Final Grade Calculator

Enter your current grade and the grade you want — this free final grade calculator instantly shows the exact score you need on your final exam.

Add your gradesThe grade you have now, and the grade you want to end with.
Add the exam's weightHow much of your whole course grade the final exam counts for.
See your target scoreYour answer appears right away — there is no button to press.

I want to finish with…

My final exam is worth…

Current grade

Your grade so far, before the final. Find it in your student portal or class app (like Canvas or Moodle), under your grades.

Desired final grade

The overall grade you want when the course ends — or tap a quick pick above.

Final exam weight

How much of your total grade the final exam counts for. Find it in your course syllabus, in the grading section — or tap a quick pick above.

You need to score

96.0%

Achievable

A tough but very doable target. Scoring 96% on the final would land you exactly on 90% overall.

Free to use as often as you like — no signup, no limits. Try different target grades to see what each one demands.

How this final grade calculator works

Your course grade is a weighted average of everything you have done so far and the one big assessment still to come. If the final exam is worth 25% of the course, then the work already behind you counts for the other 75% — and no exam performance, good or bad, can change that banked share. A final exam grade calculator simply solves that weighted average backwards: instead of asking “what will I get?”, it asks “what score makes the average come out at my target?”

score needed = ( desired grade − current grade × (1 − exam weight) ) ÷ exam weight

Use the exam weight as a decimal: 25% becomes 0.25. The matching forward formula is: final grade = current grade × (1 − weight) + exam score × weight.

Two honest warnings come built into the maths. If the score needed comes out above 100%, the target cannot be reached through the exam alone — the marks already lost weigh too heavily. And if it comes out at 0% or below, your target is already secured: the grade is yours even before you walk into the exam hall. Both outcomes are useful to know early, because they change how — and how hard — you should prepare.

Worked example

Say your current grade is 88%, you want to finish on 90%, and the final exam is worth 25% of the course.

Score needed = (90 − 88 × 0.75) ÷ 0.25 = (90 − 66) ÷ 0.25 = 24 ÷ 0.25 = 96.0%.

That is a demanding but realistic target — and now you know it with weeks to spare, not the night before. Flip the calculator to “What will I get?” mode and you can also test safer scenarios: an exam score of 85% in the same course would leave you on 87.3% overall.

Common scenarios: what different targets demand

The heavier the final exam's weight, the more power it has to move your grade — in both directions. The table below uses the same formula as the calculator, so you can sanity-check your own numbers against it.

Score needed on the final exam, by scenario
Current grade	Target grade	Exam weight	Score needed
88%	90%	25%	96.0%
92%	90%	20%	82.0%
80%	85%	30%	96.7%
75%	80%	40%	87.5%
95%	95%	25%	95.0%
70%	60%	30%	36.7%

Notice the last row: sometimes the smart move is defending a pass rather than chasing a top grade. Knowing the exact number lets you split your revision time across subjects according to what each exam can actually change.

Tips for hitting the score you need

Study to the number, not the clock. If you need 96%, past papers under timed conditions are non-negotiable. If you need 55%, breadth beats depth — cover every topic at a basic level first.
Weight your revision by marks. Topics that carry more exam marks deserve more hours. Your syllabus or past papers will show the split.
Re-run the calculator after every graded assignment. Your current grade moves as new marks land, and so does the score you need. Check in weekly during the run-up.
Ask about extra credit and curves honestly. If the calculator says your target needs more than 100%, ask your instructor whether extra credit exists or whether the exam is graded on a curve — both can reopen a closed door.
Protect the banked marks. Easy coursework points still outstanding are worth exactly as much as exam points. Hand everything in.

Using this calculator in Canada, the UK, and Australia

Most courses in Canada are graded in percentages, so the calculator works exactly as written — just check your syllabus for the final's weighting, which commonly sits between 30% and 50%. In the UK and Australia, final degree outcomes are classification-based (First, 2:1, 2:2 in the UK; HD, D, C, P in Australia), but the module and unit marks underneath them are still percentages, and the same weighted maths decides which side of a boundary you land on. Work out the percentage your target classification requires for the module — for example 70% for a UK First in that module — enter it as your desired grade, and the calculator will tell you what the exam itself must deliver.

Final grade calculator — frequently asked questions

What score do I need on the final?

It depends on three numbers: your current grade, the grade you want to finish with, and how much the final exam is worth. Enter those three values in the calculator above and it works out the exact exam score required. For example, if you are on 88%, want 90%, and the final is worth 25% of your grade, you need 96.0% on the exam.

How is the final grade calculated?

Your final grade is a weighted average. Your current grade counts for the share of the course you have already completed, and the final exam counts for the rest. If the exam is worth 25%, then: final grade = current grade × 0.75 + exam score × 0.25. The calculator rearranges that same formula to solve for the exam score instead.

What if the score I need is over 100%?

A result over 100% means the target grade is mathematically out of reach, even with a perfect exam paper — unless your course offers extra credit. It is not the end of the world: try lowering the target by a point or two in the calculator to find the highest grade that is still achievable, and aim for that instead.

Can I use this calculator for a midterm?

Yes. The maths is identical for any assessment. Use your grade so far as the current grade, the grade you want at that point in the course as the desired grade, and the midterm's percentage of the total course mark as the weight. It works just as well for a final project, essay, or practical exam.

Does it work for weighted courses and weighted categories?

Yes, as long as you know the final exam's weight as a percentage of the total course grade. If your syllabus weights categories (for example homework 10%, tests 40%, final 50%), your current grade should be your weighted average across everything except the final, and the weight is the final exam category's share — 50% in that example.

What does “already guaranteed” mean?

It means your target is already locked in: even a score of 0% on the final exam would leave your overall grade at or above the grade you want, because of the marks you have already banked. You can sit the exam without pressure — though a decent score can still pull your grade up to the next band.