Grades
Find out how and when you’ll get your grades, what the different pass and fail grades mean, how we calculate GPAs, and about Honours qualifications.
Find your grades
You can find your grades in your Academic History—part of the Student Records tool in the Pūaha student portal.
Find out when each trimester’s grades will be entered into student records on the key dates page.
An academic transcript is an official record of your grades.
- Grades for courses
- Honours and Master’s degrees
- Grade point average (GPA)
- Grade reconsideration
- Historical and discontinued grades
Grades for courses
Your level of achievement in each course will be recognised with one of the following grades. Find out more about grades and assessment in the Assessment Handbook (PDF).
Standard pass/fail grades from A+ to E
Table of standard course grades from A+ to E
| Grade | Normal mark range | Midpoint | Indicative characterisation |
|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 90-100 | 95 | Outstanding performance |
| A | 85-89 | 87 | Excellent performance |
| A- | 80-84 | 82 | Excellent performance in most respects |
| B+ | 75-79 | 77 | Very good performance |
| B | 70-74 | 72 | Good performance |
| B- | 65-69 | 67 | Good performance overall, but some weaknesses |
| C+ | 60-64 | 62 | Satisfactory to good performance |
| C | 55-59 | 57 | Satisfactory performance |
| C- | 50-54 | 52 | Adequate evidence of learning |
| D | 40-49 | 45 | Poor performance overall, some evidence of learning. Fail. |
| E | 0-39 | 20 | Well below the required standard. Fail. |
Before 2014, the University used different definitions and ranges for standard pass/fail grades. Find out more about historical grades.
Other pass grades
- P = Overall Pass—awarded for courses classified as Pass/Fail.
- G = Aegrotat Pass—an ungraded pass granted if you were on track to pass but were unable to do so due to acute illness or exceptional circumstances.
- J = Pass in recognition of prior learning.
- L = Compensation Pass—an ungraded pass that you might be awarded if your academic performance was good overall, but you failed a course that you needed to complete an undergraduate qualification.
- Z = Special Pass—an ungraded pass that may be awarded if you missed a scheduled exam, but were given permission to sit it late.
Other fail grades
- F = Fail—awarded for courses classified as Pass/Fail. May be used if you unsuccessfully apply for a Special Pass.
- K = Fail—awarded if you didn’t satisfy the mandatory course requirements even though your course mark reached the level specified for a pass (formerly a Q grade).
Non-pass grades
In addition to the grades listed above, the following grades may be entered by Student Success offices:
- GP = Grade pending (usually associated with an application for an aegrotat)
- U = Withdrawal approved by Associate Dean
- WD = Withdrawal during permitted period
If you are looking for a grade that doesn’t appear in these lists, it may be a discontinued grade.
Honours and Master’s degrees
Some postgraduate qualifications, including one-year postgraduate Honours and some Master’s degrees, can be awarded with an overall result in addition to the grades received for individual courses.
Four-year bachelor’s degrees, such as the Bachelor of Engineering with Honours and the Bachelor of Laws with Honours, are also awarded with a class of Honours.
Classes of Honours
Bachelor’s Honours degrees and some Master’s degrees may be awarded with a class of honours, reflecting the overall quality of the student’s work.
Table of Honours classes
| Honours | Overall standard of work | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | First Class Honours | A- or above |
| 2(1) | Second Class Honours (first division) | B+ or high B |
| 2(2) | Second Class Honours (second division) | low B or B- |
| 3 | Third Class Honours | C-, C, C+ |
| F | Fail | D or E |
Thesis awards
A thesis completed as part of a Master’s degree will normally be assigned a grade. This grade will typically be one of those shown in the table of standard course grades from A+ to E.
Master’s degrees
Masters' degrees are awarded an overall result of Pass or Fail. Many of our Master’s degrees may also be awarded with either:
- a class of Honours, as listed in the table of Honours classes
- Merit or Distinction.
The type of award for each Master’s degree is specified in the qualification statute for that degree.
Where the Master’s degree is one that can be awarded with Merit or Distinction, the grades are:
- S = Pass with Distinction
- T = Pass with Merit
- P = Pass
- F = Fail
Grade point average (GPA)
A grade point average for your studies is calculated by assigning points to grades (as set out in the following table), weighting each grade by the point value of the course, adding up all the weighted values, and then dividing the sum by the total number of points.
For example, if you had completed four courses and received the following grades:
- A+ in CHIN101 (20 points) contributes 9 * 20 = 180
- A in MATH132 (15 points) contributes 8 * 15 = 120
- B in HIST121 (20 points) contributes 5 * 20 = 100
- E in PHIL107 (20 points) contributes 0 * 20 = 0
The sum of the weighted values is 400 (180 + 120 + 100 + 0). The sum of the points you completed is 75 (20 + 15 + 20 + 20). Dividing 400 by 75 results in your GPA score of 5.3.
Your GPA score may be calculated using a subset of your courses—this will depend on the intended purpose of the score.
Table of weightings for GPA calculations
| Grade | Calculation |
|---|---|
A+ | 9 |
A | 8 |
A- | 7 |
B+ | 6 |
B | 5 |
B- | 4 |
C+ | 3 |
C | 2 |
C- | 1 |
D, E, K, L | 0 |
Grade reconsideration
If you believe that your final grade for a course has been calculated incorrectly, you should consult the course coordinator without delay.
Information about reconsiderations and appeals can be found in the Assessment Handbook (PDF) and on the page about academic appeals, complaints, and grievances.