Grading Policy

The UW uses a numerical grading system. At the undergraduate level, instructors may report grades from 4.0 to 0.7 in 0.1 increments and the grade 0.0. The grade 0.0 is assigned for failing work or if a student does not officially withdraw. Grades in the range 0.6 to 0.1 may not be assigned. Grades reported in this range will be converted by the Office of the Registrar to 0.0.

Numerical grades may be considered equivalent to letter grades as follows:

At the graduate level, instructors may report grades from 4.0 to 1.7 in 0.1 increments. Grades below 1.7 are recorded as 0.0 by the Registrar and do not count toward residency, total credit count, or grade and credit requirements. A minimum grade of 2.7 is required in each graded course that is counted toward a graduate degree. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required for graduation.

Policy about the amount of graded and non-graded coursework that may apply towards graduate degree requirements is contained in Memo 46: Graduate Degree Requirements.

Correspondence between number grades and letter grades is as follows:

 For more information, please review Memo 19: Grading System for Graduate Students.

The following letter grades may also be used:

X Grades

An instructor may submit a grade of "X" for a student if the student's grade is not available when grades for the classes are submitted. The student does not receive credit for the course until a passing grade is turned in. In addition, if an instructor has not turned in any grade by the time grade reports are printed or at any time after, an "X" will be recorded until the grade is submitted. The GPA is not affected and no credit is granted. 

Incomplete Grades

The University of Washington faculty voted to approve changes to the Scholastic Regulations Chapter 110 Grades, Honors, and Scholarship, Section 1) A) 3) The Grade I in Spring 2024. The changes will go into effect with Incomplete grades assigned for eligible students per the Scholastic Regulations beginning with grading in Autumn 2024. Incomplete grades assigned in Autumn 2024, if not replaced by grades after the grading deadline for Winter 2025, will default to a 0.0 or the grade in progress, and the Incomplete grade will no longer appear on the unofficial and official transcript.

Instructors may grant an incomplete grade if the student has done satisfactory work to within three weeks of the last day of the quarter and if circumstances prevent the student from completing the remaining work for the course by the end of the quarter. Instructors are never obligated to grant a student’s request for an Incomplete. Instructors will use the designated process for students to request and for instructors to approve the awarding of an Incomplete grade.

To obtain credit for a course a grade must be submitted by the instructor of the course by the grading deadline per the Academic Calendar for the next subsequent quarter. For Spring quarter, the subsequent quarter is considered to be the Fall Quarter. This submission is done through the established late grade submission process. The submitted grade will replace the “I” on the transcript. If no grade is submitted the Incomplete will convert to a grade of 0.0 and the “I” will be removed from the official transcript. If a default grade was submitted by the instructor this grade will replace the “I” on the transcript. Courses taken CR/NC will change to a NC.

In no case shall an Incomplete on the record at the time a degree is granted be subsequently changed to any other grade. The grade I shall count neither for registered hours nor in computation of grade-point averages.

Instructors, on behalf of the student, may request an extension for one additional quarter beyond the original grading quarter utilizing the established extension request process.

Credit/No Credit-Only as a Course Option

With appropriate departmental review and approval, a course may be offered on a credit/no credit-only basis. The standard for granting credit in credit/no credit-only courses under this option is the demonstration of competence in the material of the course to the instructor's satisfaction. Grading should be consistent with the University's policy for numerically graded courses, in which students receive credit for grades of 0.7 or greater. Students demonstrating such competence shall have CR entered on the transcript; those who do not shall have NC entered on the transcript. Although CR and NC grades are entered on the transcript, they are not used in the computation of the grade-point average.

Satisfactory/Not-Satisfactory Grading Option

Students may elect to take certain courses on a satisfactory/not satisfactory (S/NS) basis.

When registering through Personal Services on MyUW, select the Grade Option box to select S/NS grading option. The S/NS grade option can be elected through the day shown on the academic calendar for the current quarter. A $20 fee is charged beginning the eighth calendar day of the quarter.

