Records of academic achievement are maintained by the University in terms of credits, grades, and grade points.
The unit of credit at the University is the semester hour. Each semester hour represents one class period of a minimum of 50 minutes per week for each week in the semester.
Lecture-recitation courses require a minimum of one 50-minute class period each week in the semester for every one hour of credit earned.
Laboratories and field work require a minimum of two 50-minute class periods (or the equivalent amount of time) for each week in the semester for every one hour of credit earned.
Grades and symbols used to record academic progress are listed in the following grading system table. Each school determines its own grading system. Students are graded according to the grade system of the school in which they are registered, not according to the grade system of the school through which the course is taught.
Additional regulations apply to courses taught on a credit/no credit basis and are described in the Credit / No Credit Grade Options.
| Grade | Grade Points | Included in GPA | Credits Earned |
| A+ (7) | 4.000 | Y | Y |
| A | 4.000 | Y | Y |
| A- | 3.700 | Y | Y |
| B+ | 3.300 | Y | Y |
| B | 3.000 | Y | Y |
| B- | 2.700 | Y | Y |
| C+ | 2.300 | Y | Y |
| C | 2.000 | Y | Y |
| C- | 1.700 | Y | Y |
| D+ | 1.300 | Y | Y |
| D | 1.000 | Y | Y |
| D- | 0.700 | Y | Y |
| F | 0.000 | Y | N |
| Symbol | Definition | ||
| CR (2) | Credit | N | Y |
| NC (2) | No credit | N | N |
| W | Withdrawal | N | N |
| WP (3)(4)(5) | Withdraw passing | N | N |
| WF (3)(4)(5) | Withdraw failing | N | N |
| WD | Administrative withdrawal |
N | N |
| S (3) | Satisfactory | N | Y |
| U (3) | Unsatisfactory | N | N |
| AU | Audit | N | N |
| IN | Incomplete | N | N |
| IV | Invalid grade | N | N |
| NG (6) | No grade | N | N |
| NR | Non-Resident | N | N |
| YR (1)(3)(5) | Year-long course | N | N |
(1) Not valid in the School of Nursing.
(2) Commerce School courses (COMM) may not be taken on CR/NC basis.
(3) Not valid in the School of Commerce.
(4) Not valid in the College of Arts and Sciences.
(5) Not valid in the School of Architecture.
(6) Included in the GPA for undergraduate schools
(7) In the School of Law, an A+ carries 4.300 grade points.
Grade system table from the University of Virginia Undergraduate Record.
Grade points are assigned to all grades and some symbols listed in the grading system table. Grade point averages are calculated by totaling the number of grade points earned, then dividing that total by the number of credits carried toward the GPA.
The symbol IN (incomplete) is used when additional course work is required or examinations need to be taken in order to fulfill the requirements of a given course.
The faculty has adopted a policy that, unless authorized by the dean’s office, students must complete all course work before taking the final examination. Instructors are not authorized to extend the time for completion of course work without the dean’s approval. A Request for Extension of Time to Complete Course Requirements or Request for Examination Postponement may be returned to Garrett Hall.
No grade may be changed after it has been submitted to the University Registrar without the approval of the dean of the college.
The dean is not authorized by the faculty to change a grade submitted to the University Registrar except when an instructor certifies that, because of errors in calculation or transcription, an incorrect grade has been submitted. Extra work to raise a grade, once submitted, is not permitted.
The College limits the time in which a grade change is approved to the fall or spring semester following the one in which the grade was received, except when there is indication that the student violated the integrity of the course.