Grade F- isn't part of the standard US grading scale. F- is a rare variant. It typically carries a 0.0 GPA value identical to F, but the transcript notation flags an unusual circumstance such as plagiarism or a zero submission. F- is not part of the standard US grading scale. A small number of institutions use it as a punitive marker for academic-integrity violations or for assignments scored below the normal F floor.
How Grade F- Compares to Adjacent Letters
The plus and minus modifiers split each letter tier into three sub-bands worth 0.3 GPA points each. The table below shows how grade F- sits relative to the letter directly above and below on the standard scale, with percentage range and 4.0 GPA value for each.
| Letter | Percentage | 4.0 GPA | Standing |
|---|---|---|---|
| F | Below 60% | 0.0 | Failing |
| F- | n/a | n/a | Atypical |
Where F- Appears in US Grading and How It Differs from F
F- is not part of the standard A-through-F US grading scale. The schools that use it typically reserve the letter for academic-integrity violations such as plagiarism, cheating, or repeated misconduct, where the transcript notation flags the unusual circumstance. The GPA value is usually the same as a regular F (0.0), but the letter on the transcript signals that the course outcome involved more than ordinary academic failure.
A second, much rarer use of F- appears at institutions that use sub-letter modifiers below the standard F floor for exceptionally low scores in the same way A+ extends above A. This usage is uncommon and almost always institution-specific. If you see F- on a transcript, confirm the institution's grading policy before assuming it behaves identically to a standard F.
Browse All Letter Grades on the US Scale
The US grading scale has 13 standard letters from A+ to F, plus two special variants (E historical, F- atypical). Use the chips below to jump to any letter's reference page, or see the full grading scale for all letters in one comparison table.
- Grade A+
- Grade A
- Grade A-
- Grade B+
- Grade B
- Grade B-
- Grade C+
- Grade C
- Grade C-
- Grade D+
- Grade D
- Grade D-
- Grade F
- Grade E
- Grade F-
Last verified: 2026-05-09. Sources: AACRAO transcript standards, NCES grade-distribution data, and the Mount Holyoke College historical record of the 1887 letter-grade adoption. Always verify the specific cutoff and GPA value with your school's registrar; institutional grading policies vary.