Written by Christian Chinonso
Founder, LearnViaHub | Academic Credential & International Student Research
Short answer
Nepal has no single grading system. Under Tribhuvan University’s older annual system, a first division is 60% or more, a second division 45% or more, and a distinction 75% or more. TU’s semester programs, the National Examination Board (NEB) and Kathmandu University (KU) use grade points instead: for example an NEB A+ is 4.0 for 90 to 100%, and a TU semester B+ is 3.3 for 70 to 79.9%.
We found no official Nepal-to-US GPA formula, and the same letter means different points in different Nepali systems. A US program or a credential evaluator converts your grades, so keep your transcript and grading scale together.
Last checked October 15, 2026 against university documents and official education-credential sources. Part of our GPA systems around the world guide.
TU divisions and percentages
Many Tribhuvan University programs still report an aggregate percentage and a division. The curriculum of the Bachelor of Business Studies, issued by TU’s Faculty of Management, sets these minimum aggregates (TU BBS curriculum):
| Division | Minimum aggregate |
|---|---|
| Distinction | 75% or more |
| First Division | 60% or more |
| Second Division | 45% or more |
| Third Division (pass) | 35% or more |
So a 46% falls in the second division and a 60% in the first. These are the same bands Nuffic, the Dutch credential-evaluation body, lists for results under the old Higher Secondary Education Board system (Nuffic). Faculties differ: TU’s Central Department of Geography, for example, sets a 50% pass mark for master’s courses (TU Central Department of Geography), so check your own faculty’s rule.
TU semester programs: grades and CGPA
TU master’s programs in faculties such as Management, Science and Education use a semester system with letter grades and a CGPA, introduced in 2017 according to a review by TU authors in the Innovative Research Journal. Nuffic publishes the scale TU currently uses:
| Grade | Grade point | CGPA range | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 4.0 | 4.00 | 90–100% | Distinction |
| A− | 3.7 | 3.70–3.99 | 80–89.9% | Very good |
| B+ | 3.3 | 3.30–3.69 | 70–79.9% | First division |
| B | 3.0 | 3.00–3.29 | 60–69.9% | Second division |
| B− | 2.7 | 2.70–2.99 | 50–59.9% | Pass in an individual subject |
| F | — | Below 2.70 | Below 50% | Fail |
Under this scale the pass mark in each course is 50%, and the review says a student needs a CGPA of at least 3.0 to pass the semester as a whole. Note that on this scale a first division means 70% to 79.9%, while in the annual system it means 60% or more. Which one applies depends on whether your program is annual or semester-based.
Worked example
| Course | Credits | Grade (points) | Grade points × credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Course 1 | 3 | B+ (3.3) | 9.9 |
| Course 2 | 3 | A− (3.7) | 11.1 |
| Course 3 | 4 | B (3.0) | 12.0 |
| Course 4 | 2 | A (4.0) | 8.0 |
| Total | 12 | 41.0 |
41.0 ÷ 12 = 3.42, which falls in the B+ band: 70 to 79.9%, first division on the semester scale. The courses are illustrative and show a credit-weighted average; confirm your faculty’s exact method.
NEB grades (SEE and Grades 11 and 12)
The National Examination Board issues the SEE (Grade 10) and Grade 12 certificates. For Grades 11 and 12, Nuffic lists these grades and points (Nuffic):
| Grade | Percentage | Grade point | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 90–100% | 4.0 | Outstanding |
| A | 80 to below 90% | 3.6 | Excellent |
| B+ | 70 to below 80% | 3.2 | Very good |
| B | 60 to below 70% | 2.8 | Good |
| C+ | 50 to below 60% | 2.4 | Satisfactory |
| C | 40 to below 50% | 2.0 | Acceptable |
| D | 35 to below 40% | 1.6 | Basic |
| NG | Below 35% | — | Not graded |
The SEE uses the same percentage bands, although Nuffic lists its grade points as ranges (for example 3.6 to 4.0 for A+) and calls the 35 to 40% band D+. Older NEB transcripts follow earlier rules: letter grading began with the SLC exam in 2015, and that scale listed D at 1.6 and E at 0.8 (The Himalayan Times, 2015). Before 2017, Grade 12 results were classified by division (75% distinction, 60% first, 45% second, 35% pass).
Kathmandu University
Schools at Kathmandu University set their own evaluation schemes. The School of Education’s scheme for master’s and MPhil programs uses this 4-point scale (KU School of Education):
| Grade | Grade point | Description |
|---|---|---|
| A | 4.0 | Outstanding |
| A− | 3.7 | Excellent |
| B+ | 3.3 | Very good |
| B | 3.0 | Good |
| B− | 2.7 | Satisfactory |
| C+ | 2.3 | Fair |
| F | 0 | Failure |
To graduate, a student must keep at least a 3.0 CGPA and earn C+ or above in every course. KU’s page does not publish percentage bands for these grades, so we do not show any. For credential evaluation, KU’s Examination Office says that it can send electronic copies of transcripts and degree certificates directly to WES after an online request (KU Examination Office). We could not verify a current official scale for Pokhara University, so it is not tabulated here; ask its examination office for its scale.
