Gulf University Grading Scale
Universities across the Gulf Cooperation Council, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman, use an NCAAA-aligned 4-point GPA scale with nine grade bands and a 60% pass mark. OpenEduCat ships both the GULF_4PT standard scale and the GULF_5PT Saudi variant, pre-configured and ready to use from day one.
GULF_4PT, NCAAA Standard Scale
Standard scale for UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and most Saudi universities. Pass mark: 60%. Assessment template: Mid-Term 40% + Final Exam 60%.
| Grade | % Range | GPA Points | Description | Credits Earned |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 95–100 | 4.0 | Exceptional | Yes |
| A | 90–94 | 4.0 | Excellent | Yes |
| B+ | 85–89 | 3.5 | Superior | Yes |
| B | 80–84 | 3.0 | Very Good | Yes |
| C+ | 75–79 | 2.5 | Good | Yes |
| C | 70–74 | 2.0 | Satisfactory | Yes |
| D+ | 65–69 | 1.5 | Pass+ | Yes |
| D | 60–64 | 1.0 | Pass | Yes |
| F | <60 | 0.0 | Fail | No, re-attempt required |
Source: NCAAA standards (National Commission for Academic Accreditation and Assessment). Both A+ and A map to 4.0 GPA, the scale does not extend above 4.0 for A+.
GULF_5PT, Saudi Variant (KSU / KFUPM)
Used at King Saud University and King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals. Same percentage thresholds as GULF_4PT, different GPA point values.
| Grade | % Range | GPA Points (of 5.0) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 95–100 | 5.0 | Exceptional |
| A | 90–94 | 4.75 | Excellent |
| B+ | 85–89 | 4.5 | Superior |
| B | 80–84 | 4.0 | Very Good |
| C+ | 75–79 | 3.5 | Good |
| C | 70–74 | 3.0 | Satisfactory |
| D+ | 65–69 | 2.5 | Pass+ |
| D | 60–64 | 2.0 | Pass |
| F | <60 | 0.0 | Fail |
GULF_5PT: max GPA is 5.0. When comparing Gulf GPAs internationally, clarify which scale was used, a 4.0 on the 5-point scale is equivalent to approximately 80–84% (Grade B), not the same as a 4.0/4.0 on the standard scale.
How OpenEduCat Implements the Gulf Scale
The Gulf module pre-configures both scales, the standard assessment template, and NCAAA-compliant grade distribution reports.
GULF_4PT and GULF_5PT ship pre-configured
Both the NCAAA-standard 4-point scale (used in UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and most Saudi universities) and the 5-point scale (used at KSU and KFUPM) install as data records when the Gulf module is activated. Programme administrators assign the appropriate scale to each course, no code changes or manual grade band entry required.
Pass mark enforced at 60%
Both Gulf scales share a pass mark of 60%, which is higher than the 40–50% common in many other systems. OpenEduCat compares each student's computed percentage against this threshold before determining GPA and credit-earning status. A student scoring 58% earns 0.0 GPA points and triggers a re-attempt record automatically.
GULF_STD assessment template: Mid-Term 40% + Final 60%
The standard Gulf assessment template applies a 40% weighting to the mid-term examination and 60% to the final examination. Faculty record mid-term and final marks separately; OpenEduCat computes the weighted aggregate and maps it to the grade band. Alternative weightings can be configured per course.
NCAAA grade distribution reports for accreditation
NCAAA accreditation reviews require institutions to submit grade distribution data showing the spread of A, B, C, D, and F grades across courses and programmes. OpenEduCat's analytics module generates these distributions per course, per semester, and per programme, exportable to Excel for direct use in accreditation submissions.
Related Gulf Gradebook Pages
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Gulf university grading scales and NCAAA standards.
Configure NCAAA-compliant grading for your institution
GULF_4PT and GULF_5PT scales, Mid-Term 40% + Final 60% template, and honours classification pre-loaded. Grade on day one.