Singapore Grade Conversion to US GPA

Convert Singapore university grades — NUS, NTU, SMU letter grades and CAP scores — to the US 4.0 GPA scale. Singapore uses a 5.0 CAP scale internally; this tool converts to US standard.

Scale: Letter grade with percentage equivalent (NUS/NTU 5.0 CAP scale)  |  Range: 0–100%
US GPA Equivalent
4.00
Excellent
US Letter Grade
Singapore Grade
A+ (85–100%)
Score Range
85–100
Classification
Exceptional — NUS Grade Point: 5.0

How Singapore's Grading System Works

Singapore's universities use a letter grade system with percentage equivalents, closely aligned with the US grading system. The National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore Management University (SMU), and Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) all use similar grading frameworks based on percentage ranges mapped to letter grades and grade points.

The NUS and NTU grading scale is: A+ (85–100%) = 5.0, A (80–84%) = 5.0, A- (75–79%) = 4.5, B+ (70–74%) = 4.0, B (65–69%) = 3.5, B- (60–64%) = 3.0, C+ (55–59%) = 2.5, C (50–54%) = 2.0, D (45–49%) = 1.5, D+ (45–49%) = 1.0, and F (below 45%) = 0.0. Note that NUS and NTU use a 5.0 GPA scale internally, not a 4.0 scale.

For US GPA conversion purposes, the Singapore percentage grades are typically mapped directly to the standard US 4.0 equivalencies: A (80%+) = 4.0, A- (75–79%) = 3.7, B+ (70–74%) = 3.3, B (65–69%) = 3.0, B- (60–64%) = 2.7, and so on. This conversion is well-accepted by US graduate programs.

Honors classification at NUS and NTU: First Class Honours (CAP 4.50/5.00+), Second Class Upper (CAP 3.50–4.49), Second Class Lower (CAP 3.00–3.49), Third Class (CAP 2.50–2.99), and Pass (below 2.50). CAP stands for Cumulative Average Point on the 5.0 scale.

Conversion Formula

Singapore Percentage → US 4.0 GPA:
A+ (85–100%) → 4.0 GPA
A (80–84%) → 4.0 GPA
A- (75–79%) → 3.7 GPA
B+ (70–74%) → 3.3 GPA
B (65–69%) → 3.0 GPA
B- (60–64%) → 2.7 GPA
C+ (55–59%) → 2.3 GPA
C (50–54%) → 2.0 GPA
D (45–49%) → 1.0 GPA
F (<45%) → 0.0 GPA

NUS/NTU CAP to US GPA: Multiply CAP by 0.8 (e.g., CAP 4.0 → 3.2 US GPA)

Worked Example

Student: Priscilla, BEng Computer Engineering, NUS

Priscilla's CAP (NUS 5.0 scale) is 4.2/5.0, putting her in Second Class Upper Honours.

4.2 × 0.8 = 3.36 US GPA (approximately 3.3). Her Second Class Upper Honours from NUS, a top-100 global university, is competitive for US master's programs in computer science.

Frequently Asked Questions

NUS uses a 5.0 CAP (Cumulative Average Point) scale. To convert to US 4.0 GPA, multiply by 4/5 (or 0.8). For example: CAP 4.5 × 0.8 = 3.6 US GPA. Alternatively, use the honors class as a reference: First Class (CAP 4.5+) = 4.0 US GPA, Second Upper (CAP 3.5–4.49) = 3.3–3.7, Second Lower (CAP 3.0–3.49) = 2.7–3.0.
A First Class Honours degree from NUS requires a CAP of 4.50 or above on the 5.0 scale, which converts to a US GPA of approximately 3.6–4.0. NUS is consistently ranked in the global top 10–15 universities, so a First Class Honours is recognized as exceptional by US graduate programs and often equivalent to summa cum laude distinction.
NUS and NTU both use a 5.0 CAP/GPA scale with similar grade distributions, but there are minor differences in cutoffs and grade policies across programs. Both universities are in the global top 15 and are equally well-recognized by US graduate programs. The percentage-to-grade mapping is nearly identical between the two institutions.
Yes, degrees from NUS, NTU, SMU, and other Singapore universities are accepted directly by US graduate programs without credential evaluation. Singapore's universities are globally ranked and well-recognized. Most programs simply need official transcripts (in English, as all Singapore university instruction is in English). Credential evaluation may be requested only by some licensing boards.
At NUS, a B grade (grade point 3.5 on the 5.0 scale) corresponds to 65–69% performance. A B+ (70–74%) earns 4.0 grade points. The grade boundaries at NUS align with international standards, and the system is moderated to account for course difficulty. Continuous assessment, midterms, and finals contribute to the final percentage.

Related Grade Converters