The UK is the centre of top-ranked popular universities in the world. High-quality education, stunning campus location, world-wide recognition and diverse culture always prompts international students to study in the UK. But before applying to the UK universities you should know about the UK university grading system. Because it’s mandatory for a student to keep an overall concept about the education system of their preferred study destination. In this article we tried to cover the overall concept of the UK university grading system so hopefully this article will help you a lot.

A Brief Overview of the UK University Grading System

In this article we will discuss the UK university grading system of different study levels. But before going to that point at first we should share a brief overview of the UK grading system. So here it is. 

Compulsory education in UK grading system (GCSE)

General Certificate of Secondary Education is mandatory qualification that is taken by the students of age 15-17. This exam is taken by the students of England, Northern Ireland, Wales. There are two GCSE grading systems such as old and new. The old system graded the students from A – G and the new system grades the students from 1-9. Here is the new GCSE grading system of the UK.

GCSE is a compulsory education in the UK. So, for understanding the UK university grading system you must be familiar with the grading system of GCSE.

UK grading system for A level (GCE)

GCE is a qualification for the students aged 16 or above. As like GCSE you should need the General Certificate of Education also to apply for a UK university. So, learning the GCE grading system is also mandatory for understanding the UK university grading system.

UK university grading system for undergraduate programme

There are two types of undergraduate degrees in the UK but the grading system is the same. Such as-

• Ordinary Degree

It’s a regular Bachelor programme like Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts etc.

• Honors Degree

It is a standard undergraduate degree with honors such as BSc. honors or BBA etc.  

UK university grading system for undergraduate programme can be classified into five types such as-

• First Class – 70% – above
• Upper Second Class – 60% – 69%
• Lower Second Class –  50% – 59%
• Third Class – 42% – 53%
• Pass – 38% – 41%

If your score is below 38 you will be considered as a failure. If you want to sustain yourself to a top-ranked university in the UK and if you want to be a UK graduate you should have to keep your result up to the mark.

UK university grading system for postgraduate programme

Before knowing the UK university postgraduate grading system you should note that there are two types of postgraduate programmes in the UK. Such as-

• Taught master’s programme

Generally a huge number of students visit the UK to pursue a taught master’s programme from around the world. Unlike the Bachelor’s degree, the grading system of two types of postgraduate degrees varies. So, here is the UK university grading system for postgraduate taught degrees.

• Postgraduate research degree

Postgraduate research degree is also known as a PhD or Mphil. As the degree named by research it requires research. You can do a phD in the UK after completing your master’s. There is no specific grading system in the UK for research degrees. The universities provide the score as pass or fail with a handful distinction.

UK University Grading system vs US university grading system

The United Kingdom and the USA both are popular study destinations for international students. The education quality and the grading system of these two countries are always compared. So, here we are showing the basic differences between the grading systems of these two countries. 

Final Words

Learning about the grading system of a university abroad where you are intending to study is very important for an international student. Hopefully this article will help you a lot to understand the UK university grading system and the difference between UK and US grading systems. So, if you are interested in studying in the UK for upcoming intake you can always contact AIMS Education for better guidance.

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