Passing Grade in Philippines
First, consider how the Philippines colleges evaluate students’ academic performance. The percentage and letter grading systems are normally used in all the institutions in the Philippines. You may consider a standard grading system to understand how your performance is calculated in any institute, but different institutes go with different grading ranges. That is the reason institutions have a passing grade in Philippines for each subject.
Universities in the Philippines generally follow a 4.00 scoring scale. On this scale, 4.00 is the highest grade, similar to GPA grading systems in other countries, while 0.00 is the lowest (fail). While colleges mostly use a 5.00 score grading system, this scale is the opposite of the 4-score scale. The higher the value, the lower the grade, and vice versa. 5.00 represents the lowest (fail) grade, and 1.00 is the highest. A score of 3.00 is a passing grade in Philippines.
How to Compute General Weighted Average in College
Grade point scale (5.00 – 1.00)
Following is the grading scale used by most universities and colleges in the Philippines. This table is a standard College Passing Grade in Philippines but that does not imply that all educational institutions must follow it. As mentioned before, certain colleges and universities have varying grading scales. Some of these institutes and their grading systems are mentioned in the below table.
| Grade Point Equivalence | Equivalence | Letter Equivalence | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.00 – 1.24 | 96 – 100 | A+ | Excellent |
| 1.25 – 1.49 | 94 – 95.99 | A | Superior |
| 1.50 – 1.74 | 91 – 93.99 | A- | Very Good |
| 1.75 – 1.99 | 89 – 90.99 | B+ | Good |
| 2.00 – 2.24 | 86 – 88.99 | B | Very Satisfactory |
| 2.25 – 2.49 | 83 – 85.99 | B- | High Average |
| 2.50 – 2.74 | 80 – 82.99 | C+ | Average |
| 2.75 – 2.99 | 77 – 79.99 | C | Fair |
| 3.00 – 3.99 | 75 – 76.99 | C- | Pass |
| 4.00 – 4.99 | 70 – 74.99 | D | Conditional |
| 5 – 5 | 0 – 66.99 | F | Failing |
| DRP | Dropped | ||
| INC | Incomplete |
Tarlac State University (Engineering and Technology College) Passing Grade System
The following table shows the passing grade system of TSU and a side-by-side comparison with US grading equivalency.
| Grade | Scale | Scale 2 | Grade Description | US Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.00 – 1.24 | 96.00 – 100.00 | Excellent | A+ | |
| 1.25 – 1.49 | 94.00 – 95.99 | Superb | A | |
| 1.50 – 1.74 | 91.00 – 93.99 | Very Good | A- | |
| 1.75 – 1.99 | 89.00 – 90.99 | Good | B+ | |
| 2.00 – 2.24 | 86.00 – 88.99 | Very Satisfactory | B | |
| 2.25 – 2.49 | 83.00 – 85.99 | High Average | B- | |
| 2.50 – 2.74 | 80.00 – 82.99 | Average | C+ | |
| 2.75 – 2.99 | 77.00 – 79.99 | Fair | C | |
| 3.00 – 3.99 | 75.00 – 76.99 | Pass | C- | |
| 4.00 – 4.99 | 70.00 – 74.99 | Conditional | D | |
| 5.00 – 5.00 | 0.00 – 69.99 | Failing | F | |
| P | Passed | S | ||
| W | Withdrawal | – | ||
| INC | Incomplete | – | ||
| DRP | Dropped | – |
Polytechnical University of the Philippines Grading Point Scale
If a student receives grades below 1.75 in Doctorate and 2.5 in Master’s degree in any course then the course either has to be repeated or substituted with another course in the same discipline or area with the Dean’s approval.
However, 1.75 is the average passing score in the overall academic course for graduation purposes in a doctorate and 2.0 for a master’s degree.
The grading system for courses to be qualified is either “P” or “NC” (Pass/No Credit), with the number of units indicated in the parenthesis.
The following table shows the PUP passing grade system for the master’s degree.
| Grade | Scale | Grade Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1.00 – 1.24 | Excellent | |
| 1.25 – 1.49 | Very Good | |
| 1.50 – 1.74 | Good | |
| 1.75 – 1.99 | Satisfactory | |
| 2.00 – 2.24 | Passed | |
| Below 2.00 | Fail | |
| P | Passed | |
| W | Withdrawal | |
| INC | Incomplete | |
| DRP | Dropped |
College Grade Equivalent (Philippines)
Latin Honors (Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila), University of Santo Tomas, and Philippines, Polytechnic University
The University of Manila City uses a grading system based on a particular grading classification known as the General Weighted Average (GWA). This grading system is used to determine retention in the college. It also accounts for the student’s continuation of their enrolled courses.
Some colleges have more strict criteria for student retention based on the GWA. Thus, most colleges require you to maintain at least 2.50 GWA per semester. In contrast, some colleges follow the Pass and Fail criteria.
The following table shows the PUP passing grade system for the master’s degree.
| Honors | Grades |
| Cum Laude | >1.45 – 1.75 |
| Magna Cum Laude | >1.20 – 1.45 |
| Summa Cum Laude | 1.00 – 1.20 |
University of Manila City Retention Grading System
The passing grades at the University of Manila City are based on GWA in three levels. It starts from 1.00 being the highest score to 2.50 and below leading to a warning status. The passing grades in Philippines usually follow the General Weighted Average or GWA. However, universities have different GWA scales with varying ranges and grading systems.
| Status | GWA |
| Good standing/passing | 1.00 – 2.50 |
| Test status | Above 2.50 |
| Warning status | Below 2.50 in two consecutive semesters |
Santo Tomas University Terms Passing Grade Point System
The University of Santo Tomas follows a typical 5.00 t 1.00 score grading system with 5.00 being the lowest/fail and 1.00 as the highest grade.
| Grade | Scale | Description |
| 1.00 | 96% – 100% | Excellent |
| 1.25 -1.50 | 92% – 96% | Very Good |
| 1.75 – 2.25 | 84% – 92% | Good |
| 2.50 – 2.75 | 79% – 84% | Fair |
| 3.00 | 75% – 79% | Pass |
| 5.00 | Below 75% | Fail |
Learn about the GWA calculator Philippines
Philippines Grading Conversion Scale (letter grading)
| Scale | Description | Grading Equivalency |
| A (97-100)/1.00 | Excellent | A |
| A- (94-96)/1.50 | Very Good | A |
| B+ (91-93)/1.75 | Good | A- |
| B (88-90)/2.00 | Above Average | B+ |
| B- (85-87)/2.25 | Average | B- |
| C+ (80-84)/2.50 | Below Average but Pass | C |
| C or D (75-79)/3.00 or 3.50 | Barely Pass | D |
| D or F (0-74)/4.00 or 5.00 | Fail | F |
As shown in the table, generally grades A to D fall in the category of “Passing grade in Philippines”.
The general grading system is 0% to 100% for considering secondary education. Most of the educational institutions use passing grades ranging between 70% to 75%. But this is not the case for the Accounting and Finance Department and other such departments.
Such departments rely on 50% or 60% passing grades and if your result is below 65% for example, your transcript will mention it as low or failing.
Conclusion
Passing grade in Philippines play a vital role in your college education. These grades represent your academic success in scores as per your college standards. You need to have a good understanding of the grading system of your college so you can fulfil your course expectations. After knowing the grading system you can effectively perform in your studies and achieve good grades.
Don’t confuse the GWA with GPA. These are two different grading systems with varying scoring scales and ranges. Certain institutions have different passing grade in Philippines and you should consult their official guidelines and instructions to avoid any mistakes.
