How grading works at SMU
SMU grades all courses — across all six schools (Accountancy, Business, Computing and Information Systems, Economics, Law and Social Sciences) — on a 4-point grading system, with a scale running from A+ (4.3) down to F (0.0). Unlike some other universities, SMU's A+ carries a real premium over a plain A rather than sharing its value.
Each letter grade corresponds to a mark range on your coursework and examinations, from 86 and above for an A+ down to 49 and below for an F. See the Grade Scale Reference above for the full grade-to-point mapping.
Your official SMU transcript records the letter grade for each course, not the underlying numeric mark.
Source: Visiting Student Programme Factsheet AY2024-25, Examinations & Grading System section — verified Aug 2026
Frequently asked questions
What grading scheme does Singapore Management University (SMU) use?
Where does this SMU grade scale come from?
Does an A+ give you more GPA points than an A at SMU?
Yes. SMU's own grading table gives A+ a grade point of 4.3, above the 4.0 given to a plain A — a genuine 0.3-point premium, not a tie. This is different from some other Singapore universities (for example NUS, where A+ and A share the same top grade point).
Source: Visiting Student Programme Factsheet AY2024-25, Examinations & Grading System section — verified Aug 2026
Does SMU record my mark or my letter grade on my transcript?
Your SMU transcript records the letter grade for each course, not the underlying numeric mark. SMU does publish the mark range behind each letter grade (for example, 74–76 marks corresponds to a B), but the mark itself is not what appears on your transcript or what SMU uses as the official record of your performance.
Source: Visiting Student Programme Factsheet AY2024-25, Examinations & Grading System and Transcript sections — verified Aug 2026