Short answer: the UWI GPA for First Class Honours is a weighted GPA of 3.60 or more. An Upper Second needs 3.00, a Lower Second 2.50 and a Pass 2.00. The same bands apply at Mona, St. Augustine, Cave Hill, Five Islands and the Open Campus, because one set of University of the West Indies regulations covers them all.
This guide shows how to work out the average you still need for a First, why one fail costs so much, and what an A+ is worth. The UWI GPA Calculator works out your GPA so far.
The four classes of degree
UWI's GPA Regulations (Regulation 5) class a first degree on the weighted GPA:
| Class | Weighted GPA |
|---|---|
| First Class Honours | 3.60 and above |
| Upper Second Class Honours | 3.00 to 3.59 |
| Lower Second Class Honours | 2.50 to 2.99 |
| Pass | 2.00 to 2.49 |
The Bachelor of Medical Sciences, the MBBS, the DDS and associate degrees are classed differently, so this guide does not cover them.
What a 3.60 means in letter grades
Each letter grade carries quality points, and the GPA is their average weighted by credits:
| Grade | Mark | Quality points |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 90 to 100 | 4.30 |
| A | 80 to 89 | 4.00 |
| A- | 75 to 79 | 3.70 |
| B+ | 70 to 74 | 3.30 |
| B | 65 to 69 | 3.00 |
| B- | 60 to 64 | 2.70 |
| C+ | 55 to 59 | 2.30 |
| C | 50 to 54 | 2.00 |
| F1 | 40 to 49 | 1.70 |
| F2 | 30 to 39 | 1.30 |
| F3 | 0 to 29 | 0.00 |
3.60 sits between an A- (3.70) and a B+ (3.30). A transcript of nothing but A- grades gives 3.70, a First. A transcript of nothing but B+ grades gives 3.30, an Upper Second. So a First usually means mostly A- grades or better, with any B+ balanced by an A or an A+.
How to work out the average you still need
UWI's GPA is total grade points divided by total quality hours (credits), where a course's grade points are its credits times its quality points. From that, this step is GradeCat's own arithmetic:
- Grade points so far = your GPA so far × the credits you have done.
- Grade points you need = 3.60 × all the credits in your degree.
- Average you still need = (points you need − points so far) ÷ the credits you have left.
If that average is above 4.30, the A+ value, a First is out of reach on equal weights. It reads every course as equal weight, which UWI's weighted GPA may not do (see below).
Worked example 1: a First is still possible
Made-up example. A student has done 60 credits with a GPA of 3.45 and has 30 credits left, so 90 in all.
- Points so far: 3.45 × 60 = 207.
- Points needed: 3.60 × 90 = 324.
- Average still needed: (324 − 207) ÷ 30 = 3.90.
That is between an A- and an A. Over ten 3-credit courses, seven A grades and three A- grades give 3 × (28 + 11.1) = 117.3 grade points, so the GPA ends at 324.3 ÷ 90 = 3.6033…, a First. Six A grades and four A- grades give 116.4, so the GPA ends at 323.4 ÷ 90 = 3.5933…, an Upper Second. One grade decides it.
A+ grades help, because they are worth 4.30. Five A+ grades and five A- grades give 3 × (21.5 + 18.5) = 120 grade points and a GPA of 327 ÷ 90 = 3.6333…
Worked example 2: a First is out of reach
Made-up example. A student has done 75 credits with a GPA of 3.20 and has 15 credits left.
- Points so far: 3.20 × 75 = 240.
- Average still needed for a First: (324 − 240) ÷ 15 = 5.60.
5.60 is more than 4.30, so even straight A+ grades fall short: 240 + 15 × 4.30 = 304.5, and 304.5 ÷ 90 = 3.3833… The Upper Second is the goal here. It needs 3.00 × 90 = 270 grade points, so (270 − 240) ÷ 15 = 2.00, a C average, keeps it.
Why one fail costs so much
At UWI a failed course keeps its quality hours. F1 (40 to 49) is worth 1.70, F2 (30 to 39) 1.30 and F3 (0 to 29) 0.00, and the credits still count in the GPA. Take four 3-credit courses:
- A, A, A and A: (12 + 12 + 12 + 12) ÷ 12 = 4.00.
- A, A, A and F1: (12 + 12 + 12 + 5.1) ÷ 12 = 3.425, under 3.60.
- A, A, A and F3: (12 + 12 + 12 + 0) ÷ 12 = 3.00.
One F1 among three A grades is enough to drop that GPA under 3.60. How a repeated course then counts is set by each Faculty's regulations, which GradeCat has not checked.
The weighted GPA and level weights
The class of degree uses a weighted GPA: each course's grade points are multiplied by a weight for its level (Level I, II or III), and so are its credits. Each Faculty sets those weights in its own regulations. GradeCat has not checked any Faculty's weights, so the examples here use equal weights. If your Faculty gives Level II and III courses more weight, your final-year grades move your class more than your first-year grades.
Rounding: is 3.595 a First?
UWI's regulations state no rounding rule for the GPA. Read exactly, 3.595 is an Upper Second, because it is under 3.60. Rounded to two decimals it would be 3.60, a First. GradeCat reads the exact value and does not round. If you are this close, ask your Faculty office how it reads the number.
Graduating and academic warning
Any first degree needs a GPA of at least 2.00. A semester GPA below 2.00 puts you on academic warning, and a student on warning whose next semester GPA is 1.99 or less is required to withdraw, unless the Faculty's regulations say otherwise.
UWI GPA for First Class Honours FAQ
What GPA do I need for First Class Honours at UWI?
A weighted GPA of 3.60 or more. 3.00 to 3.59 is an Upper Second, 2.50 to 2.99 a Lower Second and 2.00 to 2.49 a Pass.
Is a 3.59 GPA a First at UWI?
No. 3.59 is in the Upper Second band, which runs from 3.00 to 3.59.
Can an A+ help me get a First?
Yes. An A+ (90 to 100) is worth 4.30, so it can balance a B+ (3.30) in a course with the same credits: (4.30 + 3.30) ÷ 2 = 3.80.
Do failed courses count toward my class?
Yes. F1, F2 and F3 keep their credits in the GPA, worth 1.70, 1.30 and 0.00 points.
Do Mona, St. Augustine and Cave Hill use the same bands?
Yes. One set of UWI regulations covers every campus. The level weights come from each Faculty's own regulations.
Related tools and guides
- UWI GPA Calculator: your GPA from credits and grades, with the class it reaches.
- UWI Grading Scale: every mark band, letter grade and quality point.
- CSEC and CAPE grades explained: what CXC grades mean for getting into UWI.
- All tools for Jamaica
- GradeCat home: grade and GPA tools for other countries.
Sources
A class worked out here is an estimate, not an official result. Your Faculty's regulations come first. Found a mistake? Tell us.