Students may only register for up to 20 credits of S/NS through Personal Services on MyUW. An additional 5 credits of S/NS graded coursework may be requested with approval of the Office of the Registrar. The student may request by emailing reguwt@uw.edu and including their academic advisor.

As an undergraduate, a course in which an S is earned may not be used to satisfy any department, college, or University requirement, except that the credits may be applied to the minimum of 180 credits required for graduation. Each instructor will report numerical grades to the Registrar, who will convert satisfactory grades (2.0 or greater) to S, and unsatisfactory grades (less than 2.0) to NS for the student's transcript. No more than 25 S/NS credits may apply toward an undergraduate degree.

Graduate students who earn grades of 2.7 or above will receive a grade of S while 2.6 or below are recorded as NS. With the approval of the graduate program advisor or the Supervisory Committee Chairperson, students may elect to take any course for which they are eligible outside of their major academic unit on an S/NS basis.

In cases of withdrawal, the W is recorded. Neither S nor NS is included in the grade-point average.

For Spring 2020, Summer 2020, Autumn 2020, Winter 2021, Spring 2021, Summer 2021 and Winter 2022 Grading Options, review the announcement for Extraordinary Circumstances Late Grading Option Change Request.

The University's cumulative GPA is based solely on courses taken in residence at the UW; this includes some, but not all, courses taken through UW Extension. The UW transcript also reflects grades for UW Extension course work that is not residence credit, and the grades for credit by examination. These latter grades do not affect the University cumulative GPA.

Computation of GPA

The GPA for graduation is computed by dividing the total cumulative grade points by the total graded credits attempted for courses taken in residence at the University. Grade points are calculated by multiplying the number of credits by the numeric value of the grade for each course. The sum of the grade points is then divided by the total graded credits attempted.

Courses elected on an S/NS basis are counted as follows: Satisfactory grades are printed on the permanent record as an S and do not count in the quarterly or cumulative GPA, but they do count as credits earned toward graduation. Not-satisfactory grades, NS, do not count in the quarterly and cumulative GPA and do not count as credits earned toward graduation.

Examples of how to calculate your GPA:

Repeating Courses

Undergraduates

With the approval of the academic department offering the course, an undergraduate may repeat a course once. Both the original grade and the second grade are computed in the GPA but credit is allowed only once. Veterans receiving benefits should contact the Veteran & Military Resource Center before a course is repeated.

Graduates

Graduate students may repeat any course. Both the original grade and the second grade are computed in the GPA. Subsequent grades will not be included, but will appear on the permanent record. The number of credits earned in the course will apply toward degree requirements only once. Veterans receiving benefits should contact the Veteran & Military Resource Center before a course is repeated.

Review Registration Policies & Procedures for additional information about repeating courses.

Change of Grade

Except in case of error, no instructor may change a grade that they have turned in to the Registrar. Grades cannot be changed after a degree has been granted.

Grade Appeal Procedure

A student who believes that the instructor erred in the assignment of a grade, or who believe a grade recording error or omission has occurred, shall first discuss the matter with the instructor before the end of the following academic quarter (not including summer quarter).

• If the student is not satisfied with the instructor's explanation, the student, no later than ten days after their discussion with the instructor, may submit a written appeal to dean or director of the department that offered the course, with a copy of the appeal also sent to the instructor. Within ten calendar days, the dean or director will consult with the instructor to ensure that the evaluation of student's performance was fair and reasonable or whether the instructor's conduct in assigning the grade was arbitrary or capricious. Should the dean or director believe the instructor's conduct to be arbitrary or capricious and the instructor declines to revise the grade, the dean or director, with the approval of the voting members of their faculty, shall appoint an appropriate member, or members, of the faculty of that department to evaluate the performance of the student and assign a grade. The Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and the Provost will be informed of this action.

Once a student submits a written appeal, this document and all subsequent actions on this appeal are recorded in written form for deposit in a department, school or college file.

Additional information on grade appeals can be found in UW Student Governance and Policies under Change of Grade - Written Appeal of Grade Error.

Grade Reports

Grades are not mailed. You may display and print a grade report through MyUW.