Short answer: for UK degree classifications, the common summary is 70 and above for a First, 60 to 69 for a 2:1, 50 to 59 for a 2:2 and 40 to 49 for a Third. But there is no single UK formula. Each university decides which years count, how they are weighted, how marks are rounded and what happens just under a boundary.
The four honours classes
Nuffic's summary for England, Wales and Northern Ireland gives these bands for honours bachelor's degrees:
| Class | Mark |
|---|---|
| First | 70% and above |
| Upper second (2:1) | 60 to 69% |
| Lower second (2:2) | 50 to 59% |
| Third | 40 to 49% |
Each university's own algorithm gives the mark these bands apply to.
How York works out your class
York's Progression and Award Rules 2026/27 cover bachelor's programmes, and its student guide, labelled 2025/6, explains them. Stage 1 does not count. York weights Stage 2 and Stage 3 2:3, which is 40% and 60%.
- Each stage mark is the credit-weighted average of its module marks, to 2 decimals.
- The award mark is (2 × Stage 2 + 3 × Stage 3) ÷ 5, rounded to a whole number (UG6.2).
- The class comes from the award mark (UG1.8).
| Class | Award mark |
|---|---|
| First | 70 to 100 |
| Upper second (2:1) | 60 to 69 |
| Lower second (2:2) | 50 to 59 |
| Third | 40 to 49 |
York's borderline rule (UG6.3). If your rounded award mark is 1 or 2 below a boundary, York works it out again at 1:1 and at 1:2. If either comes within 0.5 of the boundary, you get the higher class.
1:1 mark = (Stage 2 + Stage 3) ÷ 2
1:2 mark = (Stage 2 + 2 × Stage 3) ÷ 3
Two more rules: an award mark of 39.5 or less, with all credits awarded, is set to 39.5 and gives a Third (UG6.4). A module needs 40 to pass, or 50 at M level.
York worked examples
This example comes from GradeCat's research. Stage 2 is 72.00 and Stage 3 is 67.00.
- Award mark: (144 + 201) ÷ 5 = 69, a 2:1 that is 1 below the First boundary.
- 1:1 mark: 69.50, which is within 0.5 of 70. 1:2 mark: 68.67.
- Result: a First, through the 1:1 mark.
Made-up example: Stage 2 is 65.00 and Stage 3 is 72.00.
- Award mark: (130 + 216) ÷ 5 = 69.2, which rounds to 69.
- 1:1 mark: 68.50. 1:2 mark: 69.67, which is within 0.5 of 70.
- Result: a First, this time through the 1:2 mark.
Made-up example: Stage 2 is 60.00 and Stage 3 is 57.00.
- Award mark: (120 + 171) ÷ 5 = 58.2, which rounds to 58, 2 below the 2:1 boundary.
- 1:1 mark: 58.50. 1:2 mark: 58.00. Neither reaches 59.5.
- Result: a 2:2.
What do I need for a First at York?
This example comes from GradeCat's research. Stage 2 is 64. In Stage 3, 60 credits are done at 70 and 60 are still to come. An award mark of 70 needs 69.5 before rounding, so Stage 3 must reach 73.17. The 60 credits still to come then need at least 76.33. For a 2:1, they need 42.99.
This is GradeCat's arithmetic, not a York rule, and it leaves out the borderline rule, so you may need a little less. The Degree Classification Calculator does this for your own modules.
How Glasgow works out your class
The University of Glasgow's Assessment Regulations 2026-27 grade each course on a 22-point scale (§16.23). Grade D is the minimum for credit.
| Grades | Points |
|---|---|
| A1 to A5 | 22 to 18 |
| B1 to B3 | 17 to 15 |
| C1 to C3 | 14 to 12 |
| D1 to D3 | 11 to 9 |
| E1 to E3 | 8 to 6 |
| F1 to F3 | 5 to 3 |
| G1 to G2 | 2 to 1 |
| H | 0 |
- Each year's GPA is the credit-weighted average of its course points, to 1 decimal (§16.34(a)), using first attempts (§16.34(d)).
- The honours GPA weights Year 3 and Year 4 50:50, or 25:75 for BSc Chemistry and BSc Life Sciences (undergraduate regulations, section 10).
