What is a WAM? Why Australia Ignores the GPA

The End of the GPA

While some Australian universities (like QUT or Griffith) still use a 7.0 GPA scale, the vast majority of the top-tier Group of Eight (Go8) universities (like Monash, Melbourne, UNSW, and USYD) focus heavily on the WAM (Weighted Average Mark).

When you apply for a highly competitive graduate job at an investment bank or a top-tier law firm in Sydney, they will ask for your WAM, not your GPA.

How the WAM is Different

A GPA is a blunt instrument. It converts your percentage into a bracket.

If you score an 81% (High Distinction), you get a 7.0 GPA for that subject.

If you score a 99% (High Distinction), you also get a 7.0 GPA.

The WAM is an exact percentage average of your raw scores. If you score an 81% and a 99%, your WAM actually calculates the true mathematical average (90%). It rewards students who score at the very top of the bell curve.

The "Weighted" Factor

The "Weighted" part of WAM means that not all subjects are treated equally. Universities assign "Credit Points" to subjects based on their difficulty and workload.

A standard elective might be worth 6 credit points.

A massive final-year Capstone Project or Honours Thesis might be worth 12 or 24 credit points.

When calculating your WAM, the 24-credit point thesis will drag your average up (or down) four times as much as the standard elective.

Note: Some universities also weight older subjects less. For example, your first-year (Level 1) subjects might only count for half the weight of your third-year (Level 3) subjects, meaning a bad grade as an 18-year-old won't ruin your final score.

Use our WAM Calculator to input your exact credit points and raw percentages to see your true standing.