Deciding what grades to aim for can be tricky, especially if you’re aiming for a good GPA in Australia. When you have a 4.5 GPA, you might wonder whether it is good enough.
A 4.5 GPA is slightly good. It is possible to get a master’s degree or job in Australia with a 4.5 GPA, but it depends on the specific program or job you are applying for. But it is better to have a higher than 4.5 GPA for better prospects.
Let’s break it down.
About GPA
What Is It?
Grade Point Average (GPA) is a measure of academic success that reflects the average number of grade points in all courses taken. The higher your GPA, the better!
Essentially, it’s calculated by dividing the total amount of grade points earned over an entire semester by the sum of credits obtained during that period.
Is 4.5 GPA a Good GPA?
The answer is YES. A GPA of 4.5 is considered good, but it could be better. It is considered average or a little above average, depending on the universities.
Grading Scale
Most universities in Australia use a 7-point grading scale GPA. It ranges between 0 (the lowest) and 7 (the highest).
Different universities might have some variations in their grading scales. However, the standards are similar:
A 4.5 GPA is considered a Pass with a grade scale between 55% – 64%.
The Opportunities
It is possible to get a master’s degree or job in Australia with a 4.5 GPA, but it depends on the specific program or job you are applying for.
Generally, a 4.5 GPA is considered a good score and can be competitive for many programs and jobs. However, some universities and employers may require higher GPAs to be accepted into their programs or hired for certain positions.
It is important to research the requirements of each program or job you are interested in before applying, as this will help you determine if your GPA is sufficient for admission or employment.
Why is GPA Important?
GPA is a universally acknowledged metric for evaluating student performance in educational institutions and universities.
Schools use GPA to assess if students have acquired the appropriate knowledge, while colleges utilize it to judge whether applicants can handle their workload. Furthermore, some universities apply this measure when determining which courses should be offered to enrollees.
Maximizing one’s GPA can open new doors and opportunities for future endeavors.
Academic Grading in Australia
Academic Australian Grading System
Australian tertiary institutions (universities) issue results for each subject based on the following gradings:
ACU, ACS, Adelaide, Bond, Canberra, CDU, CQU, CSU, UDivinity, Flinders, JCU, MQ, Newcastle, QUT, SCU, UNE, UNSW, Sydney, Torrens, UOW, USC, UTS, WSU, ACAP, AIM
- 85 – 100: High Distinction (HD)
- 75 – 84: Distinction (D)
- 65 – 74: Credit (C)
- 50 – 64: Pass (P)
- <40 – 49: Fail (F)
USQ
- 85 – 100: High Distinction (HD)
- 75 – 84: A
- 65 – 74: B
- 50 – 64: C
- <40 – 49: Fail (F, FNP, FNS, FNC, or FLW)
Griffith & UQ
Griffith University and The University of Queensland issue qualitative High Distinction, Distinction, Credit, Pass, and Fail results.
UQ identifies specific grades in some courses:
- 85 – 100: 7
- 75 – 84: 6
- 65 – 74: 5
- 50 – 64: 4
- <40 – 49: 1, 2, 3
UniSA
- 85 – 100: High Disctinction (HD)
- 75 – 84: Distinction (D)
- 65 – 74: Credit (C)
- 55 – 64: Pass 1 (P1)
- 50 – 54: Pass 2 (P2)
- 40 – 49: Fail 1 (F1)
- <40: Fail 2 (F2)
ANU, Curtin, Deakin, ECU, Monash, Murdoch, RMIT, UTAS, Swinburne, UWA, VU, UNDA
- 85 – 100: High Distinction (HD)
- 70 – 84: Distinction (D)
- 60 – 69: Credit (C)
- 50 – 59: Pass (P)
- <40 – 49: Fail (F)
FedUni
- 85 – 100: High Distinction (HD)
- 70 – 84: Distinction (D)
- 60 – 69: Credit (C)
- 50 – 59: Pass (P)
- 40 – 49: Marginal Fail (MF)
- <40: Fail (F)
LaTrobe
- 85 – 100: A
- 70 – 84: B
- 60 – 69: C
- 50 – 59: D
- <40 – 49: Fail (F)
Melbourne
- 85 – 100: First Class Honours (H1)
- 75 – 84: Second Class Honours Div A (H2A)
- 70 – 74: Second Class Honours Div B (H2B)
- 65 – 69: Third Class Honours (H3)
- 50 – 64: Pass (P)
- <40 – 49: Fail (F)
Grade Point Average (GPA) in Australia
A grade point average is not used below a tertiary level in Australia. In universities, it is calculated by a more complicated formula than in some other nations:
where grade points are as follows:
UniSA
- High Distinction: 7
- Distinction: 6
- Credit: 5
- Pass: 4.5 (P1) / 4 (P2)
- Conceded Pass / Near Pass / Fail Level 1/Marginal Fail: 3.5 (Supp.) / 3 (Conc.)
