HEC Grading System Pakistan: Complete 2026 Guide
What HEC actually publishes on grading: the recommended CGPA–percentage table (3.00 = 71%), its 2008 notice on CGPA conversion, and notes for NUST, FAST, UET, LUMS and COMSATS.
Pakistan's universities grade on a 4.0 CGPA under the semester system HEC's policy guidelines describe, but HEC imposes no binding way to turn that CGPA into a percentage. What it publishes is a recommended equivalence table, where a CGPA of 3.00 reads as 71%, and it stopped issuing conversions itself in 2008.
Quick answers
- Scale: 4.0 CGPA at most universities under the semester system.
- Percentage: HEC recommends a banded table, not a formula. 3.00 = 71%.
- CGPA ÷ 4 × 100 is not an HEC rule. It is a common shortcut, and it reads high.
- Each university sets its own grade points within the scale, so check yours.
The Higher Education Commission of Pakistan sets policy for the semester system that most Pakistani universities follow. This guide sets out what HEC's own documents say, checked against them on 19 September 2026, and how the major universities fit around them.
The HEC-recommended grading table
HEC's Policy Guidelines for Implementation of Uniform Semester System in Higher Education Institutions of Pakistan (section 13.1, "Fractionalized Grading System") recommend the following equivalence of GPA/CGPA and percentage "for adoption":
| Grade | Grade points | Percentage (semester system) |
|---|---|---|
| A | 3.67–4.00 | 85 and above |
| A− | 3.34–3.66 | 80–84 |
| B+ | 3.01–3.33 | 75–79 |
| B | 2.67–3.00 | 71–74 |
| B− | 2.34–2.66 | 68–70 |
| C+ | 2.01–2.33 | 64–67 |
| C | 1.67–2.00 | 61–63 |
| C− | 1.31–1.66 | 58–60 |
| D+ | 1.01–1.30 | 54–57 |
| D | 0.10–1.00 | 50–53 |
| F | 0.00 | Below 50 |
A note under the table says a student with any CGPA is given the minimum percentage of the matching band. For example, a CGPA of 3.00 is 71%, and a 3.50 is 80%. The same guidelines recommend a 0.00–4.00 scale for all universities, and ask that final transcripts show the overall percentage against the earned CGPA.
This is a recommendation, not a rule every university must use. COMSATS University Islamabad, for example, adopted it for admissions from Fall 2021.
HEC stopped converting CGPAs in 2008
HEC Notification No. 8-65/HEC/A&A/2007, dated 14 January 2008, records that universities in both the public and private sectors use different formulas to convert CGPA into percentage. It directs that CGPA be used for graduates of the semester system, and division for graduates of the annual system, for purposes such as faculty appointments and MPhil or PhD admission. It also states that HEC would no longer carry out CGPA-to-percentage conversion itself.
What about CGPA ÷ 4 × 100?
The linear formula
Percentage = (CGPA / 4.0) × 100
is widely used and often labelled "the HEC formula". It is not in either HEC document above. It gives higher figures than HEC's table for most good CGPAs:
| CGPA | HEC table | Linear |
|---|---|---|
| 3.80 | 85% | 95% |
| 3.50 | 80% | 87.5% |
| 3.00 | 71% | 75% |
| 2.50 | 68% | 62.5% |
If your transcript prints a percentage, use that. Otherwise the HEC CGPA to percentage calculator shows the HEC-table figure by default and the linear figure as an option.
How major Pakistani universities grade
These notes describe grading practice as reported by students and university pages. They are not checked against a primary document unless stated.
NUST
NUST reports CGPA on a 0.0–4.0 scale. Many engineering and CS departments apply relative grading, so your grade depends on your standing within the cohort.
FAST-NUCES
FAST reports CGPA on a 4.0 scale, with relative grading common in CS courses. If a form needs a percentage, ask the registrar which conversion FAST certifies.
UET Lahore and UET Peshawar
Both use a 4.0 scale with absolute grading in most courses. Engineering admissions use the ECAT aggregate (commonly Matric 17% + FSc 50% + ECAT 33%; confirm the weighting in the current UET prospectus, as it is not checked against a UET document here).
LUMS
LUMS uses a 4.0 scale with relative grading in many courses. Ask the registrar before quoting a percentage.
COMSATS
COMSATS adopted the HEC grading criteria, including the table above, for admissions from Fall 2021 (CUI notification, 7 December 2020).
CGPA improvement tips
- Most universities allow a course retake. Some replace the old grade entirely, others average the two attempts. Check the policy before you retake.
- Supplementary exams may let you clear failed courses without re-taking the whole semester.
- Internships and industry projects do not change CGPA but can appear on your record and matter for jobs.
How grading connects to MDCAT and ECAT
Your CGPA covers one degree. Admission to the next programme often depends on a separate aggregate. For medical colleges, the MDCAT aggregate calculator combines Matric, FSc and the MDCAT score. For engineering, use the ECAT aggregate calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is the grading system in Pakistan?
Most universities follow the semester system described in HEC's policy guidelines, grading each course with a letter that carries grade points on a 4.0 scale, then averaging them weighted by credit hours. The letters and their points are set by each university, not by HEC, so two universities can award different points for the same letter.
Does HEC publish a CGPA to percentage formula?
No. It publishes a recommended equivalence table in section 13.1 of its policy guidelines, where each CGPA band maps to a percentage and a student is given the lowest percentage of the matching band, so 3.00 reads as 71%. HEC stopped issuing conversions itself under Notification No. 8-65/HEC/A&A/2007 of 14 January 2008.
Is CGPA divided by 4 times 100 correct?
It is common, but it is not an HEC rule, and it reads higher than HEC's own table: a 3.00 becomes 75% instead of 71%. Use whatever your university publishes, and prefer a percentage printed on your transcript over any conversion.
What CGPA do Pakistani universities require?
That is set per university and per programme, so we do not publish a single figure. Check the regulations of your own institution: the pages here for COMSATS, NUST, FAST and UET quote each one's published rules.
Sources
- HEC, Policy Guidelines for Implementation of Uniform Semester System in HEIs of Pakistan, section 13.1: hec.gov.pk PDF
- HEC Notification No. 8-65/HEC/A&A/2007, 14 January 2008: hec.gov.pk
For more, read the GPA vs CGPA guide and use the HEC aggregate calculator.