When enrolling in a course, students may select their preferred grading option. The default is usually Letter Grade, but courses may vary.
- Undergraduate courses can be taken for a Letter Grade or Pass/No Pass.
- Graduate courses can be taken for a Letter Grade or Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.
Some courses are offered as only Pass/No Pass and some courses may only offer a Letter Grade. We highly recommend that students confirm if a class has any grading option change restrictions before enrolling in a class. You can find details about each course listed in the UC Berkeley Academic Guide.
Letter Grades
- Taking a course letter graded means that you will receive a grade on the A through F scale. Letter grades are calculated into your GPA. Read about Grade Definitions on the Registrar's Office webpage.
- This is the most common for students who wish to transfer their courses to another university.
Pass/No Pass (P/NP)
- Taking a course pass/no pass means that you will either receive a grade of a P (pass) or NP (not pass). Pass grades will earn units but will not be calculated into your GPA.
Pass (P) grades require a level of performance at least equal to a letter grade of C- and will earn units, but no grade points. No pass (NP) grades represent a level of performance at a D+ or lower. No units or grade points will be earned.
The Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading option was designed to encourage students to explore new academic areas or take challenging, far-ranging courses without undue concern about grades.
Most high schools and universities will not accept P/NP work for transfer credit. Please consult the appropriate office at your current/future home campus or university before selecting this option if you intend to transfer the units.
Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U)
Taking a course Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) means that you will either receive a grade of a S (satisfactory) or U (unsatisfactory). Satisfactory grades will earn units but will not be calculated into your GPA.
An 'S' grade requires a B- or higher, which is a stricter standard than the undergraduate P/NP option
If you are planning to transfer your courses to another University, please verify with them whether they will accept a grading basis of P/NP. Many do not.
Changing your Grading Option: You may change your initial grading option any time in CalCentral before the deadline to change grading option. See How to Change Grading Options for more information.