University of Adelaide GPA Scale: Grade Points and Calculation Guide

The University of Adelaide uses a 7-point Grade Point Average (GPA) scale where numerical course marks map directly to quality point values ranging from 7.00 for High Distinction down to 0.00 for Fail No Submission. Your official cumulative GPA is calculated as the unit-weighted average of quality points earned across all completed coursework in your program, accessible through your myAdelaide student account.

How the University of Adelaide GPA Scale Maps Course Marks to Grade Points

At the University of Adelaide, academic achievement in coursework is recorded using standard letter grades, percentage mark ranges, and corresponding quality points on a 7.00-point maximum scale. Every final grade recommended by a Course Coordinator and approved by the relevant subcommittee or Dean Academic corresponds to a specific numerical quality point value used in GPA calculations.

Under the official grading scheme, performance levels map to quality points as follows:

• High Distinction (HD): Awarded for marks from 85.00% to 100.00%. An HD carries 7.00 quality points, representing the highest possible academic achievement in a course.
• Distinction (D): Awarded for marks from 75.00% to 84.99%. A Distinction grade maps to 6.00 quality points (with expanded breakdown scales recording 6.00 to 6.99 points across the 75.00–84.99% mark range).
• Credit (C): Awarded for marks from 65.00% to 74.99%. A Credit grade maps to 5.00 quality points. Achieving a 5.00 overall GPA represents a Credit average across your degree program.
• Pass (P): Awarded for passing performance in the 50.00% to 64.99% mark range. A standard Pass carries 4.00 quality points. Detailed grading breakdowns further divide passing marks into Pass Level 1 (P1 for marks 55.00–64.99%, mapping to 4.50–4.99 quality points) and Pass Level 2 (P2 for marks 50.00–54.99%, mapping to 4.00–4.49 quality points).
• Fail (F): Assigned when a student earns a mark between 1.00% and 49.99%. A standard Fail grade carries 1.50 quality points. The expanded scale categorizes failing performance into Fail Level 1 (F1 for marks 40.00–49.99%, carrying 1.50–3.99 quality points, noted as the lowest failing grade tier) and Fail Level 2 (F2 for marks 0.00–39.99%, carrying 1.00–1.49 quality points).
• Fail No Submission (FNS): Assigned when a course mark is 0.00% due to non-submission of required work. An FNS carries 0.00 quality points.
• Non-Graded Pass (NGP): Assigned for non-graded pass courses. An NGP confirms course completion but does not contribute quality points to your weighted average calculation.

This standard grading procedure applies to all undergraduate and postgraduate coursework students across single course enrolments, cross-institutional study, micro-credentials, short courses, non-award studies, and offshore course offerings.

How Course Unit Weighting and Non-Graded Notations Affect Your GPA

Your Grade Point Average is not a simple arithmetic mean of your course grades. Instead, it is a unit-weighted average where each course contributes based on its assigned unit value. Courses carrying a higher unit value exert a proportionally greater impact on your cumulative GPA total.

For instance, completing a 6-unit research thesis or advanced core course carries double the weight of a standard 3-unit course in your GPA summary. When calculating your total score, the grade point value earned in a 6-unit course is multiplied by 6, whereas a 3-unit course is multiplied by 3.

Certain grade types and administrative notations interact differently with the weighted GPA formula:

• Graded Coursework: All courses assigned letter grades with quality points (HD, D, C, P, F, FNS, or their sub-level variants) are fully included in both the grade point total and the attempted unit total.
• Non-Graded Pass (NGP): Courses graded as NGP satisfy your degree program unit requirements but carry no quality points. Because no quality points are assigned, NGP units are excluded from both the numerator (total quality points) and the denominator (total units attempted) in the GPA formula.
• Failing Grades (F, F1, F2, FNS): Failing grades are strictly included in the GPA calculation. A failing grade contributes minimal or zero quality points while adding the full course unit value to your total units attempted, which lowers your cumulative average.

Understanding course weighting ensures you accurately project how upcoming terms or heavy-unit subjects will influence your overall standing.

