What is SGPA? How to Calculate SGPA for Studying Abroad?

For students applying to foreign universities, an SGPA is a key requirement. Your SGPA (Semester Grade Point Average) helps universities assess your academic performance. Let’s understand why SGPA is so crucial.

Different institutions across the globe use different marking/grading schemes. This makes it hard for universities to compare students’ performance. An SGPA acts as a uniform standard of academic performance. With an SGPA you can accurately present your academic achievements to potential universities. It’s natural for you to ask some basic questions at this moment. 

What is SGPA?
How is SGPA calculated?
Why is SGPA needed?
What is the need for an SGPA in study abroad applications?

Find answers to all these questions and more in this guide. Read on. 

What is SGPA?

SGPA stands for Semester Grade Point Average. Sometimes, it is also known as a Sessional Grade Point Average.

As the name suggests, SGPA is the measure of a student’s academic performance over a semester. It is calculated based on the grades or marks that you score in all courses taken in a semester.

Please note that the SGPA is a much more nuanced indicator of academic performance as compared to the ‘number of credits’ earned. Let’s understand how the ‘sum of credits’ is different. 

Each course has a certain number of credits assigned to it. Also, credits reflect the importance and workload of each subject. The higher the credit, the higher the importance and workload of the course. Summing up the credits would give you a complete score for your semester.

However, different institutions may have different credits assigned to different courses. This creates a discrepancy. 

SGPA allows a standardized assessment of a student’s performance. It ensures consistent evaluation of academic achievements across different institutions.

Also Read: Study Abroad Guide for Indian Students 2024

How to Calculate SGPA?

Calculating your SGPA correctly is essential because the university you are applying to will also need you to prove your SGPA. Submitting an incorrect SGPA can lead to disqualification from the university’s application process.

Let’s take a look at how you can calculate your SGPA.

To start calculating your SGPA, organize the information you have available. It could be your marks, credits, grades, percentage, or even your CGPA. Below we have mentioned step-by-step processes for calculating your SGPA from each.

Method 1: How to Calculate SGPA from Subject-wise Marks

Step 1: Write down all the courses you took in the semester along with the marks obtained for each.

Step 2:  Convert your marks to grade points using your university’s scale. Each university has its own scale for converting marks to grade points. For example, a common 10-point scale might be:

• 90-100 marks = 10 grade points
• 80-89 marks = 9 grade points
• 70-79 marks = 8 grade points
• 60-69 marks = 7 grade points
• 50-59 marks = 6 grade points
• 40-49 marks = 5 grade points
• Below 40 marks = 0 grade points

Check your university’s specific conversion scale to accurately convert your marks.

Step 3: Multiply the grade point for each course by the credits assigned to that course.

Step 4: Add all the grade points obtained.

Step 5: Add all the course credits.

Step 6: Divide the total grade points by the total credits.

Let us understand the calculations with an example.

*Every institution has a different method of calculating grade points from marks. For simplicity and ease of calculation, we have here taken 10 marks = 1 grade point.

Total Grade Points

 = (8.5 * 3) + (9.0 * 4) + (7.5 * 3)
= 25.5 + 36 + 22.5
= 84

Total Credits

 = 3 + 4 + 3 

= 10

SGPA = Total Grade Points / Total Credits
SGPA = 84 / 10 = 8.4

Method 2: How to Calculate SGPA from Grades

Step 1: Write down all the courses and the grades received.

Step 2: Use your institution’s grade point scale to convert grades to grade points.

Step 3: Multiply each course’s grade points by the respective course credits.

Step 4: Add all the grade points obtained.

Step 5: Add all the course credits.

Step 6: Divide the total grade points by the total credits.

Let us understand this process better with an example:

* All institutions have different grade point scales. For the purpose of this example, we have taken the following scale:

Total Grade Points 

= (9 * 3) + (8 * 4) + (8.5 * 3)
= 27 + 32 + 25.5
= 84.5

Total Credits 

= 3 + 4 + 3 

= 10

SGPA = Total Grade Points / Total Credits
SGPA = 84.5 / 10 = 8.45

Method 3: How to Calculate SGPA from percentage

If your university directly gives you a percentage, here’s what you can do to calculate your SGPA:

Option 1: Convert percentage into marks and follow method 1 to convert those marks into SGPA.
Option 2: Convert the percentage into grades and follow method 2 to convert the grades into SGPA.

Method 4: How to Calculate SGPA from CGPA

If you have your CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average) for all semesters, you can convert it to SGPA by following these steps:

Step 1: Write down the CGPA of each semester.

Step 2: Add all the CGPAs obtained.

Step 3: Divide the total CGPA by the number of semesters to get the average SGPA.

Let us understand this calculation with an example:

Semester 1: CGPA = 7.8
Semester 2: CGPA = 8.2
Semester 3: CGPA = 8.0

Total CGPA 

= 7.8 + 8.2 + 8.0
= 24

Number of semesters = 3

SGPA = Total CGPA / Number of Semesters
SGPA = 24 / 2
SGPA = 8

Also Read: Why Study in USA? Top Reasons To Pursue Higher Studies in the US

How to convert SGPA into percentages?

Sometimes, universities may require your SGPA to be converted into a percentage. Here is how you can do it:

Step 1: Take your SGPA and multiply it by 10.

Step 2: Subtract 7.5 from the result to get your SGPA in percentage terms.

Let us understand the calculations with an example.

