Meridean Overseas
Updated On 02 February 2024 & Read Time 11 minutes
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Universities around the world use unique grading systems to assess students' academic performance during a specific period. While countries like India commonly use the percentage system, educational institutions in the United States extensively use grade point average (GPA) and semester grade point average (SGPA). What is SGPA? It is among the most asked questions by students looking for information on studying abroad.
The blog here discusses what is SGPA, how it is calculated, what CGPA is and the terms used to calculate it.
Table of Contents
Different school boards use countless systems to review, grade, and evaluate students' achievements and accomplishments during a school year. However, when a student has graduated from a particular institute or council and wishes to demonstrate his or her merits to be admitted to the following institutes, it appears necessary to have a universal and standardised grading method which has figures recognised by all educational bodies. This led to the establishment of different rating systems.
Some of the grading systems are the percentage grading system and the percentile grading system, commonly used in countries like India. In contrast, countries like the USA and Canada use the GPA system for the scores. The blog will give you an in-depth understanding of SGPA and CGPA and how to convert SGPA to percentage.
Explore, more: Percentage to CGPA Calculator
One of the multiple methods that exist to calculate your performance in schools and colleges is SGPA. It is the cumulative grade point average calculated at the end of each session, such as a school year or a university semester.
To get impressive scores at the end of your course period, it is vital to maintain an attractive SGPA. It not only helps in getting a great result, which is an essential factor when you want to pursue higher education in reputable institutes, but it also helps you understand your progress and motivates you to work on areas that need special attention.
SGPA is short for Semester Grade Point Average, a score given to students based on their performance in their coursework at the end of each academic session, such as a school term or an academic year. The SGPA is calculated as the weighted average of the sum of all marks obtained by a student during a semester in all subjects.
Now that you have a basic understanding of the concept of SGPA and how it affects your final score, let's focus on how to calculate SGPA. You will first need to add up the marks obtained in all subjects for a particular university term and then calculate their average to arrive at your SGPA. You can then convert SGPA to percentage. You can also refer to the following methodology to determine your SGPA:
Find out your credit score for all of your subjects.
Multiply the credit points for each topic by the grade you received in that subject.
Add all the products obtained in the previous step.
To calculate your SGPA, divide the sum obtained by summing the products of each subject by the total of all credits.
Consider the example to understand this method. Suppose the credit score for each of your selected subjects is:
Subject 1- 2
Subject 2- 3
Subject 3- 3
Now, suppose you got the following grades in each of these subjects:
Subject 1- 8
Subject 2- 7.8
Subject 3- 9
Next, you need to multiply each of the grades by their respective subject credits:
Subject 1- 2 x 8 = 16
Subject 2- 3 x 7.8 = 23.4
Subject 3- 3 x 9 = 27
Then, you need to get the sum of all the products: 16 + 23.4 + 27 = 64.4.
This is your total score.
Then, add all the credits from the individual subjects: (Subject 1 + Subject 2 + Subject 3), i.e. 2 + 3 + 3 = 8
Finally, divide the total score you get by the total subject credits:
64.4 / 8 = 8.3
Therefore, your SGPA is 8.3.
Also, Read: How to Convert 10 Point CGPA to 4 Point GPA?
Most colleges in India advertise a percentage an applicant must score to gain admission into their specific programs. Suppose you have your final results in the form of an SGPA or GPA. In that case, you must know how to accurately perform the conversions to avoid miscalculations, thereby losing lucrative opportunities.
Having explicit knowledge of your score percentage will help you in the process of finding suitable college courses and help you better understand your scope. You will need to know the percentages you have achieved each semester to get an idea of your progress and help you plan your progress.
Once you've determined your SGPA, deducing your score percentage is relatively simple. You can use an identical calculation formula for the SGPA calculation method. You must multiply your SGPA by 10, then subtract 7.5 from your product, bringing you to your percentage. Considering the example we demonstrated above, you can convert SGPA to percentage with the formula below:
(SGPA x 10) – 7.5 = Percentage
(8.3 × 10) – 7.5 = 75.5%
Cumulative Grade Point Average or CGPA is the grading system educational institutions use to assess overall academic performance over the course duration. Students are assigned grades such as A, B, C, D, or F. The GPA is a record of the average achieved by the student at the end of the entire program, which can be an academic year or a graduation program. While countries use different grading systems, most Indian school board assessments are percentage-based.
