Figures this calculator uses
- First
- 70% and above
- Upper second (2:1)
- 60% to 69%
- Lower second (2:2)
- 50% to 59%
- Third
- 40% to 49%
How your degree class is worked out
Most universities take a weighted average of your year marks. Each year average is itself a credit-weighted average of your module marks. The weighted overall mark is then matched to the class boundaries: 70 for a first, 60 for a 2:1, 50 for a 2:2 and 40 for a third.
Overall = (second-year average × second-year weight + final-year average × final-year weight) ÷ total weight
To find the final-year mark you need, the calculator rearranges that sum: needed = (target × total weight − marks already banked) ÷ final-year weight.
Worked example
Jess is in final year at a university that weights second year 40% and final year 60%. Her second-year average was 64%.
- For a first she needs (70 × 100 − 64 × 40) ÷ 60 = 74.0% in final year.
- For a 2:1 she needs (60 × 100 − 64 × 40) ÷ 60 = 57.3%.
If she averages 72% this year, her overall mark is 64 × 0.4 + 72 × 0.6 = 68.8%. That’s a 2:1, but close enough to the line that her university’s borderline rules may apply.
What this calculator doesn’t cover
Some universities drop your lowest module marks, use the better of two methods, or apply preponderance rules. Integrated master’s, medicine and Scottish honours degrees often work differently. Your university’s regulations decide your final class.
Questions people ask
What percentage is a 2:1?
At most UK universities a 2:1 (upper second-class honours) is an overall mark of 60 to 69%. A first is 70% or more, a 2:2 is 50 to 59% and a third is 40 to 49%.
Does first year count towards my degree?
At most universities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, first year doesn’t count towards your classification as long as you pass it. Some courses, especially four-year integrated master’s degrees, do count it. In Scotland, honours classifications are usually based on third and fourth year.
What is a borderline mark?
Many universities look again at students whose overall mark is just below a boundary, often within 1 or 2 percentage points, such as 68.5%. Some use “preponderance”, meaning that if most of your final-year credits are in the higher band you get the higher class. The rules are in your university’s academic regulations.
How do I work out my average from module marks?
Multiply each module mark by its credits, add these up, then divide by the total credits. A 40-credit dissertation counts twice as much as a 20-credit module.
Can I still get a first?
Use the “what do I need” part of this calculator. Enter your second-year average and the weighting your university uses, and it shows the final-year average you need for each class.