What is French to UK Grade Conversion?

French to UK grade conversion is the systematic process of translating academic performance from the French numerical grading scale (0-20) to the British degree classification system, which categorizes undergraduate academic achievement into distinct honors classes. This conversion facilitates academic mobility between France and the United Kingdom, enabling French students to apply to UK universities, British students to transfer credits from French study abroad programs, and employers and academic institutions to evaluate international credentials accurately. The conversion accounts for fundamental differences in grading philosophies, assessment standards, and performance expectations between the two educational systems.

The French grading system operates on an absolute scale from 0 to 20, where 10 represents the minimum passing grade, grades above 16 are exceptionally rare, and theoretical perfection at 20 is virtually never awarded. French academic assessment emphasizes rigorous absolute standards rather than relative performance curves, making high grades genuinely difficult to achieve regardless of peer performance. In contrast, the UK system uses percentage-based marking (0-100) translated into degree classifications: First Class Honours (70%+ or 1st) represents exceptional achievement, Upper Second Class (60-69% or 2:1) indicates strong performance, Lower Second Class (50-59% or 2:2) shows satisfactory work, Third Class (40-49% or 3rd) denotes passing standard, and below 40% constitutes failure. UK universities frequently award First Class degrees, while French institutions rarely grant grades above 16, creating conversion complexities.

Multiple authoritative conversion standards exist, each developed by different UK institutions and credential evaluation bodies. UK NARIC (National Recognition Information Centre), the official UK government body for international qualifications, provides widely accepted conversion guidelines used by universities, employers, and professional bodies. Individual universities like St Andrews, Warwick, and Sheffield Hallam publish their own conversion tables based on historical performance analysis of French students at their institutions. The European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) offers standardized grade descriptors (A through F) facilitating conversions across European educational systems. Understanding which conversion standard your target institution employs is crucial for accurate credential presentation and realistic assessment of admission competitiveness.

Conversion Formulae

UK NARIC Standard Conversion

The UK NARIC conversion is the official UK government standard for French grade conversion:

UK Percentage Conversion Formula

To convert French grades to UK percentage marks:

Mathematical Expression:

St Andrews Conversion Formula

University of St Andrews uses this conversion scale:

Weighted Average Calculation

For calculating overall classification from multiple modules:

Mathematical Expression:

Linear Proportion Method

Alternative linear conversion for UK percentage:

Mathematical Expression:

Uses of French to UK Grade Converter

The French to UK Grade Converter serves critical functions for students, educators, and institutions managing academic transitions between French and British higher education systems.

UK University Admissions: French students applying to UK universities for undergraduate or postgraduate study use this converter to understand how UK admissions offices will evaluate their French credentials. Most UK Master's programs require minimum 2:1 classification (French 14+ equivalent), while research degrees often demand First Class or high 2:1 (French 16+ equivalent). Competitive programs at Russell Group universities like Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College London, London School of Economics, and University College London typically expect French grades of 15-16 or higher. The converter helps students assess admission competitiveness, identify suitable programs, and set realistic expectations for application outcomes based on their French academic records.

UCAS Applications and Course Selection: Students applying through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service), the UK's centralized university application system, need to present French qualifications in formats UK institutions understand. The converter helps students complete UCAS forms accurately, translates French Baccalauréat, Licence, and Master's grades into UK equivalents, and enables comparison with UK A-Level and undergraduate degree requirements. Understanding converted grades helps students select appropriate courses where their qualifications meet entry requirements and avoid wasting application slots on programs where they're significantly under or over-qualified.

Study Abroad Credit Transfer: British students participating in Erasmus+ programs or bilateral exchange agreements with French universities need to convert French grades for credit transfer to UK institutions. UK universities have established policies determining how French grades translate to UK credits and whether they affect degree classifications. The converter helps students understand how their French performance will impact their UK transcripts, enabling informed course selection abroad and realistic GPA expectations. Some UK institutions use pass/fail grading for study abroad to protect students' degree classifications, while others incorporate converted grades directly.

Postgraduate Applications and Research Funding: French students applying to UK PhD programs, research councils (UKRI, EPSRC, AHRC), and competitive scholarships like Marshall, Rhodes, or Chevening use the converter to determine eligibility. Many funding bodies require First Class or Upper Second Class honors, translating to French grades of 14-16+. The converter helps students assess whether their French credentials meet minimum requirements for research council funding, university scholarships, and competitive fellowships. UK doctoral admissions committees evaluate research potential alongside academic grades, but meeting classification thresholds remains essential for initial consideration.

