Table of Contents
How KU Calculates GPA
KU calculates GPA by dividing total grade points by the credit hours attempted with GPA-bearing letter grades. A is worth 4 points per credit hour, B is worth 3, C is worth 2, D is worth 1, and F is worth 0.
Where a KU school or the College uses plus/minus grading, the intermediate grade is 0.3 above or below the corresponding letter grade. That means, for example, B+ is 3.3 and B- is 2.7. KU’s scale is capped at A, so there is no 4.3 A+ value in this general system.
| Grade | Grade points |
|---|---|
| A | 4.0 |
| A- | 3.7 |
| B+ | 3.3 |
| B | 3.0 |
| B- | 2.7 |
| C+ | 2.3 |
| C | 2.0 |
| C- | 1.7 |
| D+ | 1.3 |
| D | 1.0 |
| D- | 0.7 |
| F | 0.0 |
Quick example: A 3-credit A earns 12 grade points. A 3-credit B+ earns 9.9. Together, 21.9 grade points divided by 6 GPA hours gives a 3.65 GPA.
Which KU Grades Count in GPA?
Standard A–F letter grades count in the GPA, including F at zero grade points. Several other KU notations do not receive grade points and should not be treated as ordinary letter grades.
| Grade or notation | KU GPA treatment |
|---|---|
| A through F, including approved plus/minus grades | Count in GPA |
| CR / NC | Excluded from GPA |
| S / U | Excluded from GPA |
| I | No grade points while incomplete |
| W | Excluded from GPA |
| P progress notation | Excluded from GPA |
| SP / LP / NP thesis or dissertation progress | Excluded from ordinary GPA calculation |
| M / NM / IP competency notations | Not ordinary A–F GPA grades |
Credit/no credit has separate academic rules. For undergraduates, KU converts C- or higher to CR and D+ or lower to NC when the CR/NC option applies, but neither CR nor NC is used to compute GPA.
How to Use the KU GPA Calculator
Enter your current KU GPA and the GPA-bearing credit hours behind it if you want a cumulative estimate. Then add completed courses with their credit hours and final grades. Add future courses under the planned section to see how those grades would change your projected GPA.
For a term-only GPA, leave the previous GPA fields blank and enter only the courses for that term. Excluded grades such as CR, NC, S, U, I, or W do not add grade points or GPA hours.
How Repeated Courses Affect KU GPA
KU’s current undergraduate grade-replacement policy does not simply replace the old grade with the newest grade. For an eligible repeat, the GPA recalculation uses the higher eligible grade by default; inferior attempts remain visible on the transcript but are not included in the GPA calculation.
There are important limits. The policy applies to eligible undergraduate KU courses, includes course-number and same-course requirements, limits grade-replacement opportunities, excludes certain academic-misconduct grades, and cannot be used to replace coursework already applied to an awarded KU bachelor’s degree.
Calculator limitation: Repeat Impact is intentionally disabled for KU. A simple “old grade → new grade” estimator could give the wrong answer when the repeat grade is lower or the course is not eligible. Use the GPA and GPA hours shown on your KU record after an eligible replacement posts.
Transfer Credits and KU GPA
Transfer credit and KU institutional GPA are not the same calculation. KU uses a separate cumulative transfer GPA for transfer-admission purposes, based on transferable graded coursework. That does not mean an outside grade should automatically be inserted into your KU institutional GPA.
In this calculator, external transfer coursework is excluded from the standard KU GPA estimate. Use your official KU academic record when you need the institutional GPA that KU reports.
Academic Forgiveness at KU
KU has an academic-forgiveness process for some returning undergraduate students. Among other requirements, the policy involves a break in KU attendance of at least two years, specified GPA conditions before and after the break, at least 12 KU credit hours after returning, and approval through the student’s academic unit and Registrar.
Approved forgiveness can discount up to four eligible prior KU terms from the new official KU GPA, and those discounted terms also stop counting toward degree requirements. The calculator does not determine whether you qualify. If KU has approved forgiveness for you, enter the recalculated GPA and GPA hours from your official record as your starting point.
KU GPA Requirements Depend on the Purpose
A GPA number only makes sense when you know which GPA and which policy it belongs to. KU admission, financial aid, graduate study, and individual schools can use different standards.
| Purpose | Current published standard |
|---|---|
| First-year assured admission | 3.25 high-school GPA, or ACT 21/SAT 1060 plus at least a 2.0 high-school GPA |
| Transfer assured admission | 24+ transferable hours with a 2.5+ transferable GPA |
| Undergraduate financial-aid SAP | At least 2.0 cumulative KU GPA, plus 67% completion and maximum-timeframe rules |
| Graduate degree completion | At least 3.0 graduate GPA in coursework acceptable for graduate credit |
These are different policies, not interchangeable “required KU GPA” numbers. Individual schools and programs can impose additional admission, progression, or graduation standards.
University of Kansas GPA FAQs
Does KU use a 4.0 GPA scale?
Yes. KU’s general grade-point system assigns A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, and F=0 per credit hour.
Does KU use plus and minus grades?
KU allows individual schools or the College to use plus/minus grades for intermediate performance. When used, the value is 0.3 above or below the corresponding letter grade, such as B+=3.3 and B-=2.7.
Does KU have an A+ worth 4.3?
Not in the general KU GPA system described by the University Senate rules. A is the maximum at 4.0, so the plus/minus rule does not create a 4.3 A+.
Does an F count in KU GPA?
Yes. An F contributes zero grade points but its GPA-bearing credit hours remain in the denominator unless an approved policy such as eligible grade replacement changes the official record.
Do CR and NC affect KU GPA?
No. CR and NC are excluded from GPA computation. Their credit/degree treatment is separate from GPA treatment.
Does KU replace a repeated-course grade?
Eligible undergraduate repeats can receive grade replacement, but KU uses the higher eligible grade rather than automatically using the newest grade. Limits and exclusions apply, so the calculator’s Repeat Impact feature is disabled for KU.
Do transfer grades count in my KU GPA?
Do not assume they do. KU calculates a separate transfer GPA for transfer-admission purposes, while this calculator’s standard KU institutional GPA profile excludes external transfer coursework.
What GPA do I need for KU financial aid?
For undergraduate financial-aid SAP, KU currently requires at least a 2.0 cumulative KU GPA along with a 67% completion rate and maximum-timeframe requirements. Pharmacy and graduate students have different GPA standards.
What GPA do KU graduate students need?
KU graduate degree candidates generally need at least a 3.0 graduate GPA in coursework acceptable for graduate credit. Programs may have additional or stricter requirements, so this undergraduate calculator should not be used as a graduate-program decision tool.
Official University of Kansas Resources
- University Senate Rules and Regulations — grading, GPA, repeats, and academic forgiveness
- KU Academic Catalog — Regulations
- KU Financial Aid — Satisfactory Academic Progress
- KU Admissions — application and assured admission standards
- KU Graduate Studies catalog
This University of Kansas GPA calculator is a planning tool, not an official KU record or eligibility decision. Confirm repeat treatment, academic forgiveness, transfer evaluation, financial-aid status, and school or program requirements with the appropriate KU office before relying on an estimate.