Grade Point Average (GPA)

Find out all about the GPA, including how it's calculated and what it's used for.

What is your GPA?

The grade point average (GPA) is an internationally recognised measure of a student’s performance.

The GPA may be used:

to select students for prizes and scholarships
as a basis to award degrees with honours and pass with distinction
to set minimum entry levels for students articulating from vocational eduction to higher education programs
as an eligibility criterion for selection into research programs
as an eligibility criterion for selection into undergraduate and postgraduate programs at other Australian universities

How to view your GPA

Your GPA is available in Enrolment Online:

Log in to Enrolment Online
Select My student record
Under Enrolment details select View academic history/results

Your GPA is also recorded on your academic transcript.

How does GPA work?

RMIT has adopted a 4-point GPA scale for the ordinal result scheme, as indicated in the following table.

Grade	Key code	Mark range	Grade point value
High distinction	HD	80-100	4
Distinction	DI	70-79	3
Credit	CR	60-69	2
Pass	PA	50-59	1
Pass only	PX	N/A	Not included in the GPA calculation
Supplementary Pass	SP	N/A	1
Fail	NN	0-49	0
Failed mandatory hurdle requirement	NH	N/A	0
Did not sit	DNS*	N/A	0
Not yet competent	NYC*	N/A	0
Competent with high distinction	CHD	N/A	4
Competent with distinction	CDI	N/A	3
Competent with credit	CC	N/A	2
Competency achieved – Graded	CAG	N/A	1

* Where the grade is used in the training package but the assessment is non-graded, the grade does not contribute to GPA score.

Calculating the GPA

To calculate your GPA for each course:

multiply the number of credits points (higher education) or student contact hours (vocational education) by the grade point value of the grade received, then
divide the total grade points by the credit points or student contact hours

The GPA is rounded to one decimal point.

Examples of GPA calculations

Higher education GPA example

Credit points	Grade point value	Credit points x grade point value
12	4 (HD)	48
12	3 (D)	36
24	1 (P)	24
Total = 48		Total = 108

GPA = 108/48 = 2.25 (rounded up to 2.3)

Vocational education GPA example

Student contact hours	Grade point value	Contact hours x grade point value
40	4 (HD)	160
60	3 (D)	180
20	0 (NN)	0
Total = 120		Total = 340

GPA = 340/120 = 2.83 (rounded to 2.8)

Grades that are not included in GPA calculations

The following table outlines other grades used at RMIT that are not included in GPA calculations.

Grade	Definition
DEF	Deferred exam granted
NEX	No exam scheduled
WDR	Withdrawn from the course
CA	Competency achieved
NYC*	Not yet competent
DNS*	Did not submit assessment
NC**	Not complete
EX BX MX or AL	Credit transfer
RNY, RCG, RCN, RLG or RLN	Recognition of prior learning
EPG or EFG	Externally assessed grades
EQV	Equivalent assessment granted
CPE	Competency achieved, pending employer sign-off
EOT	Extension of time
RNF	Result not finalised
SUP	Supplementary exam granted
PX	Pass grade only
RSC	Remission (removal) of debt under special circumstances – applies where a student is granted a remission of debt in special circumstances after the census date.

* Where the grade is used in the training package but the assessment is non-graded, the grade does not contribute to GPA score.
** This grade is only used for Foundation Studies.

Who can access your GPA

Your GPA is recorded in the student database as part of your academic information. Only authorised RMIT staff members have access to this information.

RMIT will only release your GPA outside of RMIT if:

you apply for admission to another tertiary institution through the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) and you claim previous study. Your application authorises VTAC to collect and circulate your results through the Automatic Results Transfer System (ARTS). The ARTS system automatically collects your result and GPA information from RMIT and provides it to the institution/s that you are applying to via VTAC; or
you authorise RMIT to do so on your behalf

Definitions

Career: Level of study, e.g. vocational education, undergraduate, postgraduate.

Credit points: Courses in higher education programs all have credit points which reflect the total student workload required to satisfactorily complete the course. Each full-time year of the program totals 96 credit points: 48 in each semester. Credit points are also the basis for calculating Equivalent Full Time Student Units or EFTSU (96 credit points equal 1.0 EFTSU).

Cumulative GPA: A numerical calculation weighted by credit points or hours, of the mean of grades received by a student in courses in the program or career to date.

Grade point average (GPA): A numerical calculation weighted by credit points or hours, of the mean of the grades received by a student over a defined study period (e.g. a semester) or over an entire program.

Mark: A precise determination, usually expressed in percentage terms, of the student’s outcome for a course, e.g. 74%.

Mean: A value calculated by dividing the sum of a set of terms by the number of terms (average).

Pass/fail only: In courses to which this scale applies, students are assessed only as either a pass (ungraded) or a fail.

Result/grade: Alphanumeric code given for a course, e.g. ‘C’ (credit).

Term GPA: Numerical calculation, weighted by credit points or hours, of the mean of grades received by a student in courses over a defined study period.

Student contact hours (SCH): The nominal hours for the VE modules/courses undertaken.

Transcript of Results: Formal document issued by RMIT to enrolled students advising of the result and mark (if applicable) for all courses on conferral of the award.