How to Calculate Your Adelaide University GPA Step-by-Step

Calculating your cumulative Adelaide University GPA requires multiplying each course’s quality points by its unit value, summing the results, and dividing by your total attempted units.

The core formula for your Grade Point Average is:

GPA = Sum of (Course Quality Points × Course Unit Value) / Sum of Graded Course Unit Values

Follow these five steps to compute your score manually:

1. List your completed courses: Gather your final results from each completed course in your program, noting the unit weight of each subject.
2. Determine quality points: Match each letter grade or percentage mark to its official quality point value (HD = 7.00, D = 6.00, C = 5.00, P = 4.00, F = 1.50, FNS = 0.00).
3. Calculate weighted grade points: Multiply the quality points of each course by its unit value.
4. Sum totals: Add up all weighted grade points to get your total quality points. Then add up the unit values of all graded courses to find your total attempted units.
5. Divide and round: Divide total quality points by total attempted units. Round the final value to two decimal places.

Worked Calculation Example

Consider a student who completes four courses in a study period with varying unit weights and final grades:

• Course 1 (Introductory Biology): 3 units, Grade HD (High Distinction) -> Quality points = 7.00. Weighted points = 3 × 7.00 = 21.00
• Course 2 (Organic Chemistry): 3 units, Grade D (Distinction) -> Quality points = 6.00. Weighted points = 3 × 6.00 = 18.00
• Course 3 (Biomedical Laboratory Project): 6 units, Grade C (Credit) -> Quality points = 5.00. Weighted points = 6 × 5.00 = 30.00
• Course 4 (Scientific Ethics): 3 units, Grade P (Pass) -> Quality points = 4.00. Weighted points = 3 × 4.00 = 12.00

Step 1: Calculate Total Weighted Grade Points 21.00 + 18.00 + 30.00 + 12.00 = 81.00 total quality points

Step 2: Calculate Total Attempted Units 3 + 3 + 6 + 3 = 15 total graded units

Step 3: Calculate Cumulative GPA GPA = 81.00 / 15 = 5.40

In this example, the student achieves a cumulative GPA of 5.40 out of 7.00. To quickly run scenario calculations across multiple semesters without manual math, you can use our free GPA Calculator.

What Happens When Grades Are Delayed, Moderated, or Converted to Failing Grades

Official course grade release dates for each study period are published in the Academic Calendar. Students can view their final grades and calculated GPA directly inside their myAdelaide account under Academic results. However, specific administrative processes apply when grades cannot be finalized on schedule.

Interim Notations (I) and Blank Grades

If a final course grade cannot be determined by the official grade release deadline, an Interim notation (I) is entered into the student record system as a temporary placeholder. An Interim notation (I) is permitted under four specific circumstances:

1. Extenuating Circumstances: Unexpected delays prevent the Course Coordinator from completing assessment marking before the grade submission deadline.
2. Access Plan Extensions: The student has an approved Access Plan with extended deadlines for assessment tasks running past the grade finalization schedule.
3. Moderation Queries: The course grade requires further review or clarification following moderation by the College Education Quality Committee subcommittee.
4. Academic Integrity Investigations: The final grade is held pending the outcome of an ongoing academic integrity investigation.

In specialized cases involving courses with third-party affiliations, clinical placements, or external schedules, blank grades may be approved by the relevant Dean Academic as temporary placeholders.

Automatic Conversion to Failing Grades

When an Interim notation (I) or blank grade is recorded, the Course Coordinator is required to notify the student by email explaining the reason for the delay. All interim placeholders must be converted to finalized course grades by the strict date set in the university schedule.

If an Interim (I) notation or blank grade is not converted by the deadline in the published schedule, it automatically converts to a failing grade, which will negatively impact your calculated GPA.

Grade Alterations and Student Support

Once final course grades are published via the student system, they cannot be altered informally. Any post-finalization grade modification requires formal approval from the relevant Dean Academic (or equivalent) or nominee, acting on official advice from the Course Coordinator.

If your course grades are unavailable after the official release date, contact your Course Coordinator or Online Course Facilitator. If you have questions regarding your calculated GPA, weighted average mark (WAM), or academic standing, contact Student Assist for academic guidance.