What is CGPA? CGPA Full Form & How to Convert it?

Have you ever wondered how schools measure your academic performance? One key term you might come across is CGPA, which stands for Cumulative Grade Point Average. It’s a way to track your academic progress and reflect on how well you’re doing in your studies. But many students often ask, “What is CGPA, and how is it different from GPA or other grading systems?” Understanding CGPA is important because it plays a big role in unlocking opportunities like scholarships, internships, and higher education. In this blog, we’ll break down what CGPA means, how it’s calculated, and how you can convert it to other grading formats—all in simple, easy-to-follow terms.

What is CGPA: An Overview

The full form of CGPA is Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA). It is a standard way of measuring academic performance. It combines the grade points earned by a student over several semesters or years into a single average score. By achieving a high CGPA you can enhance your chances of receiving a scholarship or landing a job. Having a detailed understanding of how to calculate your CGPA value can also help you keep a record of your academic progress. This can also help you identify the subjects that might be leading to an overall decrease in your CGPA value and help you focus more on them.

Tip: Are you searching for your dream college abroad for an MBA or Master’s program? Choose from over 4,000 colleges and receive personalized counseling through our study abroad program, designed to make your journey seamless.

How is CGPA Calculated? 

Calculating your CGPA is a straightforward process and an important way to track your overall academic performance. It gives you a clear picture of how well you’re doing across all semesters.  If you are wondering what is a CGPA and how to calculate it then follow these simple steps:

• Step 1: Assign Grade Points to Subjects: Every subject you study is assigned a grade point based on your performance. For example, an ‘A’ grade might carry 9 grade points, while a ‘B’ grade might carry 8 grade points. Be sure to verify the grade point values assigned by your university, as these may vary depending on their grading system.
• Step 2: Calculate the sum of Grade Points: Once you know the grade points for each subject, add them all together. This sum gives you an aggregate score representing your overall performance across all your subjects and semesters.
• Step 3: Divide by the Total Number of Subjects: To calculate your CGPA, simply divide the total grade points by the number of subjects you’ve completed. This final value is your CGPA—a quick snapshot of your academic achievement.

For example,

Step 1: Assign Grade Points to Subjects

Assume you have the given grade points for five subjects

Subject	Grade	Grade Points
Subject 1	B	8
Subject 2	A	9
Subject 3	A	9
Subject 4	C	7
Subject 5	B	8

Step 2: Calculate the sum of Grade Points

8+9+9+7+8 = 41

Step 3: Divide the sum of Grade Points by Number of Subjects

CGPA = 41/5 = 8.2

Your total CGPA is 8.2

Finding CGPA from GPA

You may have encountered terms like CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average) and GPA (Grade Point Average) during your undergraduate or graduate studies. If you’re unsure about the key differences between CGPA and GPA, the following table provides a clear comparison of their main differences. 

Aspect	CGPA	GPA
Full form	The full form of CGPA is Cumulative Grade Point Average	The full form of GPA is Grade Point Average
Purpose	Reflects overall performance for each subject across all semesters.	Reflects overall performance for each subject across a single semester.
Formula	(Sum of All GPAs Across Semesters) ፥ (Number of Semesters)	(Sum of Grade Points Earned in a Semester) ፥ (Number of Credit Hours Attempted)

Steps to Calculate Your CGPA Based on Your GPA Score

Your final CGPA score is calculated on the basis of your overall GPA score cumulated over all semesters. If you are wondering how to find out your overall CGPA, here’s a step-by-step approach to do so.

1. Collect GPAs from Each Semester: List out all the GPAs that you have scored across each semester.
2. Add the GPAs: Now, calculate the sum of all GPA scores obtained across semesters.
3. Count the Number of Semesters: Determine the total number of semesters for which the GPAs are available.
4. Divide the Total GPA by the Number of Semesters: Divide the sum of GPAs by the total number of semesters in order to find the final CGPA.

For example, 

You have to find out the CGPA for 4 semesters. Here’s how you can do that: Step i – Collect GPAs from Each Semester: Semester 1: GPA = 7.5 Semester 2: GPA = 6.7 Semester 3: GPA = 8.2 Semester 4: GPA = 8.7 Step ii – Add the GPAs: 7.5 + 6.7 + 8.2 + 8.7 = 31.1 Step iii – Count the Number of Semesters: Total Number of Semesters = 4 Step iv – Divide the Total GPA by the Number of Semesters:  CGPA = (Sum of All GPAs Across Semesters) ፥ (Number of Semesters) ∴ 31.1 / 4 = 7.77 Your total CGPA is 7.77.

How to Convert CGPA into Percentage?