Employment and Professional Qualifications: UK employers evaluating French candidates' academic credentials use conversion standards to assess educational qualifications. Graduate schemes, professional training programs, and competitive employers often establish minimum degree classification requirements (typically 2:1 or First Class). French graduates use the converter to present their qualifications in UK terms, demonstrate equivalency to UK standards, and verify they meet employer requirements. Professional bodies regulating careers in law, accounting, engineering, and medicine use UK NARIC evaluations incorporating these conversion standards for membership and certification eligibility.

Academic Reference and Recommendation Letters: French faculty writing recommendation letters for students applying to UK programs use the converter to provide context for grades. Letters can explain that a French 14/20 represents strong performance equivalent to UK 2:1 classification, or that 16+ equates to First Class honors. This contextualization helps UK admissions committees interpret French grades accurately and understand that seemingly modest numerical scores represent high achievement given French grading stringency. Academic advisors also use converters to counsel students realistically about UK admission prospects based on their French performance.

Credential Evaluation and Recognition: UK NARIC, university international offices, and employers use standardized conversion tools to evaluate French qualifications systematically. The converter implements official conversion standards ensuring consistency in credential assessment across UK institutions. Students can preview how official evaluations will assess their French transcripts before submitting formal applications or paying for professional credential evaluation services. Understanding conversion methodologies helps students present their credentials optimally and identify which UK institutions use conversion standards most favorable to their academic profiles.

How to Use This Converter

Follow these comprehensive steps to accurately convert your French grades to UK degree classifications:

1. Obtain Official French Transcript: Request an official transcript (relevé de notes) from your French institution showing all completed modules with grades on the 0-20 scale and ECTS credit values. Ensure the transcript includes your institution's name, your enrollment details, academic years covered, and official stamps or signatures. For Baccalauréat conversions, obtain your final results document showing overall grade and mention. For university degrees (Licence, Master), obtain complete transcripts covering all years of study with semester-by-semester grade breakdowns.
2. Select Conversion Standard: Choose the appropriate conversion method from the dropdown menu. Select "UK NARIC" for the official UK government standard used by most universities and employers. Choose "University of St Andrews" if applying specifically to St Andrews or institutions using similar scales. Select "ECTS Standard" for European-wide credit transfer programs. If your target UK institution publishes specific conversion guidelines, use those standards. When uncertain, UK NARIC provides the safest default as it's the official national standard.
3. Enter Module Details: In the "Module Name" field, input each course or module from your transcript using English translations where possible. Use descriptive names like "Organic Chemistry," "French Literature," or "Econometrics" rather than abbreviated course codes. Accurate module naming helps you track conversions and produces professional-looking results for sharing with advisors or admissions offices. Enter modules systematically, working through your transcript semester by semester or year by year.
4. Input French Grades: In the "French Grade (0-20)" column, enter the exact numerical grade from your official transcript for each module. French grades range from 0 to 20, so values must fall within this range. Include decimal values precisely as shown on your transcript (e.g., 14.5, 15.25, 16.75). Do not round or estimate grades—use exact official values for accurate conversion. Transcription errors can significantly affect your calculated UK classification, so verify each entry carefully.
5. Enter ECTS Credits: In the "Credits/ECTS" column, input the credit value for each module from your transcript. French universities typically use ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) credits, where standard modules carry 3-6 ECTS, semesters total 30 ECTS, and full academic years equal 60 ECTS. Bachelor's degrees (Licence) require 180 ECTS total, while Master's degrees require 120 ECTS. If your transcript shows coefficients rather than ECTS, enter those values—the converter treats all weights identically in calculations.
6. Add Additional Modules: Click the green "+ Add Module" button to create new input rows for additional courses. Continue adding modules until you've entered your complete academic record from your transcript. For full degree classification calculation, include all modules from all years of study. For semester-specific or year-specific calculations, include only relevant modules. The converter accommodates unlimited modules, allowing complete transcript conversion regardless of program length or complexity.
7. Remove Incorrect Entries: If you need to delete a module due to data entry errors or if you want to exclude certain modules from calculation, click the red "✕" button on the right side of that row. The converter requires at least one module for calculation, so it prevents deletion of the final remaining row. You can freely add and remove modules while building your complete academic profile, allowing error correction and scenario testing.
8. Calculate UK Classification: Once you've entered all modules with French grades and credits, click the blue "Calculate UK Classification" button. The converter processes your data using the selected conversion standard, translates each French grade to its UK percentage equivalent, weights each module by its credits, computes your overall UK percentage, and assigns the corresponding degree classification. Results appear in a comprehensive display below the calculator showing your UK percentage, degree classification, French average, and individual module conversions.
9. Interpret Results: Review your results carefully. The UK percentage shows your overall performance on the 0-100 scale used by British universities. The degree classification badge displays your honors class with distinctive formatting: First Class (70%+), Upper Second/2:1 (60-69%), Lower Second/2:2 (50-59%), Third Class (40-49%), or Fail (below 40%). The French average shows your mean grade on the 0-20 scale for comparison. Individual module conversions reveal how each French grade translated to UK percentage, helping you understand conversion patterns and identify strong versus weak performance areas.
10. Verify and Document: Cross-check calculator results against your transcript to ensure all data entry was accurate. Take screenshots or print results for your records, university applications, and advisor consultations. Remember that while this calculator provides accurate conversions based on official standards, formal UK university applications may require professional credential evaluation from UK NARIC or your target institution's international office. Use calculator results for planning and preliminary assessment, but obtain official evaluations for formal applications when required.

