What Does Cum Laude Mean? GPA and Other Criteria

What Is Cum Laude?

The meaning of cum laude is "with praise" or "with honor" in Latin and represents an academic level of achievement. Educational institutions use the phrase to signify an academic degree awarded to someone with honorable excellence in academic coursework. It is a mark of distinction that some students and others use on their resumes to illustrate their success in their higher education.

Cum laude is one of three commonly used Latin honors designations recognized in the United States, the other two being summa cum laude and magna cum laude. The terms come from Latin, so they are often called Latin honors. They are common in the United States, but very few countries around the world use them. This honor is awarded due to academic success and reflects strong grades.

Understanding Cum Laude

Cum laude signifies a distinguished level of academic achievement. An even higher distinction is magna cum laude, which means "with high honor" or "with high praise." And summa cum laude bestows the highest honor or praise on its recipient. 

The guidelines by which each level of academic honor is achieved differ at academic institutions. Each university or college typically outlines its expectations for each award.

The criteria for earning Latin honors may include grade-point average (GPA), class ranking, the number of credit hours completed, and other academic achievements.

Students receiving Latin honors are typically recognized during graduation ceremonies, and the designation appears on the student's diploma. Students graduating with honors may also be allowed to wear some special symbol, like a specific sash or tassel on their mortarboard.

Obtaining Cum Laude

Some universities bestow Latin honors at certain GPA levels. Typically, a GPA of 3.5 or higher is required to receive the cum laude designation, with higher GPAs necessary for magna cum laude and summa cum laude. The designation is based only on an individual student's final GPA.

Other universities reserve Latin honors for a stated percentage of each graduating class. That means only a top percentage of a class may receive any honors, and smaller percentages of the student body may receive the magna cum laude and summa cum laude honors designations.

An outstanding GPA alone may not be enough to earn these honors at Ivy League universities and other highly competitive schools. Faculty committees also consider students' academic records and other academic achievements, like outstanding papers, published articles, and well-researched assignments. The professors will usually recommend honors for exceptional students.

The Bottom Line

"Cum laude" is a Latin word used in educational institutions as a mark of distinction, representing honorable excellence in coursework. The cum laude designation is often included in resumes by potential job candidates to demonstrate their success in academics and put themselves above the competition. Cum laude is determined by GPA or other academic achievements and is most often used in the United States.