United Kingdom's Grading System

The grading system in the United Kingdom follows an alphabetical grade system based on a numerical scale. While there may be minute variations in the system in different universities in certain regions, for the most part, England, Wales, and Northern Ireland have followed this one system for the academic assessment of their undergraduate and postgraduate degrees for decades. The U.K. grading system is well known for its unique purpose of providing a detailed description and specific feedback to each candidate about their academic strengths and weaknesses. That is why the UK grading system is taken into consideration by employers, organizations, and higher educational institutes when assessing an applicant for a position.

The numerical scale for the UK grading system ranges from 0 to 100, with 50-60 being considered the average score. Few students score above 80 and are considered to be among the top 20%.

U.K. Undergraduate Grading System

Most undergraduate and postgraduate universities in the U.K. assess academic performance on a scale of 0 - 100, with a few rating on a scale from 0-70. The overall grading system, along with the grades, are mentioned in the table below:

Score in %	Degree Class	Grade
70% - 100%	I Class Honors	A
60% - 69%	Upper II Class Honors	B
50% - 59%	Lower II CLass Honors	C
40% - 49%	III Class Degree	D
0 - 39%	Fail	E and F

First Class Honors: Candidates in this academic category are considered to be excellently competent in their field with an outstanding knowledge of their course content. The UK grading system, while being praised, is also known to be challenging. That is why only a handful are able to earn more than 90%.
Upper Second Class Honors: This category is also referred to as 2:1. This academic category shows that the candidate has a solid academic ability with just a few drawbacks. These drawbacks can also be worked on and overcome in the future. This category is generally seen as favorable for employers in the job market. Many graduate degree programs may require, if not recommend, candidates to have a score within this category.
Lower Second Class Honors: This category, often called 2:2, is a decently acceptable academic achievement. It may not be considered as impressive as the first two categories, but it still holds value in the job market, depending on the position and employer.
Third Class Degree: This category is the lowest academic degree that only qualifies someone with a 'pass' certification. This category is not valuable in the high academic field and job market. However, less than 5% of candidates fall into this category.

U.K. Postgraduate Grading System

In the U.K., there is something known as an Integrated Masters Degree, Taught Master's Degree, and a Master's Degree Research.

Integrated Master's Degree: This degree is a combination of undergrad and grad degrees and typically takes 4 years. It allows candidates to pursue a Master's Degree immediately after two years of a Bachelor's Degree. Upon graduating, candidates will hold an integrated degree, proving they completed the coursework required for both degrees.
Taught Master's Degree: Taught master's degree involves lectures, seminars, etc., in a classroom setting. Simply put, this course is completed in a traditional setting in a classroom. It requires a completion of 180 credits, which is given based on dissertations, assignments, etc.
Master's Research Degree (MRes): This degree aims at individual research skills more than teaching. With these research degrees, their grading system is usually calculated as a pass or fail.

Postgraduate degrees in the U.K. follow a slightly different grading system, depending on the type of degree. A postgraduate degree's grading scale differs from an undergraduate degree's.

Integrated/Taught Master's Degree Grades	Master's Research Degree Grades	Score in %
Distinction	First-Class	70% - 100%
Merit	Upper Second Class	60% - 69%
Pass	Lower Second Class	50% - 59%
Almost failed, Borderline pass	Third Class	40% - 49%
Fail	Fail	0 - 39%

U.K. Grading System vs Other Grading Systems

Sometimes, candidates from other countries that follow different grading systems wish to enroll for a degree in the U.K. The following two tables have rough estimates of what the equivalent of the American GPA system and the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) would calculate.

U.K. Grading system vs U.S. GPA

The U.S. follows a four-point scale using GPA (grade point average).

U.S GPA	U.K. Grading System
3.7 - 4.0	70% - 100%
3.7	65% - 69%
3.3	60% - 64%
3.0	50% - 59%
2.7	40% - 49%
1.7 - 2.3	30% - 39%
0	0 - 29%

U.K. Grading system vs ECTS

The UK equivalent scores to the ECTS are as follows:

ECTS Grade	U.K. Grading System
A	70% - 100%
B	60% - 69%
C	50% - 59%
D	40% - 49%
E/F	0 - 39%

U.K. Grading System vs Indian Grading System

Based on the Indian 10-point scale, the UK equivalent grades are as follows:

Indian Grading System	U.K. Grading System
10	80 - 100%
9	75 - 79%
8	70 - 74%
7	60 - 69%
6	50 - 59%
5	45 - 49%
4	40 - 44%

How does the UK grading system assess candidates?

According to the UK grading system, the final score is an overall average based on all the academic years together. Most candidates do exceptionally well in their first year. The later years give a more transparent, more accurate idea of a candidate's abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. For this reason, the first year is not counted as much as the rest of the years when calculating the total score. However, the first year is still essential as it prepares candidates for their academic careers. The academic abilities of a candidate are assessed based on the following:

Exams that show a candidate's understanding and knowledge of the field and subject.
Coursework that shows a candidate's ability to be productive within the field.
Oral Assessments show a candidate's skill in communicating their ideas and opinions.
Practical assessments that show a candidate's potential within the field.
Dissertations/Portfolios depending on the chosen degree. This shows a candidate's contribution to the field and subject.

Apart from these set requirements, a candidate's score is also affected by their potential and performance, personal statements, and interview skills. Extracurriculars also play a significant role in a candidate's overall grade.

How to score higher with the U.K Grading system?

The UK grading system considers the overall performance of each year. Therefore, candidates have the opportunity to make up for any unfortunate performances. Candidates will have the opportunity to retake or make certain tests and extend deadlines for specific assignments. A candidate can always improve their abilities and efforts in the years, exams, and upcoming assignments. Throughout their entire higher education academic career, if they are dedicated, candidates can improve their U.K grade score. Some tips include:

Understanding the criteria of an assignment well.
Making the effort to do the required research to present original, well-thought out ideas, analysis, and criticisms.
Ensuring irrelevant ideas are not presented.
Making sure that the work is honest and completed by the candidate.

Overall, the U.K. grading system is designed and practiced to provide substantial insight and guidance into a candidate's academic strengths, weaknesses, and abilities.