Classification

As a student you need information about how your degree classification works so you can understand it and plan for your future.

Find out how to estimate your final degree classification with our classification calculators.

For full details of the classification process, see the academic regulations for taught programmes page.

How your degree is classified

Degree classifications are calculated by an algorithm, which is an agreed set of rules, processes and calculations. Degree classification algorithms are designed to reflect your overall performance during your studies.

Undergraduate awards

The degree classification for Bachelor's Degrees with Classified Honours is determined according to credit-weighted average grades. The classification average is calculated by weighting years of study according to the 1:2 ratio between programme levels 2 and 3. There are special rules for skills electives and for four-year programmes, and alternative arrangements for other types of undergraduate qualifications.

The degree classification for Integrated Degrees of Master and Bachelor is determined according to credit-weighted average grades. The classification average is calculated by weighting years of study according to the 1:2:2 ratio between programme years 2, 3 and 4. There are additional rules for some accredited programmes and some differences for 2+2 programmes.

The classification thresholds at class boundaries are the following. Classification averages within 0.5 of the next class boundary will be awarded the higher classification.

Thresholds for degree classes

The threshold for Class IIi / Class I degrees is 70.0
The threshold for Class IIii / Class IIi degrees is 60.0
The threshold for Class III / Class IIii degrees is 50.0
The threshold for Fail / Class III is 40.0

The approach applies to your award if you started your current programme at Leeds during or after the 2022/23 academic year and began your final year during or after the 2024/25 academic year.

If you started your current programme at Leeds before the 2022/23 academic year, or commenced your final year before the 2024/25 academic year, your award will be classified under the previous Rules for Award (replaced by the Academic Regulations for Taught Programmes from 2024/25).

Please check with your parent school if you are unsure which regulations apply.

Professional qualifications

Your programme may lead to a professional qualification. This means you may be subject to the requirements of an external body, for example the Law Society or the General Medical Council.

If this applies to you, your school will let you know how your degree classification will work.

They will also share the approach to progression, so that it still meets the programme’s accreditation requirements.

Electives, 4-year programmes, other qualifications

There are special rules for skills electives and for four-year programmes. Other types of undergraduate qualifications also use alternative classification methods.

If you are a student on an integrated Masters and Bachelor degree, your classification will use average grades with credit weighting.

The calculation weights years of study according to the 1:2:2 ratio between programme years 2, 3 and 4.

Some accredited programmes have extra rules. There are also some differences in the calculation for 2+2 programmes.

Taught Postgraduate awards

Taught postgraduate awards are classified by credit-weighted average grades across all modules studied as part of the programme.

Classification calculator

Our Classification Calculators are downloadable Excel spreadsheets that you can use to estimate your final degree classification.

There are different calculators depending upon your award and when you started your programme of study.

The calculators will generate your average mark per year and your final estimated overall average. Please note, the Classification Calculators are for guidance only. There is no guarantee that the classification you will calculate by this method is the one which will be finally awarded. All marks and classifications must be confirmed by the Progression and Awards Board on behalf of Senate before they become final.

Selecting the correct calculator

To select the right calculator for your award, please follow this guidance (note the further guidance section):

If you started your current programme at Leeds before the 2022/23 academic year, OR began your final year before the 2024/25 academic year use Set 1.

If you started your current programme at Leeds during or after the 2022/23 academic year AND began your final year during or after the 2024/25 academic year use Set 2.

Set 1 calculators

There are five versions of the classification calculator; choose the one that corresponds to your award title:

Advanced Diploma Set 1 - Calculator 1 (excel spreadsheet)
Bachelor (Honours) Set 1 - Calculator 1 (excel spreadsheet)
Bachelor (Ordinary) Set 1 - Calculator 1 (excel spreadsheet)
Certificate Set 1 - Calculator 4 (excel spreadsheet)
Certificate of Higher Education Set 1 - Calculator 4 (excel spreadsheet)
Diploma Set 1 - Calculator 4 (excel spreadsheet)
Diploma of Higher Education Set 1 - Calculator 4 (excel spreadsheet)
Foundation Degree Set 1 - Calculator 4 (excel spreadsheet)
Graduate Certificate (including Professional Graduate Certificate (Non-direct entry) Set 1 - Calculator 4 (excel spreadsheet)
Graduate Diploma Set 1 - Calculator 4 (excel spreadsheet)
Integrated Master Set 1 - Calculator 1 (excel spreadsheet) or Set 1 - Calculator 2 (excel spreadsheet)
Master (first degree) Set 1 - Calculator 1 (excel spreadsheet) or Set 1 - Calculator 2 (excel spreadsheet)
Master (taught postgraduate) Set 1 - Calculator 3 (excel spreadsheet)
Master and Bachelor of Dental Surgery Set 1 - Calculator 5 (excel spreadsheet)
Postgraduate Diploma Set 1 - Calculator 3 (excel spreadsheet)
Postgraduate Certificate Set 1 - Calculator 3 (excel spreadsheet)

For Integrated Master degrees with a study abroad variant, which is not included in the classification average, Calculator 1 may be appropriate. Please check with your parent school first.

