A passing grade is the minimum grade required to receive credit for an academic course. The specific grade required to pass a course can vary depending on the school, program, or course, but generally, a letter grade between A and D is required to pass a class. In undergraduate programs, a D is typically the lowest passing grade, but passing may not be enough to fulfill graduation requirements. However, a D is not looked at favorably, and it is barely passing. Some schools consider 60 percent to be the lowest passing grade, similar to common high school grading scales. Some classes may be graded on a curve, meaning your percentage grade likely won’t align with the typical letter or GPA structure. In graduate programs, it’s common for a C to be the lowest passing grade. Some colleges let you take courses for pass/no pass, rather than a letter grade. In this instance, a D is generally not passing, and a passing grade is considered to be a C or above.

It is important to note that different schools, programs, or classes may have different cutoff points for what they consider a passing grade. For example, many courses (either required for degree or for Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading) require a minimum of a C- (or a “C-Wall”) in order to be considered a passing grade as opposed to a D- or above.

In summary, a passing grade is the minimum grade required to receive credit for an academic course, and it can vary depending on the school, program, or course. Generally, a letter grade between A and D is required to pass a class, with a D being the lowest passing grade in undergraduate programs. However, a D is not looked at favorably, and it is barely passing. Some schools consider 60 percent to be the lowest passing grade, similar to common high school grading scales. Some classes may be graded on a curve, and in graduate programs, it’s common for a C to be the lowest passing grade.