Determining the UK equivalent of my Australian Degree/GPA

Hi. I'm an Australian student, soon to be completing a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Mathematics - a three year undergraduate course. I study at the University of Queensland, which is currently rated amongst the world's top 35 universities.

I'm considering my options for work and/or post-graduate study in the UK, and I'm trying to determine how competitive my qualification will be. I'm expecting to graduate with a grade-point average (GPA) of 6.0, on the Australian seven-point scale, where 4.0 is the minimum pass, and 7.0 is the highest possible GPA. Generally, anything 6.0 and over is considered exceptional.

I'm finding it incredibly difficult to figure out how this will compare to degrees in the UK system, mainly because of the way the percentile cut-offs are defined for the grades. Here are the Australian and UK systems, as I understand them:

Australian Percentile Cut-offs for each unit/subject in the degree:
85% - 100%: High Distinction (7)
75% - 84.9%: Distinction (6)
65% - 74.9%: Credit (5)
50% - 64.9%: Pass (4)
0% - 49.9%: Varying levels of failure (0 - 3).

So, with my 6.0 GPA, I have obtained on average 75% - 84.9%, or approximately 80% of the available marks across the subjects in my degree.

The United Kingdom Degree Cut-offs (as I understand them):
70% - 100%: First-class.
60 - 69%: Upper second-class.
50 - 59%: Lower second-class.
40 - 49%: Third class.
0 - 39%: Varying levels of failure.

So, looking only at the percentage marks and cutoffs, my degree would be roughly equal to a first-class UK degree. However, I suspect that this is not how it would be calculated.

Does anybody have any experience translating/converting GPAs to or from the United Kingdom? Any help or advice would be appreciated.

Reply 1

Juzza42

OP

2

After some more forum-searching, I've found several UK residents suggesting that the UK system makes it exceptionally difficult for students to get over 70% on average. How accurate is this? If true, it would suggest that my degree would be closer to an upper second-class degree in the UK, but I'd like to find some statistics to justify the claim.

My guess would be that only the top 10% of Australian students complete a degree with a GPA of 6.0 or higher. How does this compare to the proportion of UK students completing first-class degrees? Is anyone willing to put forward a statistic as to what proportion of UK graduates have a first-class undergraduate degree, for example only the top 10%, or top 5%, etc.

Thanks.

Reply 2

fake plastic love

11

I have a feeling its around 15% of UK graduates that get a first. Anyone know for sure?

Anyway, it sounds to me like you probably have the equivalent of a low-mid first. Which is very good!

Reply 3

emmings

12

The HESA website has statistics for 2005/6.

Total no. of students (full-time) - 278385
First class degrees awarded - 31415

That's about 11%.

Reply 4

Cirsium

19

Yep sounds like you've got a 1st. It's kinda hard for me to judge cos my university has v high entry requirements and v good teaching and therefore gives out more firsts, but 10% 1sts sounds about right so looks like that's what you've got.

(As for hard to get 70%, basically if you repeat lectures = <67% and then above and beyond that you need further reading, original ideas etc - hard but not unachievable.

Reply 5

Juzza42

OP

2

Thanks for the replies. It seems quite safe for me to assume that I have at least a strong 2:1 degree, if not a first, which I'm quite happy with.

It seems likely that it is roughly equivalent to a low-mid first, and I'll try to have that confirmed by an appropriate service/authority when I come to the UK.

Reply 6

Darth_lil

1

I went on exchange in Australia from UK. In Aussie I got 6.0 GPA but in UK it wasn’t First, it was 2:1, since it’s really hard to get 70%

Determining the UK equivalent of my Australian Degree/GPA

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