NTU Honours Classification and CGPA: Grade Scale, Bands and How to Plan
Your Nanyang Technological University (NTU) degree class depends on one number, the cumulative grade point average (CGPA). This guide covers the 5.0 grade scale, the CGPA each honours class needs, and how to work out the average grade your remaining modules must earn.
Quick summary: NTU uses a 5.0 scale where A+ and A are both 5.0. CGPA is the AU-weighted average over letter-graded modules. For most honours degrees, Highest Distinction needs 4.50 or above, Distinction 4.00, Merit 3.50 and Honours 3.00. Modules graded Pass or No Record are not counted.
Want the answer for your own grades? Use the NTUMods CGPA Planner, then follow the step-by-step guide to the CGPA Planner if you would like a worked example.
The NTU grade scale
| Grade | Grade points |
|---|---|
| A+, A | 5.0 |
| A- | 4.5 |
| B+ | 4.0 |
| B | 3.5 |
| B- | 3.0 |
| C+ | 2.5 |
| C | 2.0 |
| D+ | 1.5 |
| D | 1.0 |
| F | 0.0 |
How CGPA is calculated
Multiply each module’s grade points by its academic units (AU), add the results, and divide by the total AU of those modules. A 4 AU module at grade A counts for more than a 2 AU module at the same grade. Modules graded Pass (P) or No Record (NR), including those you have put under the Flexible Grading Option, are left out of both the top and the bottom of the sum.
Honours classes
| Class | CGPA |
|---|---|
| Highest Distinction | 4.50 and above |
| Distinction | 4.00 to 4.49 |
| Merit | 3.50 to 3.99 |
| Honours | 3.00 to 3.49 |
These are the bands for most NTU honours degrees. Some programmes publish their own, so confirm yours in your Academic Handbook.
Work out the grades you still need
If you have completed D AU at a CGPA of C, and plan to take R more AU, the average you need over those R AU to finish on a target T is:
(T × (D + R) − C × D) ÷ R
For example, 3.50 over 60 AU with 60 AU to go. To finish on 4.00, the remaining modules need an average of (4.00 × 120 − 3.50 × 60) ÷ 60 = 4.50, which means about an A- across the board. If the answer is above 5.0, the class is out of reach. If it is zero or less, it is already secured.
The NTUMods CGPA Planner does this for every class at once. Enter your CGPA and AU, or upload your transcript from the Self-Help Transcript System and it reads them for you in your browser. The CGPA Planner guide walks through it with a worked example.
Tips
- Early semesters move your CGPA the most per grade, because later ones are diluted by a larger base. Late modules matter less, unless they carry many AU.
- High-AU modules such as the Final Year Project move CGPA the most. Plan your workload around them.
- If you are close to a band, the FGO Optimiser shows which modules to take out of your CGPA.
- Check your AU progress in Degree Audit.
FAQ
Where do I check my CGPA, and when are results out?
See NTU Results Release Date and How to Check Your GPA for release windows and where to see your grades.
Is A+ worth more than A at NTU? No. Both are 5.0 grade points.
Does a Pass grade affect my CGPA? No. Pass and No Record modules are excluded from CGPA, but Pass still counts towards graduation AU.
Is the planner official? No. It is an unofficial NTUMods tool. Your official CGPA and class are set by NTU.