Short answer on FGPA vs CGPA: your CGPA counts every course by its credits. Your FGPA counts each level's GPA, with Levels 300 and 400 worth twice as much as Levels 100 and 200. UG's class of degree is read from the FGPA, so a strong final two years can lift your class above what your CGPA suggests.
Three numbers on a UG result slip
- Semester GPA: the courses of one semester only.
- CGPA: every course you have registered for so far, from your first semester.
- FGPA: the final figure your class of degree comes from, built from your Level 100 to 400 GPAs.
All three use the grade points in section 9.20 of UG's Regulations for Junior Members (September 2017).
| Marks | Grade | Grade point |
|---|---|---|
| 80 to 100 | A | 4.0 |
| 75 to 79 | B+ | 3.5 |
| 70 to 74 | B | 3.0 |
| 65 to 69 | C+ | 2.5 |
| 60 to 64 | C | 2.0 |
| 55 to 59 | D+ | 1.5 |
| 50 to 54 | D | 1.0 |
| 45 to 49 | E | 0.5 |
| 0 to 44 | F | 0 |
A to D are pass grades. E is a failure grade that may still satisfy a prerequisite, and F is a fail. Both still count in your GPA and CGPA.
Semester GPA and CGPA
Multiply each course's grade point by its credits, add these up, and divide by the credits.
GPA = sum of (credits × grade point) ÷ sum of credits
The CGPA is the same sum over every course you have registered for. It is not the average of your semester GPAs, because a semester with more credits counts for more.
Made-up example: two semesters of Level 100.
| Semester | Courses (credits, grade) | Grade points | Credits | GPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | 3 A, 3 B, 3 C+, 2 B+ | 35.5 | 11 | 3.2272… |
| Semester 2 | 3 B+, 3 A, 3 D+, 3 E | 28.5 | 12 | 2.375 |
| CGPA | All eight courses | 64 | 23 | 2.7826… |
The CGPA is 64 ÷ 23 = 2.7826…, or 2.78 to 2 decimals. Averaging the two GPAs gives 2.8011… instead, which is not how UG works it out. The E in Semester 2 adds only 1.5 grade points but all 3 of its credits, so it pulls the GPA down.
How the FGPA is weighted
Section 9.31(b) of the regulations says: "The GPAs from Levels 100 to 400 shall be weighted as follows: 1:1:2:2".
FGPA = (Level 100 GPA + Level 200 GPA + 2 × Level 300 GPA + 2 × Level 400 GPA) ÷ 6
Each level's GPA covers all its courses, weighted by their credits. Working out each level's GPA first is GradeCat's reading of section 9.31(b). The College of Humanities FAQ gives the same 1:1:2:2 weights.
Made-up example from GradeCat's research: level GPAs of 3.20, 3.40, 3.70 and 3.80 give (3.20 + 3.40 + 7.40 + 7.60) ÷ 6 = 3.60, First Class.
The weights change how much each year can move you. Raising your Level 400 GPA by 0.30 raises your FGPA by 0.10. Raising your Level 100 GPA by the same 0.30 raises it by only 0.05.
When the FGPA and CGPA give different classes
Made-up example: a student who improves each year, with 36 credits in each level and level GPAs of 2.70, 2.80, 3.20 and 3.20.
| Level | GPA | Weight in FGPA | Grade points (36 credits) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | 2.70 | 1 | 97.2 |
| 200 | 2.80 | 1 | 100.8 |
| 300 | 3.20 | 2 | 115.2 |
| 400 | 3.20 | 2 | 115.2 |
- FGPA: (2.70 + 2.80 + 2 × 3.20 + 2 × 3.20) ÷ 6 = 3.05, Second Class Upper.
- CGPA: 428.4 ÷ 144 = 2.975, which is in the Second Class Lower band.
The weighting rewards the stronger final years. For a student whose grades fall in Levels 300 and 400, it works the other way: with the same credits in each level, the FGPA comes out below the CGPA.
Section 9.20(d) of the regulations also defines the FGPA as the CGPA of all courses up to the end of the programme. GradeCat reads the class from the 1:1:2:2 FGPA, as section 9.31 and the College of Humanities FAQ give it. If your figures sit near a class line, ask your department which figure it uses.
