---
title: "Set up grade categories"
slug: "set-up-grade-categories"
tags: ["Totara Learn", "Site Administrator", "How-to"]
updated: 2026-08-13T16:01:25Z
published: 2026-08-13T16:01:25Z
canonical: "totara.help/set-up-grade-categories"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://totara.help/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Set up grade categories

Grade categories are a way of grouping grade items within the gradebook. By default each course acts as the top-level parent category in its gradebook, with other categories you might create nested underneath as subcategories. You can have multiple categories, either sitting under the parent course category or nested within one another as best suits your purposes. Each grade item, however, can only be part of one category.

When grades are grouped in a category you will be presented with a category total which can be weighed and have [grade calculations](/totara-20/docs/set-up-grade-calculations) applied to it.

## Creating a grade category

You can add a new category on any course you have editing permissions on.

1. Go into a course and then select **Gradebook setup** from the **Administration** block.
2. Under the list of grade items click **Add category**.
3. Configure the [settings](/totara-20/docs/grade-category-settings) how you want them.
4. Click **Save changes**.

Once a category is set up you can add a grade calculation on the category total, see the [Set up grade calculations](/totara-20/docs/set-up-grade-calculations) page for more information.

## Editing a category

You can edit an existing category on any course you have editing permissions on.

1. On a course select **Gradebook setup** from the **Administration** block.
2. Alongside the category you wish to edit click *Edit > Edit settings*.
3. Configure the [settings](/totara-20/docs/grade-category-settings) how you want them.
4. Click **Save changes**.

![Course badge](https://cdn.document360.io/a007399b-031e-436b-999a-528240e16f58/Images/Documentation/course-badge_grading-completion-and-certificates.svg?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-03T22%3A47%3A51Z&se=2026-11-03T23%3A47%3A51Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=fm5h84o875Tmf9ynGANINp6Kp9uYgNkebTrTBH2b3h0%3D)The Totara Academy has a whole course dedicated to using [Grading, completion, and certificates](https://totara.community/course/view.php?id=646) in Totara Learn. Here you can learn more on how to use these tools, see best practice, and give it a go yourself.

Join the [Totara Community](https://totara.community/) for more resources to help you get the most out of Totara.

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