A guide to grading systems in Canada

Unlike in some countries, there is no universal grading system in Canada. In fact, every university is able to assess students with whatever framework it prefers. For international students, this can sometimes be confusing. Comparing your results with ones given by Canadian institutions may not always seem straightforward, and with entry requirements, that can be problematic. To make things simpler, we explore grading scales throughout the country and their equivalencies.

What university grading systems are there in Canada?

There are many different grading systems in Canada. Each university and college is permitted to do things in its own way. This means that there are variations across the country, and even within provinces and cities. It is therefore difficult to put a number on exactly how many systems are in use.

In general, universities use a combination of percentages, letter grades, numerical grades, verbal descriptions and GPA. You can expect them to provide conversion tables to explain how these equate. However, these are typically only applicable at the institution in question. The percentage that gets an A grade at one university may not get the same elsewhere.

If this seems complicated, we understand. To help, we will now outline a few of the undergraduate grading systems used at universities in Canada.

University of Toronto

At the top university in Canada, the grading system is comprehensive. The University of Toronto's framework allows for quick comparison of verbal descriptions, letter grades, percentages and GPA. When you graduate, your results will be converted into a final cumulative GPA (CGPA).

University of Alberta

At the University of Alberta, ranked fourth in Canada by the QS World University Rankings 2025, a combination of verbal descriptions, letter grades and grade points is in place. Course leaders can choose which of these they wish to use when evaluating assignments, but your overall result will always be given as a letter grade.

University of Prince Edward Island

At the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI), the only university in Canada's smallest province, there are three scales. Most notable is GPA, which is used to provide students with their final degree result. A minimum of 1.7 overall is required to graduate.

McGill University

At McGill University in Montreal, a three-part system is used in most academic departments. In each one, assignments are graded using letters. At the end of your degree, your results will be converted into a CGPA. Here, this must be at least 2.0 in order for you to graduate.

University of Manitoba

At the University of Manitoba in the Prairie Provinces, individual course grades are usually given as letters. These correspond directly to a numerical score that goes towards calculating your GPA. For courses that do not contribute to GPA, a simple pass or fail grade is assigned.

University of Saskatchewan

At the University of Saskatchewan, the grading system is kept simple. Here, there are only six verbal descriptions and accompanying percentage bands. Your course results and final degree classification will use the latter scale. GPA is not a consideration.

How do universities in Canada compare grades?

With so much variation between grading systems and grade boundaries, it might seem difficult to compare results across Canadian universities. However, institutions are accustomed to making these assessments, and sometimes have publicly available policies on the matter. This can greatly help students applying for master's degrees.

One such policy is provided by the University of Manitoba. Their list of Canadian GPA equivalencies sets out how grades from dozens of universities equate to ones they give. For example, this is how they convert University of Saskatchewan results into their letter grade and GPA scales:

How do I convert my grades to the Canadian system?

Converting grades received in one country to a Canadian GPA or percentage is not something that can be done with a simple calculation. As well as having their own grading system, every university makes their own comparison between it and those used elsewhere in the world. However, if you are an international student exploring entry requirements for a master's degree, they should be able to tell you what grade you need.

So, even if they do not provide a grade-for-grade comparison that can tell you definitively what your results equate to in Canada, the minimum needed to study there should be clear. Of course, as this is a minimum, it does not guarantee admission.

Some universities do provide more detailed comparisons. For example, here are how undergraduate grades received in Nigeria, Pakistan and Bangladesh are evaluated by the University of Manitoba:

In each case, the equivalent of a B grade is the minimum required for admission to a master's degree. If your grading system does not look like the one Manitoba sets out for your country, don't worry. Any university to which you apply will make every effort to understand what your results mean.

Want to know more? Get to know the Canadian higher education system.

What about postgraduate grading systems?

The grading scales and systems used for postgraduate study in Canada are sometimes slightly different to the ones used for undergraduate study. This article has focused on the latter, so it is important to be aware of the distinctions.

A common difference is in the boundary between passing and failing. For a good example of this, compare the scales used at undergraduate and postgraduate level by the University of Alberta.

As this shows, the bar is set higher at postgraduate level. However, this is not the case at every university. If in doubt, the grading system of each institution should be available publicly or to students. For more general information, find out how master's degrees are graded.

We hope this has made the different grading systems in Canada more clear. If you are interested in attending university in the country, you might like to read about how to apply to study in Canada, or its top subjects for international students. Alternatively, you can continue exploring the grading systems in the UK, USA and Australia.