How is Canadian GPA calculated? The 4.3 scale, 9-point, and percentages
How Canada turns percentage grades into a GPA depends on the school: Queen's and others use a 4.3 scale (A+ = 4.3, A = 4.0, A− = 3.7), UBC uses 4.33, the University of Toronto and McGill use 4.0 (McGill caps at 4.0 with no A+), York uses a 9-point scale, and Waterloo reports percentages only. Every school computes the overall GPA the same way: sum grade points times credits, then divide by total credits.
This page is about Canada itself: mapping your percentage grades onto Canada's 4.3 grade points, understanding why scales differ so much from province to province and school to school, and reading the OMSAS table used for medical-school applications. Figure out which system your transcript uses before you compare GPAs.
Percentage grade → Canadian 4.3 GPA
| Letter | Percentage | Canadian 4.3 GPA |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 90 – 100 | 4.3 |
| A | 85 – 89 | 4.0 |
| A− | 80 – 84 | 3.7 |
| B+ | 75 – 79 | 3.3 |
| B | 70 – 74 | 3.0 |
| B− | 65 – 69 | 2.7 |
| C+ | 60 – 64 | 2.3 |
| F | Below 60 | 0.0 |
This is our calculator's Canada setting (out of 4.3, with the same 4.3 ceiling as schools like Queen's): anything above 90 earns 4.3, which sets the very top grades apart from a regular A. This table uses broad, general cutoffs (e.g., B+ at 75–79); the scale-comparison and OMSAS tables below use finer Ontario cutoffs (B+ at 77–79). Both are valid — only the letter-to-percentage boundaries differ — so defer to your own registrar.
How does Canada turn grades into a GPA?
First, check what your transcript shows: letters (A+/A/A−…), percentages, or a GPA that's already calculated. If you only have percentages, map them onto the grade points in the table above — 90 and up is 4.3, 85–89 is 4.0, 80–84 is 3.7, and so on. The overall GPA is a credit-weighted average: GPA = (each course's grade points × credits) summed, divided by total credits, so higher-credit courses count more.
The catch is that the maximum isn't the same everywhere: Queen's and others use 4.3, UBC uses 4.33 (an A+ can reach 4.33, above 4.0), the University of Toronto and McGill use 4.0 (McGill caps at 4.0 with no A+), York uses a 9-point scale, and Waterloo reports percentages only. So "my GPA is 3.8" means little until you say which scale it's on. Confirm your transcript's system first, then compare.
Open the calculator's "Manual" mode, pick "Canada," and run the 4.3 scale →If you're taking Canadian grades to a US school, the US uses a 4.0 scale (both A+ and A cap at 4.0); for that conversion see the full 4.0 GPA scale
Same letter, different number at different schools
This is Canada's defining quirk: 4.0, 4.3, 9-point, and percentage systems all coexist. The table below shows what one letter is worth on the 4.0 scale (U of T and McGill) versus the 4.3 scale (Queen's and others); York's 9-point scale is listed separately on the right. Read it and you'll see why two "Canadian GPAs" may not be the same thing at all.
| Letter | 4.0 Scale | 4.3 Scale | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 4.0 | 4.3 | 90–100 |
| A | 4.0 | 4.0 | 85–89 |
| A− | 3.7 | 3.7 | 80–84 |
| B+ | 3.3 | 3.3 | 77–79 |
| B | 3.0 | 3.0 | 73–76 |
| B− | 2.7 | 2.7 | 70–72 |
| C+ | 2.3 | 2.3 | 67–69 |
| C | 2.0 | 2.0 | 63–66 |
| C− | 1.7 | 1.7 | 60–62 |
| F | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0–49 |
| Letter | Points |
|---|---|
| A+ | 9 |
| A | 8 |
| B+ | 7 |
| B | 6 |
| C+ | 5 |
| C | 4 |
| D+ | 3 |
| D | 2 |
| E | 1 |
| F | 0 |
York uses a 9-point scale: A+ = 9, A = 8, B+ = 7… down to F = 0, with no A−/B−/C− grades. It's neither a percentage nor a 4.x GPA, so don't read "9 points" as a perfect score without converting.
The A+ row says it all: on the 4.0 scale an A+ caps at 4.0, on the 4.3 scale it reaches 4.3 (UBC goes to 4.33), and on York's 9-point scale it's a 9. So whenever you see a Canadian GPA, ask what the maximum is and which scale it's on.
Four Canadian GPA pitfalls to avoid
Canada's biggest feature is how much scales differ by province and school. These are the things almost every applicant mixes up.
No national GPA
Unlike the US, Canada has no single 4.0 standard. Queen's uses 4.3, UBC uses 4.33, the University of Toronto and McGill use 4.0 (McGill caps at 4.0 with no A+), York uses a 9-point scale, and Waterloo reports percentages — province to province and school to school, it all differs. Don't assume "Canadian GPA" means one thing.
Is an A+ a 4.0 or a 4.3?
It depends on the school's maximum. On a 4.0 scale, A+ and A both cap at 4.0; on 4.3 / 4.33 scales, an A+ is higher on its own (4.3 at Queen's, 4.33 at UBC). So the same A+ "looks" higher at UBC than at the University of Toronto.
