CGPA to Percentage
GPA & CGPA calculators

UK Degree Classification Calculator

Just type in your module marks — this UK grade calculator instantly shows your average and whether you're heading for a First, 2:1, 2:2 or Third, or a Distinction, Merit or Pass for a masters. No sign-up, nothing to press.

Type your module marksThe score you got for each subject, like 68.
Add the creditsHow big each module is — most are 20. Modules from any year can go in.
See your degree classYour answer shows up straight away at the top of the box below.
What are you studying? ✓ Free · No sign-up · No limits

Not sure? If this is your first degree, pick Undergraduate. Pick Masters only if you already have a degree.

This is a worked example so you can see how it works. Change the numbers to your own marks — or start fresh in one tap:

Your modules

One box for each subject you have a mark for.

Your result above changes by itself as you type. There is no Calculate button to look for.

Please treat this as a helpful guide, not a final promise. Each university has a few rules of its own — for example, your final year may count for more than your second year, and if you are very close to the next band, your university may still move you up. To be sure, check the rules on your own university's website.

How UK degree classification works

UK honours degrees are not graded with a single letter or a GPA. Instead, your module marks are combined into one overall average, and that average places you in a classification band. The bands are the same at almost every university in England, Wales and Northern Ireland:

ClassificationWeighted average markWhat it means
First-class honours (First)70% and aboveThe highest undergraduate award.
Upper second-class honours (2:1)60–69%The most common result, and the minimum many employers and postgraduate courses ask for.
Lower second-class honours (2:2)50–59%A solid pass degree, sometimes nicknamed a “Desmond”.
Third-class honours (Third)40–49%The lowest honours classification.
FailBelow 40%Below the pass mark; resits or an ordinary (non-honours) degree may follow.

The average is credit-weighted: a 40-credit module counts twice as much as a 20-credit module, which is why this tool asks for credits as well as marks. That weighting is what makes it a true weighted grade calculator rather than a simple average of percentages — one strong mark in a small module cannot rescue a weak mark in a large one.

Year weighting explained

Most universities do not treat every year equally. First-year marks usually only need to be passed and do not count at all. The second and final years then count in a fixed ratio — 40:60 and 25:75 are common, and some universities count only the final year or use the best credits from each year. To apply year weighting with the calculator above, work out each year's weighted average separately, then enter the two yearly averages as rows weighted 40 and 60 (or your university's ratio). Because final-year marks carry more weight, a strong final year can pull a borderline average up a band — and a weak one can pull it down.

Borderline marks

If your average lands just below a boundary — 69.4% rather than 70%, for example — you are in what universities call the borderline zone, usually the 2% band beneath each threshold. Exam boards do not award the higher class automatically, but most have a published rule: if a set share of your credits (often at least half of your final-year credits) sits in the higher band, the higher classification is awarded. Averages are also sometimes rounded under university rules. If you are within a mark or two of a boundary, your mark profile matters as much as the average itself, so it is worth reading your institution's borderline policy carefully.

Masters grade calculator: Distinction, Merit and Pass

Postgraduate taught degrees use a different set of labels, and the pass mark is higher. Switch the calculator above to Masters and the same weighted average is graded as follows: Distinction at 70% and above, Merit at 60–69%, and Pass at 50–59%. Below 50% is a fail at masters level — marks in the 40s that would pass an undergraduate module do not pass here. Your dissertation or final project usually carries a large credit value (often 60 credits of a 180-credit masters), so it dominates the average, and some universities require the dissertation itself to reach Distinction standard before a Distinction can be awarded, whatever the overall average says.

UCAS points, briefly

UCAS Tariff points belong to a different stage of education: they convert qualifications such as A levels, BTECs and the IB into points (an A* at A level is worth 56 points, an A is 48) so universities can make offers like “112 UCAS points”. They are used for undergraduate entry, not for degree classification — no UCAS points calculator can tell you whether you are heading for a First or a 2:1. Once you are at university, only your module marks and credits matter, which is what the calculator on this page works with.

BTEC grades, briefly

Level 3 BTEC qualifications are graded in words rather than percentages: each unit is graded Pass, Merit or Distinction, and the unit grades combine into an overall grade such as DDM or D*D*D*. Because BTEC uses unit grades instead of percentage marks, there is no honest way to feed BTEC results into a percentage-based degree calculator — the two systems only meet at the admissions stage, where BTEC grades earn UCAS Tariff points. If you are already on a degree course, your BTEC background has no effect on your classification; only your university module marks count.

Frequently asked questions

What percentage is a First?

A First-class honours degree requires a weighted average mark of 70% or above across the modules that count towards your classification. Marks between 60% and 69% give an upper second-class degree (a 2:1), 50–59% a lower second (2:2), and 40–49% a Third.

Is 68% a 2:1?

Yes. An average of 68% sits in the 60–69% band, which is an upper second-class honours degree — a 2:1. However, 68% is close to the 70% First-class boundary, and many universities operate a borderline zone (often 68–69.99%) where a strong profile of marks, such as half or more of your final-year credits at 70%+, can lift you to a First.

How is my degree classification calculated?

Your university takes the marks from the modules that count towards your degree, weights each mark by the module's credit value, and often weights later years more heavily than earlier ones — a common split is 40% from the second year and 60% from the final year. The resulting weighted average is then matched against the classification bands: 70%+ for a First, 60%+ for a 2:1, 50%+ for a 2:2 and 40%+ for a Third.

What is a Distinction at masters level?

At masters level, a Distinction is the highest award and normally requires a weighted average of 70% or above across your taught modules and dissertation. An average of 60–69% earns a Merit, 50–59% is a Pass, and below 50% is a Fail. Some universities also require the dissertation itself to reach the Distinction threshold.

Do first-year marks count towards my degree classification?

At most UK universities, no. First-year (Level 4) marks usually only need to be passed — typically at 40% — so you can progress to the second year, and they do not count towards your final classification. The second and final years normally count, with the final year weighted more heavily, but a few universities do include first-year marks, so always check your own institution's regulations.

What happens if my average is just below a classification boundary?

Most universities define a borderline zone, commonly the 2% just below a boundary (for example 68.00–69.99% for a First). If your average falls in that zone, the exam board looks at your mark profile — if a set share of your credits, often half of the final-year credits, are in the higher band, you may be awarded the higher classification. The exact rule differs between universities.