UK Grading system

 

Grading System in the UK 

Studying abroad may be a wise choice for you, but before you leave, make sure you learn everything you can about the nation, the universities, safety, qualifying requirements, and, of course, the grading scheme. If you decide to study in the UK, it is best to familiarize yourself with the UK university grading system, which is determined by your success on a variety of regularly conducted tests.

The grading system in the United Kingdom is highly organized and distinct from other grading systems across the globe. It is among the best. Scotland has a very distinct grading system from England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, which are all nearly identical. The abilities, academic strengths, and limitations of the candidate are taken into account when determining the final grading structure in the UK.

International students can more easily comprehend the prerequisites for admission and eligibility at a particular university by being aware of the grading scheme used by UK universities. The grading scheme in UK institutions is quite curious to many international students, something that is uncommon in other nations.

We have provided you with some essential information regarding the UK university grading system to help you address this difficulty. Go through it attentively to learn more about it.

UK Grading System in Compulsory Education:

In the UK, grading scales come in two varieties. The first is the English-primarily utilized numerical grading system. The scale ranges from "1" to "9," with 4 serving as the passing mark and Wales and Northern Ireland using a letter grading system for the second range. When using a letter-based grading system, an "A" represents the highest attainable mark for a student, and an "F" represents the lowest. A "D" is the minimal required grade for passing.

UK Grading System in Higher Education:

In the UK, the term "A-level" or "Advanced level" is most commonly used to refer to the school leaving qualification or higher education. This type of qualification is rather typical in Northern Ireland, Wales, and England. The majority of universities in the UK consider A-level results when selecting the best applicants for different programs.

40% is the minimum required to pass the Advanced level certifications. The range of grades is A through E. Students who receive an A on the exam are those who score at least 80% in all six subjects or 90% in two of them.

Grade Letter	Percentage	Grade Descriptions
A	80%	Pass
B	70%	Pass
C	60%	Pass
D	50%	Pass
E	40%	Pass
F	Unclassified	Fail

UK Grading System for Undergraduates:

Students planning to seek admission to undergraduate programs can have a close look at the UK Grading System for Undergraduates for a better understanding.

Grade	Percentage	Grade Descriptions	Honours Degree	Founders Degree
A	70 – 100%	Excellent and Outstanding	First-class	Distinction
B	60 – 69%	Very Good to Good	Upper second 2:1	Merit
C	50 – 59%	Satisfying	Lower second 2:2	Pass
D	40 – 49%	Sufficient	Third-Class	Pass
E	30 – 39%	Unsatisfactory performance	Fail	Fail
F	0 – 29%	Unsatisfactory performance	Fail	Fail

What is a First degree?

First Class Honours degree (1st) is commonly referred to as a “first”. A first class is the highest honours degree a student can achieve. Although now it’s quite impossible for students to pursue two full UG subjects, but still a fewer universities grant “double firsts” in case a student achieves a first class degree in two different subjects, while pursuing one joint honours degree. Some of the UK universities offering “double firsts” include universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Glasgow.

Students can earn a first class degree with their hard work and dedication. The ones achieving the highest degree are in the strongest position to grab the best jobs, for doing graduate programmes and pursue PG studies

According to the Higher Education Statistics Agency, between 2016 and 2021, the number of students’ getting first class honours increased from 26% to 36%.

What is 2:1 degree?

Second-class honours degree means upper division. A second-class degree is segmented into two divisions and the top-most of these two divisions is the upper second class, which is also known as 2:1 (pronounced “two-one”) and mostly written to as a 2.1. Getting a 2:1 also puts students in a good position for employment, graduate courses and for pursuing PG studies. For a few of the institutions, it is the minimum acceptable grade. Similar to a first class honours, the total students achieving a 2:1 has increased manifolds in the past few years.

Third class

Third-class honours (3rd) are recognized as a “third”, it is the lowest level of honour’s degree given to students based on their performance. Only a few graduates get third-class honours. In 2020/21, just 2-3% of students obtained a third class degree. Getting a Third-Class degree will limit your chances for PG studies, particularly abroad.

If an honours student fails securing a third class by a small percentage, he/she will get an ordinary degree. Till the 1970s Oxford University gave it fourth class honours recognition.

What’s the most important thing in grading system in UK?

The UK grading system lays much focus on students academic and specific skills that showcase their talent and educational qualifications. The grades obtained by the students also help get a good job post completing the course.

When it’s about the Honours degree, based on the academic achievement, undergraduate degrees are divided into four different categories including:

•       First-class Honours (70% and above)
•       Second-class Honours; or upper-division varies from 60 – 69%.
•       Second-class Honours or lower division varies from 50 – 59%.
•       Third-class Honours varies from 40% – 49%.

UK Grading System for Masters

Almost in all the Master’s degree offered in the UK, a different grading scale is followed excluding the integrated master’s.

Details regarding the grading system in UK universities for pursuing a master’s course are mentioned below:

Grade Descriptions	Percentage
Distinction	70% or above
Merit / Commendation	60 – 69%
Pass	50 – 59%
Passed on Margin/Borderline	40 – 49%

 

Conclusion

The United Kingdom Education System adheres to a different grade pattern that slightly differs from other countries. The significance of British higher education is largely attributed to important elements like quality education and a unique grading system. Due to this, several overseas nations have also followed the UK education and grading system, either completely or with some minor alternations.

Knowing the grading system in UK universities is important especially if you are applying from a different country and aim to study in the UK.