All faculties use numeric grades on a scale from 0 to 100. Any grade between 0 and 32 is treated as having a value of 32 when averages for promotions and awards are calculated.
Averages are reported in all faculties as percentages.
Grades for all courses taken before fall 2001 appear either as one of 15 letter grades from A+ through F- or as numeric grades from 0 to 100. The following conversion scale applies for Waterloo courses taken before fall 2001 and Wilfrid Laurier University courses with a letter grade. "Average Calculation Values" are used for calculating averages for students with letter grades on their records.
| Assigned Letter Grades |
Percentage Values |
Average Calculation Values |
| A+ |
90-100 |
95 |
| A |
85-89 |
89 |
| A- |
80-84 |
83 |
| B+ |
77-79 |
78 |
| B |
73-76 |
75 |
| B- |
70-72 |
72 |
| C+ |
67-69 |
68 |
| C |
63-66 |
65 |
| C- |
60-62 |
62 |
| D+ |
57-59 |
58 |
| D |
53-56 |
55 |
| D- |
50-52 |
52 |
| F+ |
42-49 |
46 |
| F |
35-41 |
38 |
| F- |
0-34 |
32 |
Non-Numeric Grades
| Grade |
Description |
| AEG |
Aegrotat: Credit granted due to illness or extenuating circumstances. More than 50% of the course work must have been completed with a passing grade.
|
| AUD |
Audit: Student enrolled in the course but no credit granted. Note: An AUD grade will not be recognized or recorded for students enrolled in the following faculties:
- Engineering
- Mathematics (except post-degree students)
- Science
|
| CR |
Credit: Credit granted for the course but not included in any average calculation.
|
| DNW |
Did Not Write Examination: A course grade of INC or NMR not appropriate. No credit granted. The Average Calculation Value is 32.
|
| FTC |
Failure to Complete: Course requirements not complete. No credit granted. The Average Calculation Value is 32. |
| INC |
Incomplete Course: Course requirements not complete. INC should only be assigned when an instructor approves the completion of outstanding course element(s) after final grades have been submitted.
All assessment components for a course are to be completed during the term in which the course is taken. In exceptional circumstances, an instructor may grant a student an extension for specific outstanding course element(s), given credible documentation has been submitted by the student1. The instructor will determine completion dates for outstanding course element(s) within a maximum lapse period of one year from when grades become official for the term in which the course was offered. The earned grade, the course element(s) to be completed, and the due date are documented on the INC grade form. A grade of INC will remain until the outstanding course element(s) have been graded or the lapse period has expired.
When the lapse period has expired, the INC reverts to the:
- earned grade, based on all completed course element(s), OR
- if the course outline specified that the missing coursework was required to pass the course, the lesser of: the earned grade or 4% less than the passing grade.
Students intending to graduate must resolve any INC grades by completing the outstanding requirements or accepting the earned grade.
1 If the circumstance is related to a documented disability, students are encouraged to connect with AccessAbility Services should they wish to preserve the privacy of documentation.
|
| IP |
In Progress: Course requirements not complete. No grade has been assigned and no credit granted at this time. The course is in progress as a result of the course design or delivery rather than the student's performance. A final grade replaces the IP grade(s) when the coursework has been completed. Students intending to graduate must resolve any IP grades by completing the course or accepting an FTC grade.
|
| MM |
Missing Mark: No credit granted and not included in any average calculation.
|
| NCR |
No Credit: Treated as a failed course. Not included in any average calculation.
|
| NG |
No Grade: Course in progress and cannot be dropped by the student.
|
| NMR |
No Mark Reported: The student did not attend classes and no term work was submitted. No credit granted and the Average Calculation Value is 32.
|
| UR |
Under Review: Grade under review or disciplinary proceedings underway, with a decision pending. No credit granted.
Normally, where disciplinary penalties are being considered or have been imposed for an academic offense committed in a course, a student may not drop that course. The UR grade will be replaced by the final course grade.
|
| WD |
Withdrew: Course dropped after the third week of classes and before the WF period. No credit granted.
|
| WF |
Withdrew/Failure: Course dropped after the tenth week of classes. No credit granted and Average Calculation Value is 32.
|
Changes to Official Grades on a Student's Record
Official grades are released to students each term in accordance with the Calendar of Events and Academic Guidelines. A change to an official grade can result from one of the following circumstances:
- Instructors may change a grade in response to a student's completion of coursework as defined in an INC agreement or request for reassessment of submitted coursework. Grade changes of this nature must be submitted by instructors within one year of the grade becoming official, in accordance with the Document Retention Schedule for Examination Papers and Course Assignments.
- After the one-year period, official grades may only be changed as the result of policy-related processes, such as student petitions or challenges (Policy 70), student discipline decisions (Policy 71), and/or student appeals (Policy 72).
Grade changes will be automatically reflected in the calculation of a student's cumulative and term averages. Normally, grade changes affect academic standing and other plan averages (e.g., major average) in future academic terms. Grade changes may impact student tuition fees, financial aid eligibility, and subsequent studies. Academic advice will be provided based on the existing record.