NU Grading System & GWA Calculator
Compute your National University GWA on NU's 4.00 scale — 4.0 is the best grade. This page is the NU GWA calculator students search for, with the NU grade table, Dean's Lister requirements and Latin honors cutoffs.
Calculate your NU GWA
4.00 scale · NU Manila, NU MOA & more
Grades use NU's 4.00 scale (4.0 is best, 0.0 is fail). Your grades never leave your browser.
NU grading system (4.00 scale)
| Grade point | Percentage (as reported) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 4.0 | 96–100% | Excellent |
| 3.5 | 90–95% | Very Good |
| 3.0 | 84–89% | Good |
| 2.5 – 1.0 | See handbook | Passing range |
| 0.0 | Below 60% | Fail |
NU grades in steps of 0.5: 4.0, 3.5, 3.0, 2.5, 2.0, 1.5, 1.0 and 0.0. The three percentage bands above (4.0, 3.5, 3.0) and the failing mark (below 60%) are the ones reported in NU student-council guides; the exact bands for the middle grades are in your student handbook, and this page does not guess them. For how the 4.00 scale differs from the 1.00–5.00 scale most Philippine colleges use, see the College Grading System guide — and if your school uses the 1.00–5.00 scale instead, use the GWA Calculator.
Is NU on the 1.00–5.00 scale? No — and why some sites say otherwise
Some calculator sites show NU on the 1.00–5.00 scale, with 1.00 as Excellent and 5.00 as fail. That contradicts NU's own material: NU student-council guides for two campuses and two academic years, and an actual NU grade report, all use the 4.00 scale — 4.0 is Excellent, 0.0 is Fail. The 1.00–5.00 version looks like a generic template applied to NU by mistake, and this page does not repeat it.
The practical test is your grade slip: if your grades look like 4.0, 3.5 and 3.0, you are on NU's 4.00 scale and this calculator is the right one. If they look like 1.00, 1.25 and 2.00, you are on a 1.00–5.00 scale — use the main GWA Calculator instead. Mixing the two scales gives a meaningless number: a 2.00 is a good grade on the 1.00–5.00 scale and a weak one on the 4.00 scale.
NU Dean's Lister requirements
NU recognizes academic achievers each term through the Dean's List. Per NU student-council guides, the usual requirements are: First Honors — a term GWA of 3.50 or higher; Second Honors — 3.25 to 3.49; a minimum of 12 units that term; no grade below 2.5; no failing or dropped grades; and no academic dishonesty. The rules can differ by campus (Manila, MOA and others) and can change from one school year to the next, so confirm the current handbook page for your campus. The Dean's Lister guide explains how the per-semester list differs from Latin honors, which use your whole-course GWA at graduation.
NU Latin honors cutoffs
| Honor | Cumulative GWA (per NU student-council guides) |
|---|---|
| Summa Cum Laude | 3.75 or better |
| Magna Cum Laude | 3.50 – 3.74 |
| Cum Laude | 3.25 – 3.49 |
These are the cutoffs reported in NU student-council guides — not verified on national-u.edu.ph. Latin honors are judged on your cumulative GWA across your whole course, not one semester; use the Cumulative GWA Calculator for that number. Most schools also add conditions beyond the GWA — no failing grade, completion within the prescribed years, and enough units taken at the school — and NU is no exception: check your student handbook for the full conditions before planning around a number.
Worked example
Four subjects, one semester, on NU's 4.00 scale where 4.0 is the best grade. Multiply each grade point by its units, add the results, then divide by total units.
| Subject | Grade point | Units | Grade × Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Math 101 | 4.0 | 3 | 12.00 |
| English 101 | 3.5 | 3 | 10.50 |
| Science 101 | 3.0 | 3 | 9.00 |
| History 101 | 2.5 | 2 | 5.00 |
| Total | 11 | 36.50 |
Step by step: Math 101: 4.0 × 3 = 12.00; English 101: 3.5 × 3 = 10.50; Science 101: 3.0 × 3 = 9.00; History 101: 2.5 × 2 = 5.00. Add the results: 12.00 + 10.50 + 9.00 + 5.00 = 36.50. Add the units: 3 + 3 + 3 + 2 = 11. Divide: 36.50 ÷ 11 = 3.32.
GWA = 3.32 on NU's 4.00 scale. That is Cum Laude range (3.25–3.49) per NU student-council guides. Try the same numbers in the calculator above — you will get 3.32. For the full method, read How to Compute GWA; for a whole-course number, use the Cumulative GWA Calculator — remembering that a cumulative average on the 4.00 scale still needs grade points, not 1.00–5.00 grades.