
Ankita Rakshit Content Curator
Content Curator
Highlights
- SGPA is Semester Grade Point Average used to calculate the grades per semester.
- CGPA is Cumulative Grade Point Average to calculate the overall performance of the student in a year.
- SGPA is calculated by dividing the sum of grade points by the sum of credit points.
- CGPA is estimated by dividing the sum of SGPAs by the total number of semesters.
Aspirants looking to study abroad must know the difference between SGPA and CGPA. Abroad universities use the grading system to consider your academic performance. SGPA is a Semester Grade Point Average used to measure grades per semester. CGPA is the Cumulative Grade Point Average that determines the total grade percentage secured by students. You must set a target to ensure a good SGPA to score a good CGPA. US and UK Universities favor a CGPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (75% marks) in bachelor study. Overall good CGPA of around 3.5/4.0 GPA can help to attain great placement opportunities. For having a good SGPA in semester, you will be eligible for scholarships and other incentives while studying.
What is SGPA?
SGPA is the average grade point in a semester. The SGPA calculates how well you can perform in your chosen program in a semester at a college or university. In this case, the letter grades get transformed into numerical values (grade points) to determine your performance. SGPA is the weighted average of the grades achieved by students from all courses in a semester. With this SGPA, you can identify your strengths and weaknesses and you can focus on your studies to improve your performance.
What is CGPA?
Cumulative Grade Point Average is the average of SGPAs you have achieved in all semesters. It determines your overall performance in every subject in an academic year or term. It is measured on a scale of 0 to 4.0.
How is SGPA And CGPA Calculated?
As a prospective student, you must know the difference between SGPA and CGPA percentage calculations to have an idea of your academic progress. Understanding the calculations will enable you to make effective decisions to get into universities abroad for your desired courses. Here given below the calculation of SGPA and CGPA with examples:
SGPA Calculation Process
The formula for calculating SGPA is:
SGPA= ∑(Credits × Grade Points)/ ∑Credits
where,
Credits = number of credits required for the chosen course
Grade Points = Points corresponding to the grade that is achieved in a course
You can check below the examples to illustrate how to calculate the SGPA.
Example 1:
| Subject | Credit Points (CP) | Grade | Grade Points (GP) | Subject-wise Score (CP x GP) | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 4 | A | 8 | 32 | 
| Physics | 3 | B+ | 7 | 21 | 
| English Literature | 3 | B | 6 | 18 | 
| History | 2 | A | 8 | 16 | 
| Chemistry | 4 | B | 6 | 24 | 
| Total | 16 | 111 | 
SGPA = Credits x Grade Points Sum / Credit Points Sum
SGPA = 111 / 16
SGPA = 6.93
Therefore, SGPA for a semester for the above given courses is 6.93.
Example 2:
| Course | Credit Points (CP) | Grade | Grade Points (GP) | Subject-wise Score (CP x GP) | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Course 1 | 3 | B | 3.0 | 9.0 | 
| Course 2 | 4 | A | 4.0 | 16.0 | 
| Course 3 | 3 | C | 2.0 | 6.0 | 
SGPA = Credits x Grade Points Sum / Credit Points Sum
Sum of Credit point and grade points earned = 9.0 + 16.0 + 6.0 = 31.0
Total number of credits = 3 + 4 + 3 = 10
SGPA = 31.0/10 = 3.1
Therefore, SGPA for a semester for the above given courses is 3.1
CGPA Calculation Process
You can check below the formula for calculating the CGPA:
CGPA= ∑(Grade Points) / Total Number of Subjects
Here, given below examples to understand the calculation process of CGPA:
Example 1:
| Subjects for Sem 1 | Grade | Grade Points (GP) | 
|---|---|---|
| English | A | 8 | 
| Hindi | B | 6 | 
| Maths | A | 8 | 
| Science | B+ | 7 | 
| Social Science | C | 5 | 
| Total Courses = 5 | 34 | |
Check below the process of how CGPA is calculated for the above given courses:
- Calculate the grade points on the basis of grades.
- Sum the grade points, that is 8+6+8+7+5=34
- Sum the total subjects = 5
- Calculate CGPA which is the sum of grade points divided by the total number of subjects
That is 34/5 = 6.8
Therefore, the CGPA for semester 1 is 6.8.
