UW–Madison students will take most courses on an A-F grading basis with additional grading bases such as credit/no credit, pass/fail and audit described in more detail below.
Instructors report final grades at the end of each fall, spring, and summer semester, and both the term and cumulative GPA can viewed on unofficial and official transcripts.
The syllabus for each course will outline the relationship between quality of work and final course grade and students with questions about their grade or status in a particular course are encouraged to connect with their instructor.
Grades and GPA
Semester grades are reported by letters only; plus and minus signs are not used.
The general quality of a student’s work is expressed in terms of a grade point average (GPA). The GPA is based on the total number of credits taken in which grades of A through F are received. The highest possible GPA is 4.0, representing A grades in every course; the lowest possible is 0.0. Undergraduate and Graduate students will have a GPA for each term and a cumulative (overall) GPA.
The UW–Madison GPA is based solely upon credits earned or attempted at UW–Madison. Grades for transfer coursework and credits earned by exam do not carry grade points and are not factored into the GPA. They are listed on the UW-Madison transcript with a grade of “T”.
- Undergraduate students: Additional information about UW–Madison grading scale and policies related to Pass/Fail, Audit, Failures, and Incomplete Grades can be found in the Undergraduate Guide.
- Graduate students: Additional information about UW–Madison grading scale and policies related to Pass/Fail, Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory, Failures, Progress, and Incomplete Grades can be found under the Grades category of the Graduate School’s Academic Policies and Procedures.
- Law students: The Law School has its own grading scale.
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Grades in Canvas
Although you may see a grade in Canvas for one or more courses, it is not considered an official grade until your instructor has submitted the grade to the Office of the Registrar and it appears in the MyUW Student Center or transcript.
Grade Changes
A change of grade at UW-Madison is allowed only if there has been a clerical error made by the instructor in calculating or reporting the student’s grade. If a student believes a clerical error has been made in the awarding of the final grade for a course, the student should first meet with the instructor of the course to determine whether such an error has occurred. Once an instructor formally submits a grade change request, it will be routed to the student’s Academic Dean’s Office for review. Grade changes will be routed to the Office of the Registrar (from the Academic Dean’s Office) for review and/or final processing.
Once a grade change is approved and processed, a history of the grade change will appear at the bottom of the unofficial transcript in the “Memoranda” section, but will not print on the official transcript.
Midterm Grades
True first-year students* can receive temporary midterm (week 6) grades, to help them track their academic progress, usually over their first two terms at UW–Madison.
These grades are not recorded on the official transcript, and in fact are only visible to students in Student Center for about ten days, ending on the last day on which they are allowed to drop a course.
Students who feel a midterm grade isn’t meeting their expectations are encouraged to work with their instructor, their advisor, and also the designated academic dean in their school or college. The goal is to help students explore the range of support on this campus, leading either to solutions that improve their studies or to a guided plan to drop the course before the last course-drop day.
[* “First year” generally means students for their first (and sometimes second) semester/term at any college or university. Transfer students are not considered to be first-year students, even if it’s their first semester at UW–Madison. Because first-time students can receive credits for study completed before enrolling at UW–Madison, a first-year student could have sophomore or junior standing in terms of the credits.]
Academic Standing
Undergraduate students must maintain the minimum academic thresholds, including the minimum grade point average specified by the school, college, or academic program to remain in good academic standing. Students whose academic performance drops below these minimum thresholds will be placed on academic probation. Thresholds for “scholastic actions” like probation vary by school/college. Students are encouraged to view academic standing policies for their school/college in Guide. In most cases, this information can be located in the “Policies and Regulations” section of the Guide for the appropriate school/college by clicking on the “Schools and Colleges” tile, selecting the appropriate school or college, and then the “Policies and Regulations” tile.
Repeatable Courses
Undergraduates may repeat any course, with all grades (A through F) and their associated grade points included in the grade point average, but with credits counted only once for any other purpose. Students should consult their dean’s office for any additional requirements.
Students may enroll courses on a refresher basis if they wish to repeat a course for which they have college credit. Courses taken on a refresher basis do not count for degree credit a second time. Graduate students should see Graduate Academic Guidelines for information on repeating courses.
