GPA Calculator Singapore: NUS, NTU, SMU, and Poly Scales

How GPA Is Calculated in Singapore

Singapore universities and polytechnics all use the credit-weighted average formula for GPA. The term used at most Singapore universities is CAP (Cumulative Average Point) rather than GPA, but the underlying calculation is identical: multiply each module's grade points by its credit units, sum those products, and divide by total credit units.

Two details matter for an accurate Singapore GPA calculation. First, credit-unit weighting: a 6-MC module contributes one and a half times as much as a 4-MC module of the same grade. NUS modules range from 2 to 12 MCs; most academic modules are 4 MCs. NTU modules are typically 3 AUs. Second, S/U modules: NUS and NTU allow students to declare certain modules Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory (S/U). Modules graded S are excluded from the CAP calculation even when passed, so they do not affect the GPA. Enter only modules that carry a letter grade in the calculator above.

NUS and NTU Grading Scale (5.0 CAP)

NUS (National University of Singapore), NTU (Nanyang Technological University), SUTD (Singapore University of Technology and Design), SIT (Singapore Institute of Technology), and SUSS (Singapore University of Social Sciences) all use the identical 5.0 CAP scale. The grade-point mapping is:

A+ and A are distinct on the transcript but carry the same 5.0 grade points in the CAP calculation. This means a student who earns mostly A grades and occasionally an A+ has the same numerical CAP as one who earns only A grades, though the A+ is visible on the transcript as a mark of exceptional performance. At NTU, the same convention applies; the A+ designation is awarded at the faculty's discretion for outstanding submissions.

SMU Grading Scale (4.3 GPA)

Singapore Management University uses a US-style grading scale with a maximum of 4.3, not 4.0 or 5.0. The A+ grade earns 4.3 points, which allows SMU to recognise truly exceptional performance above a plain A (4.0). The full SMU grade-to-GPA mapping:

SMU does not award degree honours in the same way as NUS or NTU. There are no First Class or Second Class Honours classifications at SMU. Instead, SMU recognises Dean's List recipients each semester in each school, typically the top 5 percent of the cohort. Dean's List recognition at SMU is a semester-by-semester award with no fixed GPA cutoff; it depends on the distribution of results in that semester. A GPA of 3.80 or above generally places a student in the Dean's List range, but this is not a guaranteed threshold.

Polytechnic and ITE Grading Scale (4.0 GPA)

All five Singapore polytechnics, Singapore Polytechnic (SP), Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP), Temasek Polytechnic (TP), Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP), and Republic Polytechnic (RP), as well as ITE (Institute of Technical Education) colleges, use a GPA out of 4.0. The grade letters are different from those used at universities:

A key difference from university grading: the polytechnic scale does not have a grade between C (2.0) and D (1.0). Students who pass a module at the D level receive 1.0 grade points; there is no D+ at polytechnics (unlike NUS/NTU where D+ = 1.5). Polytechnic students are awarded a Diploma with Merit if their cumulative GPA is 3.50 or above at graduation. The SP, NP, TP, NYP, and RP graduation criteria for Diploma with Merit use a 3.50 threshold uniformly across all diploma programmes.

NYP Grading System

Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) uses the same 4.0 GPA scale as all other Singapore polytechnics. Each NYP module carries a credit value stated on the official module descriptor; most core diploma modules are 2 to 5 credits. NYP awards the Diploma with Merit at a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or above. The NYP student portal shows a per-semester GPA and a running cumulative GPA; both use the standard polytechnic formula. The calculator above handles NYP calculations through the Poly / ITE mode.

NP Grading System

Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) also uses the 4.0 GPA scale with the same grade letters (A, B+, B, C+, C, D, F) and grade-point values. NP modules typically carry 2 to 5 credits depending on the diploma programme. The graduation honour at NP for a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or above is the Diploma with Merit. The sp GPA and np GPA calculators both resolve to Poly mode in the calculator above.

Honour Classifications at Singapore Universities

NUS and NTU award degree honours based on the final cumulative CAP across all modules in the programme. The thresholds are:

These thresholds are the minimum CAP for each honours class. Competitive programmes such as Medicine, Dentistry, Law, and Engineering may apply a higher faculty-level threshold for First Class Honours. The Dean's List at NTU is awarded each semester to students with a semester CAP of 4.50 or above (with no failed modules and a full academic load). NUS has a similar per-faculty merit list; thresholds and names vary by faculty.

