How does Philippine GWA compare to US GPA?

The Philippine scale is inverted — lower GWA is better. A GWA of 2.33 roughly corresponds to a 3.0 US GPA (graduate school minimum). A GWA of 1.67 corresponds to approximately 3.5 US GPA.

GWA Calculator — Philippines

Q: What is a good GWA in the Philippines?

A GWA of 1.75 or lower is considered very good (Cum Laude range). A GWA of 1.50 or lower typically qualifies for Magna Cum Laude, and 1.20–1.25 for Summa Cum Laude. A GWA below 2.00 is strong; 2.00–2.50 is average.

Q: Why is there no grade between 3.00 and 5.00 in the Philippine system?

This is characteristic of the Philippine grading system. A grade of 3.00 is the minimum passing mark. Any performance below the passing threshold results in a 5.00 (Fail) — there are no partial failure grades.

Calculate your General Weighted Average (GWA) using the Philippine 1.0–5.0 grading scale where 1.00 is Excellent and 3.00 is Passing. Used by UP, Ateneo, De La Salle, UST, and all Philippine universities.

Subject NameGrade (1.0–5.0)Units

General Weighted Average (GWA)

1.7647

Good

Total Units

Grade Points

30.00

Approx. US GPA

2.85

Subjects

How to Use the GWA Calculator

Enter each subject with its Philippine grade (1.00 to 5.00) and the number of units assigned to that subject. The calculator instantly computes your General Weighted Average (GWA) — the standard measure of academic performance used by universities in the Philippines, including UP, Ateneo, De La Salle, UST, and all DepEd-regulated institutions.

Note: Unlike the US GPA where higher numbers are better, the Philippine GWA scale works in reverse — lower is better. A GWA of 1.00 is the highest possible grade (Excellent), while 3.00 is the minimum passing grade. The Advanced tier below adds Latin honors eligibility and target GWA planning. The Professional tier provides full course history analysis and international GPA conversions.

Advanced Multi-Semester Tracker & Latin Honors Track GWA across semesters with honors eligibility check

University:

1.48 sem / 1.48 cum

CourseGrade (1.0–5.0)Units

1.46 sem / 1.47 cum

CourseGrade (1.0–5.0)Units

1.63 sem / 1.50 cum

CourseGrade (1.0–5.0)Units

Cumulative GWA (3 semesters, lower is better)

1.50

Cum Laude — 32 total units

1st Sem AY1

1.48

13 units

2nd Sem AY1

1.46

13 units

1st Sem AY2

1.63

6 units

GWA Formula

GWA = Σ(Grade × Units) ÷ Total Units

Example: Math (1.75 × 3 units) + English (1.50 × 3 units) + Science (2.00 × 3 units)
= (5.25 + 4.50 + 6.00) ÷ 9 = 15.75 ÷ 9 = GWA: 1.75

Philippine Grading Scale & Latin Honors

1.00 = Excellent | 1.25 = Excellent | 1.50 = Very Good

1.75 = Very Good | 2.00 = Good | 2.25 = Good

2.50 = Satisfactory | 2.75 = Satisfactory | 3.00 = Passing

5.00 = Failed

Latin honors thresholds (varies by university):

Summa Cum Laude: GWA 1.00–1.20
Magna Cum Laude: GWA 1.21–1.45
Cum Laude: GWA 1.46–1.75

Professional Full Academic History & US GPA Converter Complete course history, analytics, and international GPA conversion

Course	Semester	Category	Grade	Units	Points
					7.50
					5.25
					4.50
					8.75
					3.75
					4.50
					8.00
					4.50
					3.75
					4.50

General Weighted Average (lower = better)

1.571

Cum Laude — 35 total units

US GPA

3.50

UK Class

Upper Second (2:1)

Courses

GWA Benchmarks by Goal

Summa Cum Laude: GWA 1.00–1.20 — highest academic honor, varies by university

Magna Cum Laude: GWA 1.21–1.45 — second highest; requires consistent excellence

Cum Laude: GWA 1.46–1.75 — honors standing; competitive for scholarships

CHED Merit Scholarship: GWA 1.75 or better with no failing grades

DOST Scholarship Retention: GWA 2.00 or better in science/math subjects

US Graduate School Minimum (3.0 equivalent): Approx. GWA 2.33 or below

Frequently Asked Questions

A GWA of 1.75 or lower is considered very good and puts you in Cum Laude range at most universities. A GWA of 1.50 or lower typically qualifies for Magna Cum Laude, and 1.20–1.25 or lower for Summa Cum Laude. For most purposes, a GWA below 2.00 is considered strong, 2.00–2.50 is average, and 2.50–3.00 is passing but not competitive for scholarships or honors.

This is a characteristic of the Philippine grading system. A grade of 3.00 is the minimum passing mark. Any performance below the passing threshold results in a 5.00 (Fail) — there are no partial failure grades. Some universities like UP Diliman use a more granular scale that includes a 4.0 (conditional/incomplete) grade between 3.0 and 5.0.

Most US graduate programs require the equivalent of a 3.0 US GPA minimum. On the Philippine scale, this roughly corresponds to a GWA of 2.33 or below. For competitive US programs, you would want the equivalent of 3.5 US GPA, which corresponds to approximately a GWA of 1.67 or lower. US admissions offices familiar with Philippine transcripts understand the inverted scale, but it is always helpful to include a note explaining that lower GWA equals higher performance.

Some Philippine universities use "QPI" (Quality Point Index) or "GPA" instead of GWA, but they refer to the same concept — a weighted average of grades. UP Diliman uses a different numbering system (1.0 scale similar to US GPA where higher is better), which can cause confusion. Always check which specific scale your university uses when computing or reporting your academic average.

CHED Merit Scholarships generally require a GWA of 1.75 or better in the immediately preceding academic year with no failing grades. DOST scholarships require a GWA of 1.50 or better in science and mathematics subjects. Requirements can be updated each year, so always verify current criteria with the scholarship granting body before applying.

GWA Calculator — Philippines

How to Use the GWA Calculator

GWA Formula

Philippine Grading Scale & Latin Honors

GWA Benchmarks by Goal

Frequently Asked Questions

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