Viewing Grades
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Final Grades
Grades are posted to the student record by the end of each term’s grading deadline. Students can view their official grades in the following places:
- MyUW > Student Center > Academic Records > View Grades
- MyUW > Student Center > Academic Records > View Unofficial Transcript
After grades are submitted by an instructor, overnight processing is involved before the grades are posted to a student’s record. Students who are interested in checking grades near the end of the term need only check once per day for newly updated/visible grades.
Midterm Grades
When applicable, midterm grades for first-year students will be visible for a short period of time in MyUW > Student Center > Academic Records > View Grades.
Midterm grades are typically visible during the 8th and 9th week of each fall and spring semester to help first-year students assess their academic progress.
Grade-related Honors
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Dean's List
Undergraduate students with a minimum of 12 graded credits in a semester may receive the semester honor of Dean’s List based on the grades earned that semester. Each school or college sets the semester grade-point average requirements to receive an honor, the name of which varies by school/college. The Dean’s List is established at the end of each fall and spring semester after the final grading deadline. At that time, the Dean’s List designation will appear on a student’s transcript for the relevant semester.
UW–Madison’s Dean’s List is updated about a month after the end of the final-exam grading period for the Fall and Spring semesters. This timing allows for grade reporting, grade changes, the clearing of Incompletes, and other end-of-semester actions.
Additional information about Dean’s List criteria by school or college can be found via links provided on the Dean’s List webpage.
Graduation Honors
Distinctive Scholastic Achievement (Commencement Honor)
Undergraduate students expecting to graduate with at least 60 residence credits completed or in progress whose cumulative grade point average places them in the top 20% of their graduating class are invited to wear the honors stole at the Commencement ceremony. Eligible students will be notified by their Academic Dean’s Office during the month before the Commencement ceremony.
Students who are declared in a UW–Madison Honors program will also be invited to wear the honors stole at Commencement via this same notification process.
Graduating with Distinction (After Degree is Awarded)
Undergraduate degree recipients with at least 60 residence credits completed whose cumulative grade point average places them in the top 20% of their graduating class will have “Graduated with Distinction” (GWD) posted to their academic records.
Students in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, the School of Human Ecology, and the School of Pharmacy who meet the criteria for GWD and rank in the top 5% of their graduating class have “Graduated with Highest Distinction” (GWHD) posted to their academic records.
Calculations for GWD and GWHD are run approximately 45 days after the end of each semester. Once awarded, the notation will appear in the “Degrees Awarded” section of the transcript. Some school/college academic deans offices will notify graduates in their school/college who have received this honor.
Grading FAQs
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Where do I view my grades?
Students can view their official grades in the following places:
- MyUW > Student Center > Academic Records > View Grades
- MyUW > Student Center > Academic Records > View Unofficial Transcript
Please note: Grades listed in Canvas are not your final grades.
When will my final grades be available?
Final grades are due three days (72 hours) after the last final exam day. It is possible for class with a final exam scheduled on the last three days of finals week to have a three-day extension.
To review the grading deadline by term, see Grading Dates.
Final grades will be available the day after the instructor submitted the grades.
When will my final grades appear on my transcript?
Final grades are due three days (72 hours) after the last final exam day. It is possible for a class with a final exam scheduled on the last three days of finals week to have a three-day extension.
To review the grading deadline by term, see Grading Dates.
Final grades will be available the day after the instructor submitted the grades.
What if I received an grade of NR?
Please contact your instructor. They might need to submit a grade change or further discuss the grade with you.
What if I received a grade of Incomplete?
An Incomplete (I) is a temporary grade used when work is not completed during a term. If you haven’t already discussed next steps with your instructor, you are encouraged to do so.
What is the grading scale for the university?
A 4.000 grading system.
The Law School has its own grading scale.
Where do I find my Cumulative Grade Point Average?
Students can view their Cumulative Grade Point Average in the following places:
- MyUW > Student Center > Academic Records > View Grades
- MyUW > Student Center > Academic Records > View Unofficial Transcript
How do I calculate my major Grade Point Average?
