Gradebook · Philippines
Philippine University GWA — The Inverted 1.0–5.0 Scale
Philippine universities use an inverted grading scale: 1.0 is Excellent and 5.0 is Failure — the reverse of the US GPA system. The General Weighted Average (GWA) is computed as a unit-weighted mean across all subjects. OpenEduCat stores grades on the native Philippine scale, computes running GWA automatically per semester and cumulatively, and integrates with INC grade resolution so the GWA is always accurate.
Philippine 1.0–5.0 Grade Scale
Lower numerical grade = higher achievement. 3.0 is the minimum pass; 5.0 is Failure.
| Grade | Label | % Equivalent | GWA Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | Excellent | 97–100% | Maximum weight |
| 1.25 | Excellent | 94–96% | Near-maximum weight |
| 1.5 | Very Good | 91–93% | High weight |
| 1.75 | Very Good | 88–90% | High weight |
| 2.0 | Good | 85–87% | Good weight |
| 2.25 | Good | 82–84% | Good weight |
| 2.5 | Satisfactory | 79–81% | Satisfactory weight |
| 2.75 | Satisfactory | 76–78% | Near-minimum weight |
| 3.0 | Passing | 75% | Minimum passing weight |
| 5.0 | Failure | Below 75% | 0 quality points |
Grade increments (1.0, 1.25, 1.5 …) vary by institution. CHED does not mandate a single percentage-to-grade mapping — each university sets its own equivalency table.
The GWA Calculation Formula
Every credit unit carries equal weight per unit — a 3-unit subject counts three times as much as a 1-unit subject.
GWA = Σ(grade × units) ÷ Σ(units)
Worked example: A student takes Physics (3 units, grade 1.5), Filipino (3 units, grade 2.0), and NSTP (2 units, grade 1.75).
Numerator: (1.5 × 3) + (2.0 × 3) + (1.75 × 2)
= 4.5 + 6.0 + 3.5 = 14.0
Denominator: 3 + 3 + 2 = 8 units
GWA = 14.0 ÷ 8 = 1.75 (Very Good)
OpenEduCat recomputes this formula automatically after every grade entry. The student dashboard always shows an up-to-date GWA without manual recalculation.
How OpenEduCat Handles Philippine GWA
Inverted Scale — 1.0 is Best
Unlike the US GPA scale where 4.0 is highest, the Philippine 1.0–5.0 scale is inverted: 1.0 is the top grade and 5.0 is failure. OpenEduCat labels every grade field with its Philippine meaning, preventing the common error of interpreting 1.0 as the lowest grade during transfer credit evaluation or international admissions.
Unit-Weighted GWA Formula
GWA = Σ(subject grade × credit units) ÷ total credit units. A 3-unit Engineering subject earns three times the weight of a 1-unit Physical Education course. OpenEduCat applies this formula automatically after each grade entry and displays the running GWA on the student dashboard without manual spreadsheet calculations.
Semester and Cumulative GWA
OpenEduCat tracks both the per-semester GWA (grades and units for one semester only) and the cumulative GWA (all semesters combined). The Transcript of Records shows both figures per semester, matching the standard CHED CMO format. Students can see their running GWA trajectory throughout their degree.
INC Grade Integration
An INC (Incomplete) grade held in the system does not contribute to GWA computation until it is resolved. When the instructor submits the completion grade, OpenEduCat immediately recomputes the semester GWA and cumulative GWA, updating the student dashboard and all downstream reports.
Related Philippines Gradebook Pages
GWA Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the Philippine university General Weighted Average system.
Automate Philippine GWA computation with OpenEduCat
1.0–5.0 inverted scale, unit-weighted GWA, INC resolution tracking, and CHED CMO transcript generation — all pre-configured for Philippine higher education.