the credit-weighted average:

GPA = Σ(grade point × credit hours) / Σ(credit hours)

The grade-point tables differ only at the top:

        4.0 scale   4.3 scale
A+        4.0          4.3
A         4.0          4.0
A-        3.7          3.7
B+        3.3          3.3
B         3.0          3.0
...
F         0.0          0.0

For example, A+ (3 credits) and B (3 credits) give (4.0×3 + 3.0×3)/6 = 3.5 on the 4.0 scale but (4.3×3 + 3.0×3)/6 = 3.65 on the 4.3 scale.

Tips and notes

Check your university’s official scale before reporting a GPA — mixing scales misstates your record.
Always weight by credit hours; a high mark in a 1-credit seminar should not erase a low mark in a 4-credit core course.
Graduate admissions often look at your last two years GPA separately, so consider computing that subset too.
A+ only changes the result on the 4.3 scale; on the 4.0 scale it is identical to A.