How OMSAS calculates your GPA
Ontario’s medical schools (through OMSAS), law schools (OLSAS) and rehabilitation sciences programs (ORPAS) receive transcripts from universities with very different grading systems. The Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC) puts them on one 4.0 scale using its Undergraduate Grade Conversion Table. Each university is assigned one of nine scales: percentage scales (where, for example, 85–89% is 3.9 on Scale 3), letter scales (where an A is 3.9 on Scale 7 but 4.0 on McGill’s Scale 8), and two numeric scales.
Course value = OUAC table value for your grade on your university’s scale GPA = Σ (course value × course weight) ÷ Σ course weights
Course weights follow length of study: a full-year course counts 2, a half-year (one-semester) course 1, a three-quarter course 1.5 and a lab course 0.5.
| Scale 3 (percent) | OUAC | Scale 7 (letter) | OUAC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90–100% | 4.0 | A+ | 4.0 |
| 85–89% | 3.9 | A | 3.9 |
| 80–84% | 3.7 | A- | 3.7 |
| 77–79% | 3.3 | B+ | 3.3 |
| 73–76% | 3.0 | B | 3.0 |
| 70–72% | 2.7 | B- | 2.7 |
| 67–69% | 2.3 | C+ | 2.3 |
| 50–52% | 0.7 | D- | 0.7 |
Worked example
The courses pre-filled above are from a University of Toronto transcript in percentages (Scale 3): Biology 88% (3.9, half-year), Chemistry 81% (3.7, half-year), Calculus 76% (3.0, half-year), Psychology 92% (4.0, full-year, weight 2) and a physics lab at 84% (3.7, weight 0.5):
(3.9 + 3.7 + 3.0 + 4.0 × 2 + 3.7 × 0.5) ÷ (1 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 0.5) = 20.45 ÷ 5.5 = 3.72
The scale your university uses matters: 84% is 3.7 on Scale 3 but 3.9 on Scale 4, and 93% is 4.0 on Scales 3 and 4 but 3.9 on Scale 5. That is why the calculator asks for your university.
What OMSAS includes and leaves out
- Included: all undergraduate courses from Canadian and US universities, including failed, incomplete and supplementary courses, and both attempts of a repeated course when both appear on your transcript.
- Left out: courses graded Pass or Credit, graduate courses, college courses (even with transfer credit), continuing-education courses, and IB or AP courses.
- Percent or letter: where your transcript shows both, OMSAS uses the percentage, except for UBC, where it uses letter grades.
- Each medical school may then calculate its own GPA from this record (for example, using only your best or most recent years), so your OMSAS cumulative GPA is the starting point, not the final number.
Using it as a Canadian GPA converter
Because OUAC’s table covers almost every Canadian university, the calculator also works as a general converter from your university’s grades to a 4.0 scale for applications that ask for one. US graduate schools, however, often use their own credential evaluators; follow the instructions of the program you are applying to.
Tips
- Enter grades exactly as printed. OUAC warns against converting letter grades to percentages yourself.
- Weight full-year courses correctly. A full-year course counts twice as much as a semester course in OMSAS.
- Retakes don’t erase grades. Both attempts count, so a retake only helps if it is much higher.
Questions students ask
What is a good OMSAS GPA?
Ontario medical schools are very competitive; successful applicants commonly have OMSAS GPAs around 3.8 or higher. Each school publishes its own figures and may weight years differently.
Is 85% a 4.0 for OMSAS?
It depends on your university’s scale. On Scale 3 (Toronto, Western, Queen’s and others) 85–89% is 3.9 and 90% or more is 4.0. On Scale 4, 84–92% is 3.9.
Does OMSAS count repeated courses?
Yes. If both the original and repeated grades appear on your transcript, OMSAS includes both in your GPA.
Do pass/fail courses affect my OMSAS GPA?
Courses graded Pass or Credit are not included. A Fail grade is included as a failure (0.0).
Which scale does my university use?
The calculator sets it from OUAC’s table when you pick your university. Universities listed with two scales (for example Toronto and Waterloo) use the percentage scale for percentage grades and the letter scale for letter grades.
Sources
Checked: November 2026
Results are estimates for planning. Your school, college or testing organization calculates your official numbers. UPMYGPA is not affiliated with College Board, ACT, LSAC or the AAMC.