Your GPA appears on your transcript and will get you admission into sought-after institutes. Many colleges and courses that teach core academic subjects heavily emphasise your GPA, so it's wise to aim high and put all your effort into achieving that goal. Here is a broad conversion from percentages to CGPA and further to classifications:
Percentage |
CGPA |
Classification |
90% – 100% |
O+ or A+ |
Outstanding |
70% – 89% |
A |
First Class |
50% – 69% |
B+ |
Second Class |
40% – 59% |
B |
Pass Class |
Below 39% |
F |
Fail |
By now, we hope to have established SGPA and CGPA and how to calculate SGPA. Now, let's see how you can calculate CGPA through SGPA. All you have to do is add your SGPAs from the academic year and divide that amount by the number of semesters.
So effectively, CGPA equals (the SGPA of all semesters in a particular year / total number of semesters). For example, if you get 9 and 9 SGPA in two semesters, you would need to divide the total by 2: (9 + 9)/2, which is 18/2.
So, your CGPA is 9.
Also, Read: Study in Europe with Low CGPA
Embark and excel in your study abroad journey with our expert team!
Parameters |
CGPA |
SGPA |
Time Duration |
The CGPA measures an individual's performance throughout one semester. |
The SGPA is the cumulative average of all marks earned during the term. |
Calculating Characteristics |
The CGPA is computed by multiplying the overall grade point average by the credit score for each topic or by the total number of credits earned. It can also be estimated if you divide your SGPA by the total number of semesters you have. |
The SGPA can be computed by knowing the total number of credit points obtained in all subjects and how much credit is allocated to each one. Then, multiply each subject's credit by its earned credits. To calculate your SGPA for the year, add all of your points and divide the total by the total number of credits. |
Acceptance |
It is a widely recognised method for calculating marks. |
It is primarily utilised at international colleges to evaluate student performance. |
To calculate your CGPA, you first need to know your SGPA. SGPA is the total of your annual averages. You must first add all of your SGPAs from the academic year and divide that total by the number of semesters you have completed.
The formula to calculate CGPA through SGPA is
CGPA= (Sum of SGPA of all semesters in a year/ number of semesters)
Let us now take an example: if your SGPA is 4,6 and 2 in 3 semesters, then your CGPA will be
(4+6+2)/3 = 12/3 =4.
So, your CGPA is 4.
Several websites online offer SGPA calculators, and with the right amount of research, you can determine your SGPA quickly. You must know the terms used in the calculations to insert the relevant information and figures. Here is a list of all commonly used terms and their meanings:
Credit points
These are the metrics used to calculate your study load. Universities use it to evaluate your progress and course completion. Individual subjects are assigned credit based on the institutional hours they comprise. Further, colleges and universities require you to complete a certain number of credits to be considered for the final exam.
Score point
Grades represent how well you have absorbed the information in class and whether you can reproduce that information on the test. You generally receive grade points for each subject you study as part of your course, which are then used to calculate your CGPA at the end of each term.
Semester
An academic year in which a particular course is taught is divided into separate segments called semesters. Most often, an academic year is divided into two semesters.
Moreover, when you apply for higher education, the admission committee of your prospective colleges and universities will consider your grades as essential in determining your merit.
Although there are other areas you need to take care of, such as letters of recommendation, statements of purpose, and achievements in extracurricular activities, it is strongly advised to maintain your high grades if you want to attend a prestigious institute.
To bring to a close, when you apply for higher education, the admissions committee of a specific college or university will consider your grades as essential in determining your merit. Although there are other areas you need to take care of, such as letters of recommendation, statements of purpose, and achievements in extracurricular activities, it is strongly advised to maintain your high grades if you want to attend a prestigious institute. You can easily calculate your CGPA through SGPA, convert SGPA to percentages, and determine your possible admission to a top university.
With the abovementioned information, you know getting a good SGPA and CGPA has benefits. Moreover, we have discussed what is SGPA, CGPA, how to convert SGPA to percentage and all the required information. If you want to discuss anything, contact our expert counsellors at any Meridean Overseas Education Consultants (MOEC) branch. You can also take free online counselling through our website. Our counsellors will provide the best support and guidance for admission and visa. You can contact us at application02@meridean.org or 1800-1230-00011.
Q. What is the SGPA?
Answer: Each student's performance during a semester is calculated on the system and is called SGPA or semester grade point average. It is the average of the marks obtained by a student in all the courses.
Q. How is the SGPA calculated?
Answer: Know the credit points you earned for each subject and how much credit is awarded. Now multiply each subject's credit with the credits earned in that particular subject. Add up all the points and divide the sum by the total of all credits to find your SGPA.
Q. Are SGPA and CGPA the same?
Answer: No, SGPA and CGPA are not the same. The SGPA reflects your academic success, while the CGPA discusses your performance over a semester.
Q. What is the percentage of SGPA?
Answer: Know your total SGPA first, then divide the total SGPA with the semesters you have studied. Then multiply your SGPA by 10 and subtract 7.5 from the total. For example, - (SGPA*10)-7.5, and you will get your percentage.
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