- Fail: 1.5 (F1 / F) / 1 (F2)
- Withdrawn Fail/Late Withdrawal: 1.5
WSU, JCU, QUT, UQ, Griffith
- High Distinction: 7
- Distinction: 6
- Credit: 5
- Pass: 4
- Conceded Pass / Near Pass / Fail Level 1/Marginal Fail: 3
- Fail: 2
- Withdrawn Fail/Late Withdrawal: 1
USQ, FedUni
- High Distinction: 7
- Distinction: 6
- Credit: 5
- Pass: 4
- Conceded Pass / Near Pass / Fail Level 1/Marginal Fail: 3
- Fail: 1.5
- Withdrawn Fail/Late Withdrawal: 1.5
CSU
- High Distinction: 7
- Distinction: 6
- Credit: 5
- Pass: 4
- Conceded Pass / Near Pass / Fail Level 1/Marginal Fail: 3
- Fail: 0
- Withdrawn Fail/Late Withdrawal: 0
Macquarie
- High Distinction: 7
- Distinction: 6
- Credit: 5
- Pass: 4
- Conceded Pass / Near Pass / Fail Level 1/Marginal Fail: 0
- Fail: 0
- Withdrawn Fail/Late Withdrawal: 0
Adelaide
- High Distinction: 7
- Distinction: 6
- Credit: 5
- Pass: 4
- Conceded Pass / Near Pass / Fail Level 1/Marginal Fail: n/a
- Fail: 1.5
- Withdrawn Fail/Late Withdrawal: 0
CQU, Flinders, Newcastle, SCU, ANU, Charles Darwin, UTAS, UWA, AIM, ACU
- High Distinction: 7
- Distinction: 6
- Credit: 5
- Pass: 4
- Conceded Pass / Near Pass / Fail Level 1/Marginal Fail: n/a
- Fail: 0
- Withdrawn Fail/Late Withdrawal: 0
UTS
- High Distinction: 4
- Distinction: 3.5
- Credit: 2.5
- Pass: 1.5
- Conceded Pass / Near Pass / Fail Level 1/Marginal Fail: 0.5
- Fail: 0.5
- Withdrawn Fail/Late Withdrawal: 0
Monash
- High Distinction: 4
- Distinction: 3
- Credit: 2
- Pass: 1
- Conceded Pass / Near Pass / Fail Level 1/Marginal Fail: 0.7
- Fail: 0.3
- Withdrawn Fail/Late Withdrawal: 0
SUT
- High Distinction: 4
- Distinction: 3
- Credit: 2
- Pass: 1
- Conceded Pass / Near Pass / Fail Level 1/Marginal Fail: 0.5
- Fail: 0
- Withdrawn Fail/Late Withdrawal: 0
Bond, Murdoch, RMIT, UNDA
- High Distinction: 4
- Distinction: 3
- Credit: 2
- Pass: 1
- Conceded Pass / Near Pass / Fail Level 1/Marginal Fail: 0
- Fail: 0
- Withdrawn Fail/Late Withdrawal: 0
Other higher education institutions, such as the University of Melbourne, the University of New South Wales, the University of Sydney, and the University of Wollongong, employ a Weighted Average Mark (WAM) for similar purposes as a GPA.
The WAM is calculated based on the raw percentage grades received by the student rather than grade points like High Distinction or Distinction.
Source: Wikipedia
FAQs
What is the highest GPA you can get in a university in Australia?
In Australia, the highest GPA you can get in university is 7 or HD (High Distinction). This score is considered excellent by both universities and employers. A GPA of 6 or 7 means Distinction or Higher, which is the highest level of academic achievement.
What is a GPA of 4 in WAM?
A mark of anywhere within 50-64 gives you a P, and in a GPA calculation, everyone that falls into that 50-64 range is given a GPA value of four.
What is a good GPA at Australia Monash University?
Monash University uses a 4-point grading scale GPA. It ranges between 0 (the lowest) and 4 (the highest).
The university requires students to maintain a minimum GPA of 3 to stand a good chance of getting admission into Monash University.
Students must also participate in other activities like sports, lead some projects, and do community services to improve their chances of admission.