CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average) is calculated by combining SGPA (Semester Grade Point Average) scores across all semesters. The most common method is to take a weighted average where each semester's SGPA is weighted by the number of credit hours in that semester. Calculate it by multiplying each semester's SGPA by its total credit hours, summing all these products, then dividing by the total credit hours across all semesters: CGPA = (SGPA₁ × Credits₁ + SGPA₂ × Credits₂ + ... + SGPAₙ × Creditsₙ) / (Total Credits).
For example, if a student completes two semesters with 20 credits each, scoring 3.5 SGPA in semester one and 3.8 SGPA in semester two, the CGPA would be (3.5 × 20 + 3.8 × 20) / 40 = 3.65.
Some institutions use an unweighted average if all semesters have the same credit load, simply adding all SGPAs and dividing by the number of semesters. However, the weighted method is standard because it accounts for varying course loads—a semester with more credits should have greater influence on the overall average.
Both SGPA and CGPA typically use a 4.0 scale in most universities, though some institutions use different scales like 10.0. The SGPA reflects performance in a single semester, while CGPA represents cumulative performance across the entire academic program and is usually the metric used for academic standing, scholarships, and graduation honors.