If your SGPA is 8.4:

Percentage 

= (8.4 * 10) – 7.5
= 84 – 7.5
= 76.5

How to calculate CGPA from SGPA?

Sometimes, you may need to calculate your Cumulative Grade Point Average from SGPA. Here is how you can do it:

Step 1: Write down the SGPA of each semester.

Step 2: Add all the SGPAs obtained.

Step 3: Divide the total SGPA by the number of semesters in the course to get the average CGPA.

Let us understand the calculations with an example.

• Semester 1 SGPA = 8.0
• Semester 2 SGPA = 8.4
• Semester 3 SGPA = 7.8

Total SGPA 

= 8.0 + 8.4 + 7.8
= 24.2

Number of Semesters = 3

CGPA 

= Total SGPA / Number of Semesters
= 24.2 /3
= 8.07

Also Read: Best Exams to Study in USA for Indian Students 2024 (Masters & UG)

Key Considerations for Calculating SGPA

Calculating the right SGPA is the first step to a strong study abroad application. To minimize the chances of miscalculation and errors, here are 3 things to consider:

Know your current institution’s grading system

Each institution has a unique grading system and conversion scale. The same grade may mean different grade points or marks in different institutes.

So before you begin, check your institution’s scales.

Double-check your grade points

Without accurate input data, you will never arrive at the correct SGPA. So before starting the calculations, double check:

• The grade points corresponding to your grades.
• Number of credits for each course.

Mistakes in these basic inputs can lead to errors in the final SGPA calculation.

Use Reliable Tools and Methods

If your institution provides an official calculator, use only that for SGPA conversions. If performing manual calculations, follow step-by-step processes meticulously and double-check each step. 

Also Read: OPT in USA For Indians

Why is an SGPA required?

Despite so many scores being available–CGPAs, grades, grade points, averages, percentages, marks–a lot of universities also look for your SGPA. This is because your SGPA offers valuable insights into your academic performance.

Some of the key reasons why SGPA is needed for study abroad education applications are:

Standardized Evaluation

Different countries have various grading systems. This makes comparisons based on marks, grades, or grade points unfair and difficult.

SGPA provides a standardized metric to assess the applicants’ academic records uniformly. This ensures fair comparisons and informed admission decisions.

Academic Performance Indicator

SGPA is a clear indicator of a student’s academic performance in each semester. Universities use it to assess the consistency and quality of a student’s work over time.

Consistently high SGPAs, thus, are important for securing admissions to top universities.

Basis for Scholarships and Financial Aid

A good SGPA can also be a determining factor for scholarships and financial aid. Most institutions offer some form of financial aid to students with excellent records.

A high SGPA can make you eligible for such opportunities. This is extremely helpful in reducing the financial burden of studying abroad.

Remember: SGPA alone isn’t enough for admissions to a foreign university

A high SGPA is certainly a key requirement for studying abroad. But it isn’t the only requirement. Other than consistently high SGPAs, you also need:

• A competitive CGPA
• Good scores in entrance exams like SAT, GRE, GMAT, LSAT, MCAT, etc.
• High scores in English language proficiency tests like TOEFL, IELTS, etc.
• Letters of Recommendation
• Statement of Purpose and Personal Essays

Also, it is important to choose the right course and college. With hundreds of options available, the choice has become complicated though. 

To navigate through the ocean of options, you need to conduct in-depth research around courses and colleges.

A simpler and more effective alternative to that is to use SelectRight. 

What is SelectRight?

SelectRight is an advanced platform that simplifies the university and program selection process for students wishing to study abroad. It uses an AI-driven algorithm that analyzes over 8 million data points from 40,000 programs to match you with the best options based on your academic, financial, and professional profile. This method removes the guesswork, ensuring you apply to universities where you are highly likely to gain admission and can expect a high return on investment.

Here’s how SelectRight works:

1. Create a free profile on SelectRight and provide all necessary information about your academic background, test scores, and preferences.
2. The algorithm processes your details and generates a shortlist of the best-suited universities and programs for you.
3. Compare the shortlisted universities using advanced criteria such as alumni networks, recent placements, and faculty quality.
4. Get help from an expert advisor at any stage of your application process.
5. Connect with peers, alumni, and faculty from the shortlisted universities to get your questions answered and make informed decisions.

Visit SelectRight and find your perfect course and college match for studying abroad.

Once you have found your best university, the next big milestone is to get a loan that you can easily repay. Most students go with familiar names, visit a couple of lenders, and choose their education loan based on limited options. In doing so, many students miss out on what might have been the best education loan with very low interest rates. To make this loan search and comparison easy, we have created FundRight.

When you create an account on FundRight, you get access to competitive loan offers from 15 of the top lenders in India as well as NBFCs in India and abroad. This gives you the convenience of creating just one profile but getting the best offers from the market.

Here’s how FundRight works:

1. Create a free profile on FundRight and provide all necessary information about your financial needs and personal details.
2. Receive competitive loan offers from more than 15 top lenders within two days.
3. Compare these offers based on different criteria such as interest rates, repayment terms, and benefits.
4. Consult with a financial expert from FundRight to choose the best loan offer and negotiate better terms if possible.
5. Submit all required documents securely through the FundRight platform and receive your loan approval in as little as 10 days.

By using FundRight, you can ensure you get the best financial support for your education with minimal hassle. Start your journey today and secure the best education loan for your studies abroad.

FAQs