How This Converter Works

The French to UK Grade Converter implements sophisticated conversion algorithms based on official UK NARIC standards, university-specific conversion tables, and ECTS grading frameworks, ensuring accurate translation of French academic performance to British degree classifications.

Step 1: Data Validation and Collection

When you initiate conversion, the system first validates all input data to ensure accuracy and completeness. The validator checks that French grades fall within the valid 0-20 range, credit values are positive numbers (typically 1-30 ECTS per module), and all required fields contain valid numerical entries. The system identifies missing data, out-of-range values, or non-numerical entries, prompting corrections before proceeding. This validation prevents computational errors and ensures conversion reliability. The calculator requires at least one complete module entry (name, French grade, credits) to perform calculations, as degree classifications cannot be determined without grade data.

Step 2: Conversion Standard Selection

Based on your selected conversion standard (UK NARIC, St Andrews, or ECTS), the converter applies the appropriate conversion table mapping French grade ranges to UK percentages and classifications. UK NARIC standard uses official government guidelines: 16-20 French = First Class (70%+), 13-15.9 = Upper Second (60-69%), 12-12.9 = Lower Second (50-59%), 10-11.9 = Third (40-49%). St Andrews uses slightly different thresholds: 16.5-20 = First, 13.5-16.4 = 2:1, 10-13.4 = 2:2. ECTS standard employs grade descriptors (A=Excellent, B=Very Good, C=Good) with corresponding percentage ranges. Each standard reflects different institutional philosophies about French grade equivalency and grading rigor recognition.

Step 3: Individual Module Conversion

For each module, the converter translates the French grade to its UK percentage equivalent using the selected conversion table. The system identifies which French grade range the module falls into and assigns the corresponding UK percentage. For example, using UK NARIC standard, a French grade of 15/20 falls in the 13-15.9 range, converting to approximately 65% (Upper Second/2:1). A 17/20 falls in the 16-20 range, converting to approximately 75% (First Class). The converter performs this translation for every module individually, creating a comprehensive module-by-module conversion mapping that shows how each French grade translates to UK performance standards.

Step 4: Weighted Percentage Calculation

After converting all modules to UK percentages, the system calculates the weighted average accounting for varying module credit values. Using the formula \( \text{Weighted UK \%} = \frac{\sum(UK\% \times Credits)}{\sum(Credits)} \), the converter multiplies each module's UK percentage by its ECTS credits, sums all weighted percentages, and divides by total credits. For example, if Module A (70%, 15 ECTS) and Module B (65%, 15 ECTS) yield \( \frac{(70 \times 15) + (65 \times 15)}{30} = \frac{2025}{30} = 67.5\% \). This weighting ensures modules with more credits have proportionally greater impact on overall classification, reflecting their greater academic significance.

Step 5: Degree Classification Assignment

Based on the calculated weighted UK percentage, the converter assigns the appropriate British degree classification using standard UK classification boundaries. The classification logic evaluates the percentage against defined thresholds: First Class Honours (70-100%), Upper Second Class Honours/2:1 (60-69%), Lower Second Class Honours/2:2 (50-59%), Third Class Honours (40-49%), and Fail (0-39%). The system applies these boundaries universally across UK institutions, though some universities use sub-classifications (like 68-69% for "high 2:1"). The converter displays the classification with distinctive visual badges indicating honors level achieved.

Step 6: French Average Computation

Simultaneously, the converter calculates your overall French grade average for comparison and reference. Using the same weighted average methodology with French grades rather than UK percentages, the system computes \( \text{French Average} = \frac{\sum(\text{French Grade} \times \text{Credits})}{\sum(\text{Credits})} \). This French average helps you understand your performance in both systems, verify data entry accuracy (your calculated French average should match your transcript if you entered all modules), and provide context for UK classifications by showing the corresponding French performance level.

