Canada Grading System: All you need to know
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Canada follows a complex grading system! Yes, you read it right, Canadian universities do not follow a uniform grading system across the country. It depends on the location of the university. Canada has a different grading system than other countries. So, before moving to Canada for higher studies, it is better to under their grading system. The universities follow a combination of percentages, grades (alphabetical), and scores (numerical). Their grading scale varies from 4.0 to 9.0, so, one needs to understand their grading system in order to avoid any confusion while pursuing higher studies.
British Columbia, Alberta, and Newfoundland follow a teacher-centric grading system. Here, the teacher decides whether a student's grade 'A' is equal to 4.0 or 4.3. Whereas, Saskatchewan follows a percentage-based grading system. This is relatively easier than the teacher-centric system. British Columbia and Quebec use grade 'C' instead of grade 'D' as the lowest grade. It is always good to understand the complex grading system, so, you have better clarity about your progress in the course.
Also Read
- What is Grade Point Average (GPA) and how it affects your admissions to the US Universities?
- How to convert 10 point CGPA to 4 point GPA?
Understand the grades
They can vary from a university to university! However, below we have given the grades with descriptions that are largely followed by the universities.
| Grade |
Description |
|---|---|
| A |
Excellent |
| B |
Very good |
| C |
Good |
| D |
Average |
| E/F |
Unsatisfactory/Fail |
The Grading System
Although every university follows its own grading system, we have given it the most commonly used grading system. This is widely used by Canadian universities. The Canada grading system follows a range from a 4.0 grading scale (GPA) to a 9.0 grading scale (GPA). Below we have mentioned what is 4.0 GPA in Canada.
| Grade |
GPA |
|---|---|
| A+ |
4.3 |
| A |
4 |
| A- |
3.7 |
| B+ |
3.3 |
| B |
3 |
| B- |
2.7 |
| C |
2 |
| C- |
1.7 |
| D- |
1 |
| R- |
0 |
GPA out of 9.0
| Grade |
GPA |
|---|---|
| A+ |
9.0 |
| A |
8.0 |
| B+ 7 |
7 |
| B 6 |
6 |
| B- 5 |
5 |
| C+ 4 |
4 |
| C 3 |
3 |
| C- 2 |
2 |
| D 1 |
1 |
| F 0 |
0 |
Learn how to convert GPA to percentage and percentage to GPA:
Canadian Grading System for Different Provinces
As each of Canada's provinces follows a different grading system, we have given the grading system of some of its popular provinces.
Quebec Grading System
Quebec is home to a number of universities - McGill University, Concordia University, University of Montreal, HEC Montreal, Laval University, LaSalle College - Montreal, University of Sherbrooke, and Loyola College. Quebec universities have set 60 percent as a passing score. So, if a student secures a 'C' grade then he/she will be termed as passed. Below we have given the grading system of Quebec.
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| Grade |
Percentage |
Description |
|---|---|---|
| A+ |
95-100% |
Exceptional |
| A |
90-94% |
Outstanding |
| A- |
85-89% |
Excellent |
| B+ |
80-84% |
Very Good |
| B |
75-79% |
Good |
| B- |
70-74% |
Average |
| C+ |
65-69% |
Satisfactory |
| C |
60-64% |
Pass |
| C- |
55-59% |
Acceptable |
| D |
0-54% |
Fail |
Alberta Grading System
Alberta is home to some of the most famous universities in Canada - University of Alberta, University of Calgary, University of Lethbridge, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, MacEwan University, Mount Royal University, Bow Valley College, Lethbridge College, and Lakeland College. Universities in Alberta follow the below-mentioned grading system.
| Grade |
Percentage |
|---|---|
| A+ |
90-100% |
| A |
95-89% |
| A- |
80-84% |
| B+ |
77-79% |
| B |
73-76% |
| B- |
70-72% |
| C+ |
67-69% |
| C |
63-66% |
| C- |
60-62% |
| D |
55-59% |
| D |
50-54% |
| F |
0-49% |
Saskatchewan Grading System
Saskatchewan is home to many universities and colleges - University of Saskatchewan, University of Regina, Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Parkland College, Luther College, and St. Thomas More College. The higher education institutes in Saskatchewan follow a simple GPA system mentioned below.
| Grade |
Percentage |
|---|---|
| A+ |
90–100% |
| A |
80–89% |
| B |
70–79% |
| C |
60–69% |
| D |
50–59% |
| F |
0–49% |
Credits and Credit hours
Canada's grading system is somewhat similar to the USA. Each course has been assigned a certain number of hours for a particular semester. These are credit hours that a student needs to earn while studying any course. Every student needs to earn some credit hours for successful completion of the course. Credit and credit hours are used by the faculty to evaluate the overall grade (GPA) of the student. The number of credit hours of a course is pre-decided by the university/faculty. Students are aware of the credit hours they need to complete the course.
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