University of Kentucky GPA Calculator

Looking for British grades? This page is for the University of Kentucky (UK) in Lexington. To convert United Kingdom degree classes or percentages, use the UK (British) GPA calculator.

UK's Grade Scale: A to E, Usually Without Plus or Minus

The University of Kentucky grades most undergraduate courses on a straight five-letter scale, and its failing grade is an E, not an F:

Because there are no pluses or minuses, a B is a 3.0 whether the course average was 80 or 89, and every grade is a whole number. The registrar notes that plus/minus grading applies only in a few programs, such as Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Law. The calculator above uses the standard A–E scale.

How to Calculate a UK GPA

UK divides quality points by quality hours attempted, leaving out pass/fail courses.

Example semester: a 4-hour biology course with an A (16 points), a 3-hour math course with a B (9), a 3-hour UK Core course with an A (12), a 3-hour English course with a B (9) and a 3-hour elective taken pass/fail. The pass/fail course drops out, leaving 46 points ÷ 13 quality hours = 3.54.

That example also shows a Dean's List trap: 16 hours were taken, but only 13 were letter-graded.

The Repeat Option: Four Courses, Second Grade Counts

UK lets undergraduates erase a first attempt, within limits:

• You can apply the repeat option to 4 different courses during your whole undergraduate career.
• When it is applied, the second attempt's grade counts and the first attempt no longer applies to your GPA.
• It is processed only if the second grade is higher than the first.
• Both attempts must be completed at UK. The option cannot be used for AP, IB or CLEP credit, or for credit counted toward an earlier degree.
• A letter-graded course cannot be replaced by a pass/fail attempt, though a pass/fail course can be replaced by a letter-graded one.
• It is a request, and it must be submitted before the end of the term in which you graduate.

With only four available, save them for low grades in courses with many credit hours, where a replacement moves the GPA most. Try the change in the calculator by entering only the new grade.

Dean's List

Each UK college publishes its own Dean's List, so the threshold depends on your college. The College of Education, for example, requires a semester GPA of 3.5 or higher while enrolled in 12 or more credit hours for a letter grade. Pass/fail hours do not count toward the 12, so check both the GPA and your letter-graded hours.

Academic Probation and Suspension

UK's undergraduate probation rules look at more than your cumulative GPA. You can be placed on academic probation when:

• your cumulative GPA falls below 2.0; or
• you have two consecutive UK terms with a term GPA below 2.0, even if your cumulative GPA is above 2.0.

You can be suspended if you:

• fail to earn a 2.0 term GPA in any term while on probation;
• have three consecutive UK terms with a cumulative GPA below 2.0; or
• finish your first term below a 0.6 GPA on at least 9 hours of A–E grades.

The rule about two terms in a row catches students who assume a healthy cumulative GPA keeps them safe. Use the calculator's term GPA as well as the cumulative figure.

Academic Bankruptcy

Students readmitted after an interruption of two years or more who then complete at least a semester, or 12 hours, with a GPA of 2.0 or better can declare academic bankruptcy. Earlier UK coursework then no longer counts toward graduation or the GPA. It can be used only once, so ask your college's advising office about the details before applying.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources: University of Kentucky Registrar, GPA Calculator and Repeat Option; UK College of Education, Academic Policies. Policies change, so check the current Senate Rules. This site is independent and not affiliated with the University of Kentucky.