Step 7: Individual Module Results Generation

The converter generates detailed breakdowns showing how each French grade converted to UK percentage, including module name, original French grade, assigned UK percentage, credit value, and resulting classification range. This granular presentation enables students to identify which modules performed strongest in conversion, understand how different French grade ranges translate to UK standards, and verify calculation accuracy module-by-module. The individual results help explain your overall classification by showing which modules elevated or lowered your weighted average based on their grades and credit weights.

Step 8: Results Presentation and Interpretation

Finally, the calculator presents comprehensive results in an organized, professional format with clear visual hierarchy and color-coding. The degree classification receives distinctive badge styling (gold for First Class, silver for 2:1, bronze for 2:2, green for Third) making the honors level immediately apparent. All numerical values are appropriately rounded (percentages to one decimal, averages to two decimals) maintaining precision while ensuring readability. The results section includes total credits processed, overall UK percentage, degree classification, French average, and scrollable individual module conversions. Users can screenshot or print results for documentation, advisor review, or application planning purposes.

Detailed French to UK Conversion Table

This comprehensive table provides standardized equivalencies between French grades (0-20 scale) and UK degree classifications with percentage ranges.

Understanding UK Degree Classifications

The British degree classification system categorizes undergraduate academic achievement into distinct honors classes, each representing specific performance levels and carrying different implications for further study and employment.

First Class Honours (1st)

Percentage Range: 70-100%

French Equivalent: 16-20/20 (Mention Très Bien)

Description: First Class Honours represents exceptional academic achievement demonstrating comprehensive understanding, outstanding analytical skills, excellent critical thinking, and consistent high-quality work. Approximately 25-30% of UK students achieve First Class degrees, though this varies by institution and subject. First Class graduates qualify for competitive postgraduate programs, research council funding, prestigious graduate schemes, and academic careers. Top employers in consulting, finance, and law often require First Class degrees for recruitment consideration.

Upper Second Class Honours (2:1)

Percentage Range: 60-69%

French Equivalent: 13-15.9/20 (Bien/Assez Bien)

Description: Upper Second Class Honours indicates strong academic performance with good comprehension, solid analytical capabilities, and consistent above-average work. The 2:1 is the most common UK degree classification, achieved by approximately 45-50% of students. Most competitive UK Master's programs require minimum 2:1 classification for admission. Graduate employers typically set 2:1 as minimum requirement for applications. A 2:1 qualifies students for most postgraduate study, professional training programs, and competitive career paths.

Lower Second Class Honours (2:2)

Percentage Range: 50-59%

French Equivalent: 12-12.9/20 (Assez Bien)

Description: Lower Second Class Honours demonstrates satisfactory academic performance with adequate understanding of core concepts and acceptable work quality. Approximately 15-20% of UK students achieve 2:2 classification. While 2:2 graduates can pursue postgraduate study, many competitive programs require minimum 2:1. Some employers accept 2:2 for graduate schemes, though top-tier opportunities often specify higher requirements. Many 2:2 graduates successfully pursue professional careers through alternative routes like work experience, professional qualifications, or less selective Master's programs that accept 2:2 with relevant experience.

Third Class Honours (3rd)

Percentage Range: 40-49%

French Equivalent: 10-11.9/20 (Passable)

Description: Third Class Honours represents minimum passing standard with basic comprehension and limited analytical depth. Approximately 5-10% of UK students receive Third Class degrees. Third Class graduates face challenges accessing competitive postgraduate programs and graduate schemes, as most specify minimum 2:2 requirements. However, Third Class degrees still represent successful undergraduate completion and qualification for careers not requiring higher classifications. Graduates can pursue professional development through work experience, vocational qualifications, or conversion courses.

Ordinary Degree (Pass)

Percentage Range: 40%+ (without honors)

Description: Some UK institutions award Ordinary or Pass degrees to students who complete required credits but don't meet honors classification standards. This may result from failing to complete a dissertation, insufficient overall performance, or specific institutional policies. Ordinary degrees are less common than honors classifications and carry similar employment prospects to Third Class degrees.

Fail

Percentage Range: Below 40%

French Equivalent: Below 10/20 (Insuffisant)

Description: Scores below 40% do not qualify for degree award. Students may be offered opportunities to retake failed modules or repeat the year depending on university policies and specific circumstances.

Frequently Asked Questions