A GPA of 6.5 needs a scale beside it. At the University of Auckland, the grade-point scale reaches nine. This guide uses that named example; use your own university’s transcript legend for your results.
Auckland’s grade scale
The university’s published policy assigns these values:
| Grade | Mark band | Grade points |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 90–100 | 9 |
| A | 85–89 | 8 |
| A- | 80–84 | 7 |
| B+ | 75–79 | 6 |
| B | 70–74 | 5 |
| B- | 65–69 | 4 |
| C+ | 60–64 | 3 |
| C | 55–59 | 2 |
| C- | 50–54 | 1 |
| D+ | 45–49 | 0 |
| D | 40–44 | 0 |
| D- | 0–39 | 0 |
D+, D and D- are fail grades. Do not interpret zero grade points as a low pass. The policy also identifies F as a fail grade and excludes approved ungraded pass/fail courses from GPA calculations. See the linked Grade Descriptors Policy for special results and current rules.
A worked semester example
Here is an invented semester with four equally weighted courses. It illustrates the arithmetic; it is not a student's record.
| Course | Course points | Grade | Grade points | Weighted points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economics | 15 | A- | 7 | 105 |
| Statistics | 15 | B+ | 6 | 90 |
| Writing | 15 | A | 8 | 120 |
| History | 15 | B | 5 | 75 |
Add the weighted points: 105 + 90 + 120 + 75 = 390. Divide by the included course points: 390 ÷ 60 = 6.50.
If Statistics instead carried 30 points, its contribution would be 180 and the denominator would become 75. The new average would be 480 ÷ 75 = 6.40. That difference is why a simple average of letters can be misleading when course sizes differ.
Use the GPA calculator with a custom grading scheme that matches the original grade key. Keep course points and grade points in separate fields: one measures weighting, the other records performance.
Reporting results internationally
Keep the original GPA, institution name, scale and transcript legend together. Before entering a converted result on an application, check whether the receiving institution actually requests one.
A proportional calculation such as 6.5 ÷ 9 × 4 produces about 2.89. That arithmetic alone does not establish US equivalence. Likewise, replacing every New Zealand letter with a US letter assumes a mapping that the recipient may not accept.
For the distinction between arithmetic and recognition, read international grading systems. If the application supplies a conversion table, retain a copy with your calculation in a workspace.
Three checks before you submit a GPA
- Match the grade key. Check the institution and the applicable academic year.
- Check included courses. A blank or ungraded result needs different treatment from an earned fail.
- Keep the denominator visible. Record which course points went into your average so someone else can reproduce it.
If a number differs from your official result, compare the included courses and grade values first. A rounding difference is possible, but it should not be the first explanation for a large discrepancy. The step-by-step GPA guide walks through the arithmetic.