Set 2 calculators

There are five versions of the classification calculator; choose the one that corresponds to your award title:

Advanced Diploma Set 2 - Calculator 1 (excel spreadsheet)
Bachelor (Honours) Set 2 - Calculator 1 (excel spreadsheet)
Bachelor (Ordinary) Set 2 - Calculator 1 (excel spreadsheet)
Certificate Set 2 - Calculator 4 (excel spreadsheet)
Certificate of Higher Education Set 2 - Calculator 4 (excel spreadsheet)
Diploma Set 2 - Calculator 4 (excel spreadsheet)
Diploma of Higher Education Set 2 - Calculator 4 (excel spreadsheet)
Foundation Degree Set 2 - Calculator 4 (excel spreadsheet)
Graduate Certificate (including Professional Graduate Certificate (Non-direct entry) Set 2 - Calculator 4 (excel spreadsheet)
Graduate Diploma Set 2 - Calculator 4 (excel spreadsheet)
Integrated Master Set 2 - Calculator 1 (excel spreadsheet) or Set 2 - Calculator 2 (excel spreadsheet)
Master (first degree) Set 2 - Calculator 1 (excel spreadsheet) or Set 2 - Calculator 2 (excel spreadsheet)
Master (taught postgraduate) Set 2 - Calculator 3 (excel spreadsheet)
Master and Bachelor of Dental Surgery Set 2 - Calculator 5 (excel spreadsheet)
Postgraduate Diploma Set 2 - Calculator 3 (excel spreadsheet)
Postgraduate Certificate Set 2 - Calculator 3 (excel spreadsheet)

Note: for Integrated Master and Master (first degree) which calculator you need to use will depend on whether your programme of study is classified over penultimate and final years only (Calculator 1), or Years 2, 3 and 4 (Calculator 2). For Integrated Master degrees with a study abroad variant, which is not included in the classification average, Calculator 1 may be appropriate. Please check with your parent school first.

Further classification calculator guidance

This is an indicative list, used for guidance only, and may not cover every circumstance. If you are unsure, or need further help, please contact your parent school.

For Intercalating students, on a 1-year intercalating programme, please use Set 2 if you are taking this intercalating programme during or after the 2024/25 academic year.
For students who have had a period of temporary leave from their studies, please use the academic year in which you first started your programme to determine which set of calculators you should be using, even if it was several years ago.
For students who have changed from studying full-time to part-time, please use the academic year in which you first started your programme to determine which set of calculators to use, not the year that you changed to studying part-time.
For students who started a programme at Leeds, and then transferred to study a different programme, use the academic year you started your original programme as your ‘start’ date.
For students who have transferred to the University of Leeds from a different institution, use the academic year in which you started at Leeds, not when you started studying your programme elsewhere.

How to use the classification calculators

Find and download the relevant calculator for the award you’d like to calculate, by navigating to either Set 1 or Set 2 as above.
Enter your module marks as a whole number in the blue shaded boxes.
Enter the credit value of each module as a whole number in the blue shaded boxes.

An estimated overall average will be generated.

Marking scale

The University uses a 0-100 numerical marking scale as well as non-numeric marks and suffixes, which are letters applied against marks. To find out more about the marking scale and what all the letters and suffixes mean, visit the Marking Scale webpage
If you are having problems downloading or using the classification calculators email the Student Information Service: studentinfo@leeds.ac.uk.

Your award status

If you are a finalist student, when you visit Results and resit application on Minerva, you will see:

your results
award status
and classification.

For more about the classification boundaries and thresholds, see Rules for award via Explanation of marks.

Award status explanations

The different award statuses you can get are:

awarded
Bachelors resit UG Masters (engineering students only)
ordinary resitting for honours
failure
pending finalists
sought.

To help you understand the meaning of your award status you should read the different award status explanations.

You can find these explanations on the Results and resit application page on Minerva. They should follow your award status and classification.

Awarded

You have been awarded. If you fail modules, you can apply to resit to try to improve your classifications or marks. To do this you will need to have resit attempts remaining.

By applying to resit, you defer your award. If you do not submit a resit application by the deadline, the University will assume you have accepted your award.

Bachelor resit UG Masters (engineering students)

You are eligible for a Bachelor award. You can either apply to resit module failures or accept the award and decline all further reset opportunities.

To accept your Bachelor award email the Assessment and Progress team at examinations@leeds.ac.uk.

In your email you should include:

your parent school and ‘Bachelor award’ in the subject field
your full name
your 9-digit ID number
a sentence confirming your intention to accept the Bachelor award.

Ordinary resitting for Honours

You are eligible for an award of Ordinary. You can either apply to resit module fails from this term or accept the award and decline all further resit opportunities.

To accept your Bachelor award email the Assessment and Progress team at examinations@leeds.ac.uk.

You should include:

your parent school and Ordinary award’ in the subject field
your full name
your 9-digit ID number
a sentence confirming your intention to accept the Bachelor award.

Failure

You have not met the rules for award for your programme of study. You have failed your degree. You can apply to resit the modules you failed this term if you have remaining resit attempts.

Failure - had all attempts

You have not met the rules for award for your programme of study. You have failed your degree. You are not eligible for any further resit attempts. You must permanently withdraw from the university. If you're eligible for an exit award, we will notify you later in the year.

Pending finalists

You have not yet got an award. For further information or guidance please contact your school. If you have resit attempts left you can apply to resit any module failures from this term.

Sought

Your degree programme is not complete.

After your classification award

Proof of your award

Following the publication of official results, you will get a digital proof of your award.

It provides formal confirmation of your degree. You can share this confirmation with employers or use it for visas. You will receive your degree certificate at your graduation ceremony. For further details, see graduation.

Academic Appeals

For information about the appeals procedure, see Appeals.

Get help and advice

If you have questions about degree classification this year, or how the principles apply to you, contact the Leeds University Union (LUU) helpdesk or contact your parent school.