The semester hour is the unit on which credit is computed. It represents one 50-minute class exercise per week per semester. To obtain credit, a student must be properly registered and must pay fees for the course.
Ordinarily a grade of "A+," "A," "A-," "B+," " B," "B-," "C+," "C," "D," or "E" is given upon completion of a course, unless another grading option such as "audit" or "pass/fail" is indicated at the time of registration.Grading options cannot be changed after the close of the add period.
The instructor of a course has full discretion in selecting which grades to use and report from the available grading options on the grade roster.
Fall 2004 and After1
Grade
Undergraduate Definition
Graduate Definition
1 Although the plus/minus scale includes a grade of A+ with a value of 4.33, the cumulative GPA is capped at 4.00. Questions about the grade scales may be referred to the University Registrar Services at registrar@asu.edu. For grading scales prior to fall 2004 click here.
2 Effective fall 2016 and later.
3 Effective fall 2019 and later.
4 Not applicable for graduate classes.
Law Grading
Fall 2009 and after
Fall 2009 and after
Additional Grades
4 Effective fall 2016 and later.
5 Effective fall 2019 and later.
For grading scales prior to fall 2009, click here.
A mark of "I" (incomplete) is given by the instructor when you are otherwise doing acceptable work but are unable to complete the course because of illness or other conditions beyond your control. You are required to arrange with the instructor for the completion of the course requirements. The arrangement is recorded on the Request for Grade of Incomplete form. Do not re-register or pay fees to complete the course. The completion date is determined by the instructor but may not exceed one calendar year from the date the mark of “I” is recorded. When you complete the course, the instructor must submit an online grade change request. If you receive an "I" in an undergraduate course in the fall 1983 or thereafter, your grade will be automatically changed to a failing grade "E" if you do not complete the course within one calendar year. If you receive an "I" in a graduate course (500-level or above) your "I" grade will become a permanent part of your transcript if you do not complete the course within one year, and you will have to reregister and pay fees to repeat the course for credit. Marks of "I" are changed to a grade of "E" (0.00) for purposes of evaluating graduation requirements for undergraduate students.
The "NR" grade simply means that a grade has not yet been reported. Once final grade processing takes place for the semester, most classes will have an actual grade posted instead of the "NR". If an "NR" grade appears for a course in a prior semester, you should contact the instructor of the course to find out why a final grade was not recorded.
The "P" grading option is used to indicate a passing grade in a class when an individual student receives permission from both the class instructor and his/her college or school. For further information about this grading option, contact your advisor. If you earn a "P" grade, you will earn hours, but the grade is not used for computing your GPA.
A "P" grade should only be assigned when an individual student receives permission to take a course as pass/fail. Permission is recorded on the Pass/Fail Enrollment form. If the course only awards pass/fail grades, the "Y" grade should be utilized to indicate successful completion of the course.
If you withdraw from a class after the first week of school, you will receive a mark of "W" on your transcript. You earn no credit or grade for withdrawn classes.
A student may choose to audit a course, in which case the student attends regularly scheduled class sessions, but no credit is earned. The student should obtain the instructor's approval before registering and paying the fees for the course. Selected courses may not be audited. Veteran students using education benefits should see Veterans Services.
The mark of "X" is recorded for completion of an audited course unless the instructor determines that the student's participation or attendance has been inadequate, in which case the mark of "W" (withdrawal) may be recorded. This grading option may not be changed after the close of the add period. The "X" is not included in earned hours and is not computed in the GPA.
The "Y" grade is generally used as a grade for successfully completed internships, projects, readings and conference, research, seminars, theses, dissertations, and workshops. You earn hours for a "Y" grade, but the grade is not used for computing your GPA.
The "Z" grade is typically used for courses where work will not be completed within one semester's time, such as research, thesis, and dissertation. Once coursework is complete, your instructor will submit a grade change to assign an appropriate grade. Some courses, such as continued registration, do not earn credit and the "Z" grade will remain on your transcript.
The grade of "EN" denotes failure due to the student never participating in a course and is treated the same as an "E" for the purposes of GPA, course repeatability, and academic standing determination. The "EN" grade assists ASU in determining a student's financial aid eligibility. For federal aid purposes, we must determine if a student participated in all courses for which they received federal aid. When a student does not participate, the financial aid office must recalculate the student's eligibility. A grade of "EN" will display on the student's transcript beginning fall 2016. Please review the "Grades and Grade Selection" section of the Grade Posting FAQs page for more information about the "EN" grade.
The grade of "EU" should be used to indicate that a student never officially withdrew from the course, but failed to participate in course activities through the end of the course. The EU grade should be used when, in the opinion of the instructor, the student's completed assignments, course activities or both were insufficient to make normal evaluation of academic performance possible because the student stopped participating in the course. This grade distinction is critical to federal financial aid administration. A grade of "EU" will display on the student's transcript beginning fall 2019. Please review the "Grades and Grade Selection" section of the Grade Posting FAQs page for more information about the "EU" grade.
The grade of "XE" denotes failure due to academic dishonesty and is treated the same as an "E" for the purposes of GPA, course repeatability, and academic standing determination. A student may not avoid any penalty for academic dishonesty by withdrawing from a course. A student may be reinstated to a course to receive a penalty of a reduced or failing grade or XE. The grade of XE may only be assigned in accordance with ASU's Student Academic Integrity Policy, and not as part of the normal end of the semester grading process.