The same letter, different points
Do not read an A the same way across systems. Here is the grade A (or the top grade) as each source defines it:
| System | Letter | Grade point | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEB Grades 11–12 | A | 3.6 | 80 to below 90% |
| TU semester programs | A | 4.0 | 90–100% |
| KU School of Education (master’s) | A | 4.0 | Not published |
| James Madison University (US) | A | 4.00 | Set by the school |
The NEB’s top grade is A+ at 4.0, while its A is worth 3.6. A US program or evaluator will therefore look at your marks and scale, not only the letter. The US figure is from James Madison University’s published scale.
Reading a CGPA as a percentage in Nepal
There is no single formula. On TU’s semester scale, a CGPA tells you which percentage band you are in, not an exact percentage:
- 3.75 sits in the 3.70 to 3.99 band, which is 80 to 89.9%.
- 3.50 sits in the 3.30 to 3.69 band, which is 70 to 79.9%, a first division.
- 3.30 is the bottom of that same band, so 70% at the lowest.
- 2.6 is below 2.70 on this scale, which corresponds to below 50%, a fail in a single subject.
For the NEB the bands are in the table above. Because the bands overlap different systems, tell the reader or the program which scale your number comes from.
Converting Nepali grades to a US GPA
We found no official Nepal-to-US conversion formula. A US program or a credential evaluator converts your record. A Course-by-Course report from WES includes U.S. credits, grades and a 4.0 GPA, while a Document-by-Document report does not, and WES says the GPA reflects the grading practices of the country where you studied (WES Advisor). See our WES guide for fees and timing, and our U.S. GPA guide for how US schools calculate GPA.
- Report your grades as the transcript shows them and include the grading scale unless the application asks for a US-equivalent GPA.
- Do not rely on a table that is labelled as WES’s or as “commonly used” without a source; the only reliable figure is the one your evaluator or program gives you.
- For authenticated copies, Nepal has not ratified the Hague Apostille Convention, so Nepali documents are legalised through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs rather than apostilled (Belgian FPS Foreign Affairs).
FAQs
What percentage is first division in Nepal?
In TU’s annual system a first division is 60% or more, a second division 45% or more and a distinction 75% or more. On TU’s semester scale, a first division corresponds to B+, which is 70 to 79.9% (CGPA 3.30 to 3.69).
What percentage is second division in Nepal?
In TU’s annual system a second division starts at 45%, so a 46% is a second division. On the semester scale, second division is B, 60 to 69.9% (CGPA 3.00 to 3.29).
What is CGPA in Nepal?
CGPA is the cumulative grade point average: your grade points averaged across all courses, weighted by credits. TU, KU and other universities report it on their own scales.
What is distinction in Nepal?
In TU’s annual system, distinction is 75% or more. On TU’s semester scale it is an A, 4.0, for 90 to 100%.
What is the pass mark in Nepal?
It depends on the system: 35% (grade D, 1.6) at NEB, 35% in TU’s annual BBS curriculum, and 50% per course in TU’s semester master’s programs. KU’s School of Education requires C+ or above in every course.
Is there an official Nepal to US GPA conversion?
We found none. A US program or a credential evaluator converts your grades, and the result can differ between them.
Does Nepal use a 10-point CGPA scale?
We could not verify a 10-point CGPA scale at any Nepali university or board. The systems documented here use 4-point grade points or percentages.
How we researched this
Grading scales and rules were read from the sources below and compared. Last checked: October 15, 2026.
- TU Bachelor of Business Studies curriculum and TU Central Department of Geography
- Nuffic, Nepal grades and study results
- Review of the master’s assessment system at TU (Innovative Research Journal, 2025)
- KU School of Education evaluation scheme and KU Examination Office
- The Himalayan Times on letter grading in the SLC
- Belgian FPS Foreign Affairs on legalisation
- WES evaluations, WES on evaluation GPA and James Madison University
Nepali universities and faculties differ, and some publish scales only in Nepali or on their examination pages. Where we could not verify a scale (Pokhara University and any 10-point scale), we say so rather than guess. The TU semester scale is the one Nuffic lists as currently used, and it matches the review article, but a faculty can vary.
Christian Chinonso is the founder of LearnViaHub, with 6+ years of research experience in international education — including GPA systems, scholarships, student financing, and study-abroad guidance — for students worldwide.