Example 2:
| Subject | Grade Points (GP) | 
|---|---|
| Subject 1 | 9 | 
| Subject 2 | 8 | 
| Subject 3 | 7 | 
| Subject 4 | 8 | 
| Subject 5 | 8 | 
CGPA = Sum of Grade Points / Total Number of Subjects
Sum of grade points = 9 + 8 + 7 + 8 + 8 = 40
Total number of subjects = 5
Therefore, CGPA = 40/5 = 8
Thus, CGPA is 8.0
What is the Difference Between SGPA and CGPA?
Students must understand the difference in SGPA and CGPA to assess their performance to get admission to universities abroad. Here, given below the difference between CGPA and SGPA:
| Parameters | SGPA | CGPA | 
|---|---|---|
| Full Form | Semester Grade Point Average | Cumulative Grade Point Average | 
| Timeframe | SGPA is estimated for a single semester. | CGPA is the overall performance in an academic year. | 
| Formula | SGPA = Credit x Grade Points Sum / Credit Points Sum | CGPA = Sum of Grade Points / Total Number of Subjects | 
| Grading Scale | 0-4/0-10 | 0-4/0-10 | 
| Calculation | Average of grade points in a semester | Average SGPA achieved in each semester weighted by credits | 
| Scope | You can get to know about the scope of subjects in future on the basis of performance in the present year. | You can understand the scope of subjects on the basis of performance all over the year. | 
| Importance | To get into the next year of study. | For pursuing higher studies and even for scholarships consideration. | 
How is CGPA Calculated from SGPA?
You must follow a basic formula to calculate the CGPA from SGPA:
CGPA = (SGPA of Sem 1 + SGPA of Sem 2 + …… + SGPA of Sem 6) / (Total Semesters)
Here, given below examples to illustrate the calculation of SGPA from CGPA:
Example 1:
| Semesters | SGPA | 
|---|---|
| 1 | 8.2 | 
| 2 | 9.1 | 
| 3 | 7.8 | 
| 4 | 8.5 | 
| 5 | 9.4 | 
| 6 | 8.7 | 
| Total: 6 Semesters | Total: 51.70 | 
CGPA = ΣSGPA / Total Semesters
CGPA = 8.20 (Sem 1 SGPA) + 9.10 (Sem 2 SGPA) + 7.80 (Sem 3 SGPA) + 8.50 (Sem 4 SGPA) + 9.40 (Sem 5 SGPA) + 8.70 (Sem 6 SGPA) / 6
CGPA = 51.70 / 6
CGPA = 8.61
Example 2:
| Semesters | SGPA | 
|---|---|
| 1 | 3.0 | 
| 2 | 3.2 | 
| 3 | 3.1 | 
CGPA =  Sum of SGPA / Total Semesters
Sum of SGPA = 3.0 + 3.2 + 3.1 = 9.3
Therefore, CGPA = 9.3 / 3 = 3.1
You must have a complete understanding of the difference between SGPA and CGPA to study abroad. For securing admission to top universities, you must have a good SGPA and CGPA. You must strengthen your weakened areas and enhance your knowledge to get good marks. Analysis of SGPA of each semester will help you to track your progress level and thus enable you to improve your performance level. Prospective students must focus on their studies to achieve a good CGPA.
FAQs
Ques: Which is better CGPA or SGPA?
Ans: CGPA defines the overall performance of the students throughout the year. It is a broader picture to analyze the capabilities of students. SGPA is the measurement of performance for a shorter time frame in a semester.
Ques: What is the CGPA for 7.50 SGPA?
Ans: The CGPA for 7.5 SGPA is 7.5. If you calculate the CGPA for one semester, then the SGPA will be the CGPA.
Ques: How to convert SGPA into CGPA?
Ans: For calculating the CGPA, you have to sum up the SGPA values for all semesters and divide that sum by the total number of semesters completed. Suppose the sum of SGPA of all semesters= 8.2 + 7.8 + 8.5 + 8.0 = 32.5. Therefore CGPA= 32.5 / 4 = 8.125.
Ques: What is the CGPA of 8.5 SGPA?
Ans: If your CGPA is 8.5, the percentage would be 80.75%. By dividing it by 9.5, you will get an SGPA of 8.5. You can use this method to convert grades to get admission to universities abroad.
Ques: What percentage is 8.00 in SGPA?
Ans: The percentage of 8.0 in SGPA is 72.5%. This percentage is the score achieved in a semester.














Comments