UK GPA Calculator
Enter your UK degree percentage and see the equivalent US 4.0-scale GPA and degree classification — useful for grad school, scholarship or job applications that ask for a US-style GPA.
Looking for the University of Kentucky? Use the University of Kentucky GPA calculator.
Converted Result
US GPA equivalent
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UK classification
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Why UK Grades Don't Map Neatly to a 4.0 Scale
UK universities mark on a 0–100% scale and classify the final result into bands — First, Upper Second (2:1), Lower Second (2:2), Third — rather than issuing a running 4.0-style average the way US schools do. There is no UK equivalent of "GPA" on a transcript, so any conversion is an estimate applied after the fact, usually by the receiving institution or a credential evaluation service like WES (World Education Services).
This calculator uses the boundaries and GPA equivalents most commonly cited for that conversion. If a specific university or program has published its own conversion scale, use that one instead — this tool is for a quick, honest estimate, not an official transcript evaluation.
UK Degree Classification to US GPA
| UK mark | Classification | US GPA equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 70–100% | First Class Honours | 4.00 |
| 65–69% | Upper Second (2:1), upper band | 3.70 |
| 60–64% | Upper Second (2:1) | 3.30 |
| 55–59% | Lower Second (2:2), upper band | 3.00 |
| 50–54% | Lower Second (2:2) | 2.70 |
| 45–49% | Third Class, upper band | 2.30 |
| 40–44% | Third Class Honours | 2.00 |
| 35–39% | Below Honours standard | 1.70 |
| Below 35% | Fail | 0.00 |
A-Level grades don't map to this table directly, since they're a separate pre-university qualification. As a rough guide, most conversions treat A* and A as equivalent to a US 4.0, B as roughly 3.3–3.7, C as roughly 2.7–3.0, and D/E lower still — check your specific receiving institution for anything official.
GPA to UK Grades: The Other Direction
Going the other way — you hold a US GPA and need to know what it looks like to a UK university — uses the same mapping read backwards:
| US GPA | UK classification | Approx. UK mark |
|---|---|---|
| 3.80–4.00 | First Class Honours | 70%+ |
| 3.50–3.79 | Upper Second (2:1), upper band | 65–69% |
| 3.20–3.49 | Upper Second (2:1) | 60–64% |
| 2.90–3.19 | Lower Second (2:2), upper band | 55–59% |
| 2.60–2.89 | Lower Second (2:2) | 50–54% |
| 2.20–2.59 | Third Class, upper band | 45–49% |
| 1.90–2.19 | Third Class Honours | 40–44% |
| Below 1.90 | Below honours standard | Below 40% |
What is a 4.0 GPA in the UK? A First Class Honours degree — the top classification. In practice UK universities asking for "a US GPA equivalent to a 2:1" are usually looking for around 3.2 to 3.5, and a First is generally treated as 3.7 and above. Individual universities publish their own equivalences and they vary by a few tenths, so check the one you are applying to.
What is an upper second (2:1) as a GPA? Roughly 3.3, and about 3.7 at the top of the band. The 2:1 is the classification most UK postgraduate programmes and graduate employers set as their minimum, which makes it the single most important line on this table.
Why this direction is even rougher than the other. The two systems do not use percentages the same way at all. A UK First starts at 70%, a mark that would be a C on the US scale; UK marking rarely awards above 80% even for outstanding work, while US grading routinely does. So the percentages in these tables are not interchangeable numbers — they are positions within two different distributions. Never convert your UK mark to a percentage and then read it on a US scale, or the reverse. Use the classification, and let the receiving institution or a credential evaluator produce anything official.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a 4.0 GPA in the UK?
A First Class Honours degree, the top UK classification. UK universities asking for a US GPA equivalent to a 2:1 usually look for around 3.2 to 3.5, and treat a First as roughly 3.7 and above. Individual universities publish their own equivalences and they vary by a few tenths, so check the one you are applying to.
How do I convert a GPA to UK grades?
Read the classification table backwards: roughly 3.80–4.00 is a First, 3.50–3.79 a high 2:1, 3.20–3.49 a 2:1, 2.90–3.19 a high 2:2 and 2.60–2.89 a 2:2. Use the classification rather than the percentage — a UK First starts at 70%, a mark that would be a C on the US scale, so the two percentage figures are not interchangeable.
What GPA is a UK First Class degree?
A First (70% and above) is commonly converted to a 4.0 on the US scale — the ceiling of the standard scale — under the widely-used WES-style conversion table.
What GPA is a UK 2:1?
An Upper Second Class (2:1), 60-69%, converts to roughly 3.3-3.7 depending on exactly where in that range the mark falls — this calculator interpolates within the band.
Is there an official UK-to-US GPA conversion?
No single official standard exists. US universities and credential evaluators (like WES) each publish their own conversion tables, which broadly agree but differ in the details. Always check the specific conversion your target institution uses for anything official.