- The class comes from the bands and zones below (§16.36(c) and (d)).
| Honours GPA | Class |
|---|---|
| 17.5 to 22.0 | First |
| 17.1 to 17.4 | First or 2:1 |
| 14.5 to 17.0 | Upper second (2:1) |
| 14.1 to 14.4 | 2:1 or 2:2 |
| 11.5 to 14.0 | Lower second (2:2) |
| 11.1 to 11.4 | 2:2 or Third |
| 9.0 to 11.0 | Third |
Glasgow's borderline rule. In a zone between bands, your grade profile settles the class. A 17.1 is a First if at least half of your credit-weighted first-attempt grades are at A, and a 2:1 if not.
Glasgow worked examples
This example comes from GradeCat's research.
- Year 3: 60 credits at A5 (18) and 60 at B1 (17) give 17.5.
- Year 4: 80 credits at A5 (18) and 40 at C1 (14) give 16.7.
- Honours GPA: (17.5 + 16.7) ÷ 2 = 17.1, in the First zone.
- A grades make up (60 + 80) ÷ 240 = 58.33% of the credits, at least half, so the class is a First.
On a 25:75 programme, the same grades give 0.25 × 17.5 + 0.75 × 16.7 = 16.9, a 2:1.
Made-up example: the same Year 3, but Year 4 is 40 credits at A3 (20) and 80 at B3 (15). That is also 16.7, so the honours GPA is again 17.1. A grades now make up (60 + 40) ÷ 240 = 41.67%, under half, so the class is a 2:1.
Swansea: a third way
Swansea University's regulations weight credits, not years. The best 80 Level 6 credits count 3 times, the other 40 Level 6 credits and the best 40 Level 5 credits count twice, and the rest count once. Within 2% under a boundary, the higher class is given on preponderance (at least half the classified credits, 120 or more for an initial degree, in the higher band) or exit velocity (an unweighted final-year average in the higher band). Swansea says only that "a formula is then applied", so GradeCat does not work out Swansea marks.
How to check your own university's rules
- Find your university's assessment or award regulations for your year of study.
- Look for which years or credits count, their weights, how marks are rounded and the borderline rule.
- If the rules are unclear, ask your department.
What is not verified yet
- Queen's University Belfast and Ulster University: their regulation pages could not be opened.
- UCL, Manchester and Leeds: we have not read their rules.
- How Glasgow rounds the weighted honours GPA, and how York rounds an award mark of exactly .5. Neither is stated.
UK degree classification FAQ
What percentage is a First class degree?
70% and above in Nuffic's summary for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. At York, an award mark of 70 to 100. Glasgow uses a 22-point GPA instead, where a First is 17.5 to 22.0.
Is 69 a First?
Not on its own. At York, 69 is a 2:1, but 1 below the boundary, so the borderline rule applies. With Stage 2 at 72.00 and Stage 3 at 67.00, the 1:1 mark is 69.50 and the class is a First.
Does first year count towards my degree?
Not at York, where Stage 1 does not count. At Glasgow, the class comes from Year 3 and Year 4.
What GPA is a 2:1 at Glasgow?
14.5 to 17.0. From 14.1 to 14.4 it is a 2:1 if at least half of your credit-weighted first-attempt grades are at B or above.
Can I convert my degree class to a US GPA?
Not here. No body that owns a UK scale publishes a conversion to a US GPA, so GradeCat does not make one up.
Related tools and guides
- Degree Classification Calculator: your class, and what you need for a First.
- UK Degree Classes and Grading Scale: every class table, with its source.
- UCAS Points Calculator: Tariff points for university entry.
- All tools for the United Kingdom
- All GradeCat calculators
Sources
- Nuffic: Grades and study results: United Kingdom (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) (opened 4 November 2026)
- University of York: Governance and award rules (opened 4 November 2026)
- University of York: Progression and Award Rules 2026/27 (opened 4 November 2026)
- University of York: Student Guide to the University's Rules for Progression and Award in Bachelor's Undergraduate Programmes 2025/6 (opened 4 November 2026)
- University of Glasgow: Assessment Regulations, University Regulations 2026-27 (opened 4 November 2026)
- University of Glasgow: UG: Primary Regulations for Undergraduate Awards (2026-27) (opened 4 November 2026)
- Swansea University: Classification of Honours Degrees (UG Assessment Regulations, section 3) (opened 4 November 2026)
- Swansea University: Degree Outcomes Statement 2025-26 (opened 4 November 2026)
A worked class is an estimate, not an official result. Your university's rules come first. Found a mistake? Tell us.