Scale Comparison: NUS/NTU 5.0, SMU 4.3, Poly 4.0, and US 4.0

Singapore uses three distinct GPA scales depending on the institution. Converting between them for international applications requires understanding each scale's structure. The flagship visualisation below shows the honour and standing thresholds for each scale side by side.

When applying to US graduate programmes, convert your NUS/NTU CAP to a US 4.0 equivalent using the formula US GPA = (CAP / 5.0) x 4.0. A First Class Honours CAP of 4.50 converts to 3.60 on the US scale; a Second Class Upper CAP of 4.25 converts to 3.40. World Education Services (WES) and ECE provide official credential evaluations that US graduate schools use as the authoritative conversion. For more on GPA scale conversions, the CGPA to GPA converter handles multi-scale conversion between 5.0, 4.3, 4.0, and 10-point systems.

Singapore University and Polytechnic Directory

The table below lists the major Singapore universities and polytechnics, their GPA scale, and the credit unit name used in the weighted-average formula.

Two Singapore institutions are sometimes asked about by students returning from exchange programmes. The SIM (Singapore Institute of Management) runs degree programmes in partnership with overseas universities (University of London, University at Buffalo, RMIT), and uses the partner university's grading scale rather than the Singapore 5.0 CAP. Students at SIM should use the grading scale of their specific partner university; the general GPA calculator handles US 4.0 scale calculations for SIM-UoL and SIM-Buffalo students.

Cumulative CAP and Semester CAP

Singapore university portals show two GPA figures: the current-semester CAP and the cumulative CAP (sometimes called CGPA). The formula is the same for both; the difference is which set of modules you include:

• Semester CAP: Enter only modules from the current semester. Used for Dean's List eligibility at NTU and NUS faculty merit lists.
• Cumulative CAP: Enter every module from all completed semesters. Used for honours classification at graduation and for postgraduate applications.

The calculator above handles both. For semester CAP, clear the table and enter the current term's modules only. For cumulative CAP, add every module you have completed across all semesters. If you want to track your CAP trend across semesters, run the calculation separately for each semester and compare. The GPA calculator on the main page handles the US 4.0 scale for students converting a Singapore CAP for US graduate school applications.

ITE GPA Calculator

ITE (Institute of Technical Education) colleges use the same 4.0 GPA scale and grade letters as Singapore polytechnics: A = 4.0, B+ = 3.5, B = 3.0, C+ = 2.5, C = 2.0, D = 1.0, F = 0.0. The formula is identical: GPA = Sum(Grade Points x Credits) / Sum(Credits). Select the Poly / ITE mode in the calculator above to calculate your ITE cumulative GPA. ITE colleges offer the National ITE Certificate (Nitec) and Higher Nitec; both use the 4.0 GPA. Students who achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or above at ITE may qualify for direct entry to polytechnic diploma programmes under the merit-based admission exercise.

Convert Singapore CAP to ECTS for European Applications

Students applying to European universities or exchange programmes need to convert their NUS or NTU CAP to an ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) GPA. The ECTS grading scale runs from A (top 10 percent) to E (bottom 35 percent among passing students), and the conversion is not strictly linear. As a practical approximation, a CAP of 4.50 or above (First Class) corresponds to ECTS A; a CAP of 4.00 to 4.49 (Second Upper) to ECTS B; a CAP of 3.50 to 3.99 (Second Lower) to ECTS C. For a detailed numerical conversion between the 5.0 CAP scale, US 4.0 scale, and ECTS scale, use the GPA to ECTS calculator.

Students applying from Malaysian institutions to Singapore universities, or comparing a Malaysian CGPA with a Singapore CAP for scholarship purposes, should note that both systems use credit-weighted averages but on different maximum scales (Malaysia: 4.0; Singapore NUS/NTU: 5.0). The Malaysia GPA calculator covers the Malaysian 4.0 CGPA scale and MQA classification thresholds. For multi-scale conversions between 5.0 CAP, 4.0 CGPA, and US 4.0, the GPA converter handles all three scales.

Last verified: May 2026