How does the UC system calculate GPA?

UC converts semester grades in a–g courses taken from summer after 9th grade through summer after 11th grade (A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, F=0 — pluses and minuses don't count). One extra point is added for each semester of a UC-approved honors, AP, IB, or college course with a grade of C or better, capped at 8 semesters total with at most 4 from 10th grade. Total points are divided by the number of semester grades.

What is a good UC capped weighted GPA?

California residents need at least a 3.0 UC GPA to be eligible (3.4 for nonresidents). Competitive admits run far higher: middle-50% capped weighted GPAs are roughly 4.2–4.3 at UCLA and Berkeley, and 3.9–4.2 at most other campuses.

Does UC count freshman or senior year grades in the GPA?

No. The UC GPA uses only courses completed from the summer after 9th grade through the summer after 11th grade. Freshman and senior grades don't enter the GPA — but UC still checks that you complete a–g requirements and maintain your performance senior year.

UC GPA Calculator

The University of California formula. Enter one row per semester grade in your a–g courses from 10th and 11th grade — the capped weighted GPA that UC uses is highlighted.

How to use this calculator

List only a–g courses — the UC-approved academic sequence. Leave out PE, health, and non-approved electives.
One row per semester grade — a full-year class with an A both semesters is two rows of A.
Pick the grade A–F — UC ignores plus and minus, so there's nothing else to choose.
Mark UC-honors courses (approved honors, AP, IB, college courses) — the +1 point and the 8-semester cap are applied automatically.
Set the year (10th or 11th) — the cap allows at most 4 honors points from 10th grade.
Read the capped weighted GPA — that's the number UC admissions reports use, with unweighted and uncapped alongside.

How the UC GPA formula works

UC recalculates every applicant's GPA with its own rules. Here's the formula this calculator applies:

Only a–g courses count — the UC-approved academic sequence (history, English, math, science, language, arts, electives). PE, health, and non-approved electives are excluded, so leave them out.
Only 10th and 11th grade — from the summer after 9th grade through the summer after 11th. Freshman and senior grades don't enter the GPA.
Semester grades, no plus/minus — each semester grade is one entry: A = 4, B = 3, C = 2, D = 1, F = 0. A- and A+ both count as A.
Honors point — each semester of a UC-approved honors, AP, IB, or transferable college course earns +1, but only for grades of C or better.
The cap — at most 8 semesters of honors points count, and at most 4 of those from 10th grade. That's the "capped weighted" GPA UC publishes in its admissions data.

The calculator shows all three variants UC readers may see: capped weighted (the headline number), unweighted, and fully weighted (no cap — some campuses look at this for context).

What counts as UC honors?

AP courses, IB Higher Level (and designated Standard Level) courses, UC-transferable college/dual-enrollment courses, and — for California schools — courses certified as honors on your school's UC course list. An out-of-state "honors" class usually does not earn the point unless it's AP/IB/college level. When in doubt, check your school's a–g course list on the UC website.

Eligibility and competitive benchmarks

Threshold	Capped weighted UC GPA
Minimum eligibility (CA residents)	3.0
Minimum eligibility (nonresidents)	3.4
Typical admits, mid-tier campuses	~3.9 – 4.2
Typical admits, UCLA / Berkeley	~4.2 – 4.3

Rules and thresholds shift occasionally — verify against the official UC GPA requirement page before submitting applications. For how other colleges treat your GPA, read how colleges view your GPA.

Frequently asked questions

Why enter semesters instead of full-year classes?

UC counts each semester grade separately — a year of AP Biology with an A both semesters is two entries of A, and each honors semester is one point toward the 8-semester cap. If your school is on trimesters or block schedules, your counselor can tell you how grades convert.

Do summer classes count?

Yes, with a quirk: summer after 9th and summer after 10th both count as 10th grade for the honors cap; summer after 11th counts as 11th grade.

Is the UC GPA the same as my school's weighted GPA?

Almost never. Your school may weight all honors classes, count all four years, and use plus/minus grades — UC strips all of that. It's common for the UC GPA to differ from your transcript GPA by a few tenths in either direction. See the GPA scale explained for why scales diverge.