Class of degree bands
| FGPA | Class of degree |
|---|---|
| 3.60 to 4.00 | First Class |
| 3.00 to 3.59 | Second Class Upper |
| 2.00 to 2.99 | Second Class Lower |
| 1.50 to 1.99 | Third Class |
| 1.00 to 1.49 | Pass |
| 0.00 to 0.99 | Fail |
These bands are section 9.31(d). They are printed to 2 decimals, and GradeCat found no rounding rule, so an FGPA of 3.595 is Second Class Upper as it is and First Class if rounded to 3.60 first. Good standing needs a CGPA of at least 1.00, and there is no probation (sections 9.25 and 9.26).
The Level 400 GPA you still need
Because Level 400 counts double, you can work out what it must be once Levels 100 to 300 are known:
Level 400 GPA needed = (lowest FGPA of the class × 6 − Level 100 GPA − Level 200 GPA − 2 × Level 300 GPA) ÷ 2
This is GradeCat's own sum on UG's weights. Two made-up examples:
- With 3.20, 3.40 and 3.70, First Class needs a Level 400 GPA of at least 3.80.
- With 2.70, 2.80 and 3.20, Second Class Upper needs at least 3.05. First Class is out of reach: even a 4.00 in Level 400 gives an FGPA of 3.3166….
The UG GPA, CGPA and FGPA Calculator does this for every class when you leave Level 400 blank.
Repeated courses
The CGPA divides by the credits of all courses registered (section 9.20), and section 9.31(c) says the FGPA uses a weighted average of all repeat courses. GradeCat reads this as counting every attempt, each in the semester you took it. How a repeat counts, and in which level, is not verified, so check with your department.
What this guide does not cover
- A rounding rule for GPA, CGPA or FGPA: none was found, so the numbers here are not rounded unless stated.
- FGPA weights for programmes that do not run Levels 100 to 400, such as Level 200 entry, the 6-semester BPH and medicine: the regulations give none.
- Editions of the regulations after 2017: none was opened.
- Other universities. KNUST uses a different system, and UCC's scale has not been checked.
FGPA vs CGPA FAQ
What is the difference between FGPA and CGPA at UG?
The CGPA weights every course by its credits. The FGPA weights each level's GPA 1:1:2:2, so Levels 300 and 400 count double. With level GPAs of 2.70, 2.80, 3.20 and 3.20 and 36 credits in each level, the CGPA is 2.975 but the FGPA is 3.05.
Which one decides my class of degree?
The FGPA, under section 9.31 of the regulations. First Class is 3.60 to 4.00 and Second Class Upper is 3.00 to 3.59.
Is the FGPA just my final-year GPA?
No. It uses all four levels. Your Level 400 GPA is one third of it, and Level 300 is another third.
Does an E or F count in my CGPA?
Yes. An E is worth 0.5 and an F is worth 0, over all the course's credits, so both pull your CGPA down.
Does KNUST use an FGPA?
No. KNUST uses a CWA, an average of percentage marks weighted by credits, and a CWA of 70 or more is First Class. The Ghana grading scale page has KNUST's classes.
Related tools and guides
- UG GPA, CGPA and FGPA Calculator: your semester GPA, CGPA, FGPA and class of degree from your courses.
- Grading Scale and Class of Degree in Ghana: UG's grades and classes, KNUST's CWA classes and WASSCE numbers.
- All tools for Ghana
- GradeCat home: grade and GPA tools for other countries.
Sources
- University of Ghana: Regulations for Junior Members, September 2017, Volume 1 (opened 4 November 2026)
- University of Ghana, College of Humanities: FAQs (opened 4 November 2026)
- University of Ghana, International Programmes Office: GEOG 342: Climatology (grading table) (opened 4 November 2026)
- KNUST: Amended Version - 2003 Regulations for the Conduct of Certificate/Diploma/Undergraduate Degree Programmes (opened 4 November 2026)
Every figure here is an estimate, not an official result. Your university's rules come first. Found a mistake? Tell us.