Percentage cutoffs differ too
For the same letter, schools set different percentage thresholds. Ontario schools often put B+ at 77–79 and B at 73–76; UBC puts B+ at 76–79 and B at 72–75. Check your own school's chart before converting — don't borrow another school's ranges.
Percentage-only schools
Waterloo and some others mainly report percentages and don't put a GPA on the transcript. When you need a GPA, map percentages to letters and then to grade points, or let a credential evaluator like WES or ECE standardize it — don't eyeball it.
The OMSAS table: Canada's own standard
For Canadian medical-school applications, the Ontario Medical School Application Service (OMSAS) publishes the country's best-known conversion table, mapping percentages onto a 4.0 scale in 0.1 increments. It's finer than the usual letter scale: an A (85–89) is 3.9 and an A− (80–84) is 3.7, giving med-school applicants one common yardstick.
This is the standard way Canada levels the playing field for med-school applicants: no matter where you did your undergrad or which maximum it used, OMSAS re-scores your grades on this table so they can be compared side by side.
The OMSAS table is only for Ontario medical-school applications, and individual med schools may adjust it further. Don't apply OMSAS directly to undergraduate or graduate applications.
| Letter | Percentage | OMSAS 4.0 |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 90 – 100 | 4.0 |
| A | 85 – 89 | 3.9 |
| A− | 80 – 84 | 3.7 |
| B+ | 77 – 79 | 3.3 |
| B | 73 – 76 | 3.0 |
| B− | 70 – 72 | 2.7 |
| C+ | 67 – 69 | 2.3 |
| C | 63 – 66 | 2.0 |
| C− | 60 – 62 | 1.7 |
| D+ | 57 – 59 | 1.3 |
| D | 53 – 56 | 1.0 |
| D− | 50 – 52 | 0.7 |
| F | Below 50 | 0.0 |
What a Canadian GPA range means for applications
The ranges below are on Canada's 4.3 scale; numbers from a 4.0 or 9-point scale need converting first — don't treat them as if they were already out of 4.3.
3.7 – 4.3 (roughly A− and up)
Very competitive — strong enough for higher-ranked schools and popular programs. GPA isn't a weak point, so put your energy into essays, research, internships, and recommendation letters.
3.0 – 3.7 (roughly B to A−)
A solid range with most schools in reach. GPA neither stands out nor holds you back; lean on test scores, project experience, and a balanced school list to shape your outcome.
Below 3.0 (roughly B− and down)
On the low side — top programs are a stretch, but not out of reach. Offset it with test scores, research, or work experience, or target schools that weigh GPA less, and address it head-on in your essays.
Want to know which schools your GPA can reach?
Generate an AI study-abroad reportRelated tools and conversions
Switch the calculator to "Manual" mode and pick "Canada" to run the 4.3 scale (the default "Upload" mode estimates on the US 4.0 scale), or see how other countries and scales convert.
Open the GPA calculatorFAQ
What is the maximum GPA in Canada?
There's no single answer. Queen's and others use 4.3 (max 4.3), UBC uses 4.33, the University of Toronto and McGill use 4.0 (McGill caps at 4.0 with no A+), York uses a 9-point scale (max 9), and Waterloo uses percentages (max 100). Check the maximum before judging any Canadian GPA.
Do all Canadian universities use the same GPA scale?
No. The maximum (4.0 / 4.3 / 4.33 / 9-point / percentage), the percentage ranges behind each letter, and even whether an A+ can exceed 4.0 all vary by school. The same transcript produces different GPAs under different systems, so defer to your own registrar.
What is the 9-point scale?
York University and others use a 9-point scale: A+ = 9, A = 8, B+ = 7, B = 6, down to F = 0. It's not a percentage and not a 4.0, so convert a 9-point transcript first rather than treating a 9 as a perfect score.
How do I use the OMSAS conversion table?
OMSAS is the Ontario Medical School Application Service table that maps percentages onto a 4.0 scale in 0.1 increments: 90–100 = 4.0, 85–89 = 3.9, 80–84 = 3.7, and so on down. It's only for Canadian medical-school applications — don't apply it to undergraduate or graduate applications.
Where these numbers come from
- Queen's University Registrar — official 4.3 scale (A+ = 4.3, A = 4.0, A− = 3.7…) and percentage ranges
- University of Toronto Registrar — undergraduate letter → 4.0 grade points (A+ and A both 4.0) and percentage ranges
- McGill University Registrar (eCalendar) — official 4.0 CGPA (A = 4.0 for 85–100%, A− = 3.7, B+ = 3.3…, capped at 4.0 with no A+), with the CGPA shown on the transcript
- University of British Columbia (UBC) — 4.33 scale, with A+ = 4.33 above the 4.0 ceiling
- York University — 9-point scale (A+ = 9, A = 8, B+ = 7…)
- OMSAS / Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC) — undergraduate grade conversion table (percentage → 4.0, 0.1 increments, A 85–89 = 3.9)
School and third-party scales can change; always defer to your own registrar or the evaluator your target school specifies.