Students often use "GPA" and "CGPA" interchangeably, but they measure slightly different things. Knowing the distinction matters when you're applying for scholarships, transferring credits, or simply trying to track your own academic progress.
GPA, or Grade Point Average, measures your academic performance over a single term — typically one semester. It's calculated by converting each course grade into a point value (for example, A = 4.0, B = 3.0), multiplying by the credit hours of that course, and dividing the total by the number of credit hours attempted that term.
CGPA, or Cumulative Grade Point Average, measures your academic performance across all semesters or terms completed so far — essentially, it's the running average of every GPA you've earned since you started your program. This is the number most universities look at when evaluating overall academic standing for graduation, honors, or further studies.
Because CGPA is cumulative, one weak semester has less impact on it than it would on that semester's individual GPA — the effect gets diluted as more semesters are added.
Scholarship committees, employers, and graduate programs often ask specifically for CGPA because it reflects consistency over time rather than a single term's performance. Knowing both numbers helps you understand not just how you did recently, but how you're trending overall.
Calvo includes a built-in GPA/CGPA calculator so you can work out both numbers in seconds without doing the arithmetic by hand.