When applying for scholarships, jobs, or university admissions, you may need to present your academic results in percentage format rather than CGPA. This is because percentages often provide a clearer representation of your performance. If you’re wondering how to make the conversion, follow these two simple steps:

• Step 1: Calculate your current CGPA: First, determine your what is your total CGPA. This is the starting point for converting it into a percentage. If you’re unsure how to calculate your CGPA, refer to the steps mentioned earlier.
• Step 2 : Multiply: Once you have your CGPA, multiply it by 9.5. The result will be your percentage. For example, if your CGPA is 8.0, multiplying it by 9.5 gives you 76%, which represents your academic performance in percentage format.

For example,

If your total CGPA is 7.9, here’s how you can convert it into a percentage.

7.9 * 9.5 = 75.05%

Moreover, the following table will help you determine an estimated percentage range for CGPA between 6.0 and 10.0. This can help you convert your value into percentages easily and more efficiently.

CGPA	Equivalent Percentage Range
10.0	95 – 100
9.9	94.05 – 95
9.8	93.1 – 94.05
9.7	92.15 – 93.1
9.6	91.2 – 92.15
9.5	90.25 – 91.2
9.4	89.3 – 90.25
9.3	88.35 – 89.3
9.2	87.4 – 88.35
9.1	86.45 – 87.4
9.0	85.5 – 86.45
8.9	84.55 – 85.5
8.8	83.6 – 84.55
8.7	82.65 – 83.6
8.6	81.7 – 82.65
8.5	80.75 – 81.7
8.4	79.8 – 80.75
8.3	78.85 – 79.8
8.2	77.9 – 78.85
8.1	76.95 – 77.9
8.0	76.0 – 76.95
7.9	75.05 – 76.0
7.8	74.1 – 75.05
7.7	73.15 – 74.1
7.6	72.2 – 73.15
7.5	71.25 – 72.2
7.4	70.3 – 71.25
7.3	69.35 – 70.3
7.2	68.4 – 69.35
7.1	67.45 – 68.4
7.0	66.5 – 67.45
6.9	65.55 – 66.5
6.8	64.6 – 65.55
6.7	63.65 – 64.6
6.6	62.7 – 63.65
6.5	61.75 – 62.7
6.4	60.8 – 61.75
6.3	59.85 – 60.8
6.2	58.9 – 59.85
6.1	57.95 – 58.9
6.0	57.0 – 57.95

Pro Tip: If you are preparing to apply for a job, you would need to prepare well for your interview. Check out this internship and job preparation course, and ace your upcoming interview.

How to Convert a 10-Point CGPA to a 4-Point GPA?

Many universities, especially in the United States, use a 4.0 GPA scale to evaluate academic performance. If your university follows a 10-point CGPA scale, you may need to convert your scores for applications or academic comparisons. Here’s how you can do it in two simple steps:

• Step 1: Divide by 10: Start by calculating your total CGPA. Then, divide this number by 10 to normalize it to a scale of 1.
• Step 2: Multiply by 4: Take the result from Step 1 and multiply it by 4. This will convert your CGPA to the equivalent score on a 4.0 GPA scale.

For example, 

If your CGPA is 6.7, here’s how you can convert the value to a 4.0 GPA scale.

Total GPA = (CGPA / 10) × 4 ∴ (6.7 / 10) × 4 = 2.68

How to Convert CGPA to Marks?

When applying to universities abroad or colleges in India, you might be asked to present your academic scores in marks rather than CGPA. This conversion helps institutions compare your performance with their grading criteria. Follow these steps to accurately convert your CGPA to marks:

Step 1: Identify the grading scale: Determine the grading scale used by the institution you’re applying to. Many institutions use a 10.0 scale, but others might have different standards. Ensuring you use the correct scale is crucial to avoid errors in your conversion.

Step 2: Multiply by 10: If your institution uses a 10.0 grading scale, simply multiply your total CGPA by 10 to get your marks as a percentage. For example, a CGPA of 8.2 would convert to 82%. If the institution uses a different grading scale, adjust the multiplier to match their requirements.

For example,

If your CGPA is 7.5 and you need to convert it to marks, follow the given steps.

7.5*10 =75

Therefore your total marks out of 100 would be 75.

Conclusion

Understanding what is CGPA is very important since several institutions use it to grade your academic performance. It is also important to know how to convert it into GPA, marks,  or percentages to derive accurate grading equivalents. Whether you are applying to universities overseas or in India, understanding the importance of CGPA can boost your chances of further studies or landing a job. By regularly tracking your CGPA and GPA, you can identify your academic strengths and weak points and practice better to enhance your overall performance.

If you want to study abroad then check out our detailed guide on how to study abroad. 

FAQs