The classes
| Class | Short form | Usual average |
|---|---|---|
| First-class honours | 1st | 70% and above |
| Upper second-class honours | 2:1 | 60–69% |
| Lower second-class honours | 2:2 | 50–59% |
| Third-class honours | 3rd | 40–49% |
The UK's Quality Assurance Agency describes each class by what the student has shown: a First means consistently advanced knowledge, a 2:1 thorough knowledge. The percentage bands are the ones most universities use; check your own university’s regulations.
What counts as a 2:1 from other countries
Universities publish their own equivalents for international degrees. Cambridge's list is among the strictest and the most detailed, and it groups universities in some countries, such as China, into tiers:
| Country | University group | 2:1 | High 2:1 | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | Group A university | 85% or GPA 3.5/4 | 88% or GPA 3.65/4 | 90% or GPA 3.8/4 |
| Group B university | 88% or GPA 3.7/4 | 90% or GPA 3.8/4 | 92% or GPA 3.9/4 | |
| Other recognised university | 90% or GPA 3.9/4 | 93% or GPA 3.95/4 | 95% or GPA 4/4 | |
| India | 4-year bachelor’s | 70% or 7.3/10 | 73% or 7.7/10 | 75% or 8/10 |
| South Korea | Well-ranked university (Cambridge list) | 85% or GPA 3.2/4 or GPA 3.3/4.3 or GPA 3.5/4.5 | 88% or GPA 3.4/4 or GPA 3.5/4.3 or GPA 3.75/4.5 | 90% or GPA 3.6/4 or GPA 3.7/4.3 or GPA 4/4.5 |
| Other recognised university | 88% or GPA 3.4/4 or GPA 3.5/4.3 or GPA 3.75/4.5 | 90% or GPA 3.6/4 or GPA 3.7/4.3 or GPA 4/4.5 | 92% or GPA 3.8/4 or GPA 3.9/4.3 or GPA 4.25/4.5 | |
| Japan | Prestigious university | 80% or GPA 3.5/4 | 85% or GPA 3.65/4 | 90% or GPA 3.8/4 |
| Other recognised institution | 90% or GPA 3.7/4 | 92.5% or GPA 3.8/4 | 95% or GPA 3.9/4 | |
| Hong Kong | Public university | GPA 3.5/4 or GPA 3.5/4.3 | GPA 3.6/4 or GPA 3.6/4.3 | GPA 3.7/4 or GPA 3.7/4.3 |
| Other recognised institution | GPA 3.7/4 or GPA 3.7/4.3 | GPA 3.75/4 or GPA 3.75/4.3 | GPA 3.8/4 or GPA 3.8/4.3 | |
| Taiwan | Well-ranked institution | 78% or GPA 3.5/4.3 | 80% or GPA 3.6/4.3 | 82% or GPA 3.7/4.3 |
| Other recognised institution | 80% or GPA 3.6/4.3 | 82% or GPA 3.7/4.3 | 84% or GPA 3.8/4.3 | |
| Malaysia | Public or prestigious private university | 72% or GPA 3.4/4 | 76% or GPA 3.55/4 | 80% or GPA 3.7/4 |
| Vietnam | Bachelor’s from 2017 | 8/10 or GPA 3.5/4 | 8.5/10 or GPA 3.7/4 | 9/10 or GPA 3.9/4 |
| Saudi Arabia | Well-ranked institution | 80% or GPA 3.3/4 or GPA 4/5 | 83% or GPA 3.4/4 or GPA 4.25/5 | 85% or GPA 3.5/4 or GPA 4.5/5 |
| Other recognised institution | 85% or GPA 3.5/4 or GPA 4.5/5 | 88% or GPA 3.65/4 or GPA 4.65/5 | 90% or GPA 3.75/4 or GPA 4.75/5 | |
| Nigeria | Federal, state or private university | 65% or GPA 4/5 | 67.5% or GPA 4.25/5 | 70% or GPA 4.5/5 |
| United States | Bachelor’s degree | GPA 3.5/4 or GPA 3.5/4.3 or GPA 4.3/5 | GPA 3.6/4 or GPA 3.6/4.3 or GPA 4.45/5 | GPA 3.7/4 or GPA 3.7/4.3 or GPA 4.6/5 |
| Canada | Honours or 4-year bachelor’s | 77% or GPA 3.3/4 or GPA 3.3/4.3 | 79% or GPA 3.5/4 or GPA 3.5/4.3 | 82% or GPA 3.7/4 or GPA 3.7/4.3 |
| Germany | Prestigious university | 2.0 | 1.9 | 1.7 |
| Other universities | 1.9 | 1.7 | 1.5 | |
| Netherlands | Bachelor (post 2002) | 7.5/10 or GPA 3.5/4 | 7.75/10 or GPA 3.65/4 | 8/10 or GPA 3.8/4 |
| Spain | Grado / Licenciatura | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | 8.5/10 |
| Italy | Laurea | 106/110 | 108/110 | 110/110 |
Source: University of Cambridge Postgraduate Admissions, “International qualifications”, checked 6 November 2026. Cambridge is among the most demanding UK universities; most others ask for less.
In China, Cambridge's Group A is 37 universities, mostly the “985” universities (Peking, Tsinghua, Fudan, Zhejiang, SJTU, USTC and others). Group B is mostly the remaining “211” universities. The full lists are on Cambridge's page.
Converting a UK degree to a US GPA
There is no official UK-to-US conversion. US graduate schools usually ask you to report your marks as they appear on your transcript, and evaluators such as WES convert each module separately. If you need to estimate your own average first, enter your module marks in the GPA calculator in percent mode.
Questions
Is 65% a 2:1?
Yes, at most UK universities a 2:1 is an average of 60–69%. A First starts at 70%.
What GPA is a 2:1 from the US?
Cambridge asks for a GPA of 3.5 out of 4 (or 3.5/4.3, 4.3/5) as equivalent to a 2:1 and 3.7 for a First. Most other UK universities ask for less.
What percentage from a Chinese university is a 2:1?
At Cambridge, 85% from a Group A university, 88% from Group B and 90% from other recognised universities. Most UK universities ask for less, and many publish their own lists by university.
Does a high 2:1 matter?
Some competitive courses, Cambridge’s among them, ask for a high 2:1 rather than any 2:1. The table above lists what Cambridge accepts as a high 2:1 from each country.
Sources
- University of Cambridge Postgraduate Admissions, International qualifications: www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/apply/before/international-qualifications (checked 2026-11-06)
- QAA, Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifications of UK Degree-Awarding Bodies (2024), degree classification descriptors: www.qaa.ac.uk/docs/qaa/quality-code/the-frameworks-for-higher-education-qualifications-of-uk-degree-awarding-bodies-2024.pdf (checked 2026-11-06)