Singapore CAP Grading Scale
NUS and NTU use a 5.0 CAP (Cumulative Average Point) scale. SMU uses a 4.0 GPA scale modelled on the US system. This page provides the full grade-point table for each institution, a side-by-side comparison, and institution-specific variations.
NUS and NTU, 5.0 CAP Scale
Both NUS and NTU use this identical 11-grade table. NTU labels the metric GPA; NUS labels it CAP. The calculation method and grade points are the same.
| Grade | Grade Points (5.0 scale) | Label |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 5.0 | Exceptional |
| A | 5.0 | Excellent |
| A- | 4.5 | Very Good |
| B+ | 4.0 | Good |
| B | 3.5 | Satisfactory |
| B- | 3.0 | Satisfactory |
| C+ | 2.5 | Pass |
| C | 2.0 | Pass |
| D+ | 1.5 | Conditional Pass |
| D | 1.0 | Conditional Pass |
| F | 0 | Fail |
Source: NUS Office of the Registrar. D+ and D are passing grades but do not qualify for Honours.
SMU, 4.0 GPA Scale
SMU uses a US-style 4.0 GPA scale. A+ is capped at 4.3 to recognise exceptional performance above a straight A.
| Grade | Grade Points (4.0 scale) | Label |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 4.3 | Exceptional |
| A | 4.0 | Excellent |
| A- | 3.7 | Very Good |
| B+ | 3.3 | Good |
| B | 3.0 | Satisfactory |
| B- | 2.7 | Satisfactory |
| C+ | 2.3 | Pass |
| C | 2.0 | Pass |
| C- | 1.7 | Marginal Pass |
| D+ | 1.3 | Marginal Pass |
| D | 1.0 | Marginal Pass |
| F | 0 | Fail |
Source: SMU Office of the Registrar. Minimum passing grade is D (1.0). C- and below do not satisfy module prerequisites at most SMU programmes.
NUS vs SMU vs US 4.0, Comparison
Approximate equivalencies across the three systems for common grade bands.
| Band | NUS / NTU (5.0 CAP) | SMU (4.0 GPA) | US (4.0 GPA) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top | A / A+ = 5.0 | A = 4.0 / A+ = 4.3 | A = 4.0 / A+ = 4.0–4.3 |
| Upper | A- = 4.5 | A- = 3.7 | A- = 3.7 |
| Mid-High | B+ = 4.0 | B+ = 3.3 | B+ = 3.3 |
| Middle | B = 3.5 | B = 3.0 | B = 3.0 |
| Lower-Mid | C = 2.0 | C = 2.0 | C = 2.0 |
| Fail | F = 0 | F = 0 | F = 0 |
Note: Comparisons are approximate. WES evaluates Singapore transcripts individually for US graduate school applications.
Other Singapore Institution Variations
SUTD, SIT, and SUSS each have their own grading approaches.
SUTD (Singapore University of Technology and Design)
SUTD uses a modified grading system with Pass/Fail options for some first-year subjects. Letter grades are awarded from the second year onward using a scale broadly comparable to NUS CAP. SUTD does not publish a fixed CAP-equivalent threshold for honours.
SIT (Singapore Institute of Technology)
SIT offers applied degree programmes in partnership with overseas universities. Grading follows the partner institution scale (e.g., Glasgow Caledonian uses a UK-style band). SIT-own degree programmes use a 5.0 GPA scale.
UniSIM / SUSS (Singapore University of Social Sciences)
SUSS uses a 4.0 GPA scale for most programmes. Pass grades start at D (GPA 1.0). The honours threshold for most programmes is 3.50 GPA for Second Lower and 3.80 for Second Upper Honours.
How OpenEduCat Implements Singapore Grading
Configurable 5.0 CAP and 4.0 GPA scales
OpenEduCat lets you define grade-point tables per faculty or per programme. A NUS Faculty of Engineering can run 5.0 CAP while an SMU school runs 4.0 GPA in the same instance. Grade points, letter grades, and percentage bands are all configurable.
Modular Credit (MC) weighting
Singapore modules are assigned Modular Credits (MCs), NUS standard modules are typically 4 MCs; some are 2 or 6 MCs. OpenEduCat stores MC values on each module record and weights CAP calculations accordingly, matching the formula used by NUS and NTU exactly.
CAP displayed per semester and cumulatively
After each grade-entry cycle, OpenEduCat computes the semester CAP and updates the cumulative CAP. Both values appear on the student dashboard and on the official transcript. Academic standing flags (Good Standing, Academic Warning, Probation) trigger automatically based on configurable CAP thresholds.
Cross-institution comparison export
For students applying to overseas graduate programmes, OpenEduCat can generate a supplementary transcript page showing the NUS/NTU 5.0 CAP alongside a WES-style US 4.0 GPA conversion table, reducing manual paperwork for international applications.
Related Gradebook Pages
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the Singapore CAP grading scale.
Configure Singapore CAP grading in OpenEduCat
5.0 CAP, 4.0 GPA, Modular Credit weighting, and Singapore transcript formats, configurable per faculty from day one.