Students occasionally have interest in knowing their major GPA. Although this varies by school/college, some undergraduate students have a section on their DARS report that displays major GPA. Because it can vary by school/college, students are encouraged to this with their advisors and/or Academic Dean’s offices. Alternatively, students can use a GPA Calculator, enter grade and credit information for major courses, and calculate their major GPA.
How/where to tell if my request to take a class on pass/fail or audit basis was approved?
Go to MyUW > Student Center > Academic Records > View Grades and select the relevant term.
When a request to take a class on a pass/fail or audit basis was approved and processed, the default “Graded” listing on the Grading column will be replaced with Pass/Fail or Audit.
Exact timing will vary. If you have any questions about the expected processing time, please contact your Academic Dean’s Office.
How do I qualify for the Dean's List?
Undergraduate students with a minimum of 12 graded credits in a semester may receive the semester honor of Dean’s List based on the grades earned that semester. Each school or college sets the semester grade-point average requirements to receive an honor, the name of which varies by school/college.
Additional information about Dean’s List criteria by school or college can be found via links provided on the Dean’s List webpage.
Where and when will I see my midterm grades?
When applicable, midterm grades for first-year students will be visible for a short period of time in MyUW > Student Center > Academic Records > View Grades.
Midterm grades are typically visible during the 8th and 9th week of each fall and spring semester to help first-year students assess their academic progress.
My instructor submitted a grade change for me, when will the grade be updated?
Once an instructor formally submits a grade change request, it will be routed to the student’s Academic Dean’s Office for review. Some grade changes need an additional level of review and will be routed to the Office of the Registrar (from the Academic Dean’s Office) for final processing.
Exact timing will therefore vary. If you have any questions about the expected processing time, please contact your Academic Dean’s Office.
What is the correlation between graded course work and my final grades?
Final grade calculations are course specific. The course syllabus must provide linkage between the relative graded course work and final grades calculations. You may also contact the course instructor for additional information.
How can I get a grade changed?
Instructors must initiate all grade changes. Once an instructor has completed their part of the grade change, the student’s Academic Dean’s Office must approve.
Final Exams
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What if I have multiple final exams scheduled in a short time frame?
Students are encouraged to take note of their final exam schedule while selecting classes. Students with more than two final exams scheduled in 24 hours should connect with instructors at the beginning of the semester to see if options exist for a rescheduled final exam.
Please note that the policy says an instructor may reschedule a final exam. It does not say they must reschedule a final exam.
“Where a student has more than two summary blocks scheduled within a period of 24 hours, the instructor may, within guidelines adopted by the college or school faculty, reschedule a final exam to avoid hardship. Rescheduled summary blocks shall be of the same general nature and quality as the activities of the regular two-hour summary block.”
Where can I find my final exam schedule?
Students can view their final exam schedule in the MyUW > Course Schedule app or in Course Search & Enroll. Illustrated instructions are available.
Do all courses have final exams scheduled?
No, not all courses have exams scheduled.
When browsing Course Search & Enroll look for the final exam date and time for each course. If you don’t see an exam listed, the course will not hold a final exam during final exam week.
What if there is no location listed on my final exam schedule?
Classroom locations for final exams will be visible in the final exam schedule approximately four weeks before the start of final exams.
If that information is missing four weeks before the start of final exams, please contact the instructor or department giving the exam to determine the location.
When are final exams for summer courses?
Final exams are held at the last class meeting unless otherwise announced by the instructor.
Summer mid-session exams are typically held during the scheduled class period.
Midterm Exams
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Do all courses have midterm exams?
No, not all courses have midterms exams. If a midterm exam is scheduled, it will be listed in the course syllabus.
What if I have multiple midterm exams scheduled in a short time frame?
Please review your courses’ syllabi to make sure there are no conflicts and work with your instructors if you have multiple exam scheduled in a short time frame.
What if I have an evening midterm exam that conflicts with an evening course?
It is the instructor’s responsibility to assure that all students with conflicts between daytime courses with evening exams and evening courses are treated fairly and without penalty.
If a scheduling conflict exists between the evening exam of a daytime course and a regularly scheduled evening course, then the evening course takes precedence over the exam.