Quick answer
Otago grades carry grade points on the New Zealand 9-point scale, where an A+ is worth 9 and a C- is worth 1. Multiply each course's points by its credit value, sum them, and divide by total credits: that credit weighting is why your GPA is not a simple average of your grades.
This free GPA calculator works out your grade point average at University of Otago on the New Zealand 9-point scale, the system Otago and every other NZ university uses. Just add each course, choose the grade you got and enter the course's point value, and your GPA appears instantly, credit-weighted so that bigger courses count for more. That credit weighting is the part students most often get wrong by hand: your GPA is not a simple average of your grades, it is the average weighted by how many points each course is worth, so an A in a 18-point course carries more weight than an A in a smaller one. On the 9-point scale an A+ is worth 9 points, an A is 8 and an A- is 7, dropping by one through the B and C bands to C- at 1, with any fail grade scoring 0, and this calculator applies those values for you and shows the resulting GPA along with an indicative classification. Knowing your GPA matters for real decisions: it is used for entry to honours and postgraduate study, for scholarships and prizes, for some graduate jobs, and for exchange and study-abroad applications, and a clear running figure helps you see where you stand and what grades you need next to reach a target. You can include just this semester to see how you are tracking, or all your courses for a cumulative GPA. It is genuinely useful whether you are a Otago student checking progress, planning ahead, or working out the average you need to lift your standing. Remember to follow your faculty's exact rules on which courses and retakes count. The 9-point scale and a worked example are explained clearly below.
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Course (optional)
Grade
Points
0.00
grade point average (9-point scale)
The Otago 9-point grade scale
The University of Otago uses the 9-point scale, with many papers worth 18 points. GPA is credit-weighted across your papers.
Grade
A+
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D / E
Points
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
How it works
Your GPA is credit-weighted. Multiply each course's grade points by its point value, add those up, then divide by the total points across all the courses you include. Fail grades count as 0 but still add to the total points, so they lower your GPA.
Worked example
Say you scored an A+ (9 points) in a 15-point course and a B+ (6 points) in a 30-point course. The weighted total is 9 times 15 plus 6 times 30, which is 135 plus 180, or 315. Divide by the 45 total points and your GPA is 7.0, an A- average.
