UK Class Selector
Estimated US GPA
Range
3.3 - 3.6
Upper Second Class
Upper Second Class
The British undergraduate degree classification system differs greatly from the US credit hours and GPA system. Rather than accumulating averages continuously, UK degrees are classified into bands based on final year examination papers:
| UK Degree Class | Percentage Equivalents | Estimated WES US GPA | Admission Characterization |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-Class Honours (1st) | 70% and above | 3.7 - 4.0 | Outstanding (Comparable to 'A') |
| Upper Second-Class Honours (2:1) | 60 - 69% | 3.3 - 3.6 | Very Good (Comparable to 'B+') |
| Lower Second-Class Honours (2:2) | 50 - 59% | 3.0 - 3.2 | Good / Average (Comparable to 'B') |
| Third-Class Honours (3rd) | 45 - 49% | 2.0 - 2.9 | Sufficient (Comparable to 'C') |
| Ordinary / Pass | 40 - 44% | 1.0 - 1.9 | Pass (Comparable to 'D') |
| Fail | Below 40% | 0.0 | Fail (Comparable to 'F') |
An Upper Second-Class (2:1) is highly respected and corresponds roughly to a 3.3 to 3.6 US GPA. While Ivy League graduate schools usually prefer candidates with a First-Class Honours (GPA > 3.7), strong GRE scores, publications, or professional experience make a 2:1 candidate highly competitive.
UK grading criteria are structured differently. Scoring above 70% (a First) in a British humanities essay is notoriously difficult and signifies publishable work, whereas in the US, scoring a 90% is more common due to homework weighting and rubrics. Evaluating agencies like WES align these differences by comparing academic percentiles.