A grade 'U' typically means Unsatisfactory or Ungraded/Unclassified, indicating a failure to meet the minimum requirements for a pass, and generally results in no credit being awarded for the course, though specific meanings vary slightly by institution and qualification system. In the UK GCSE system, 'U' signifies an ungraded result below a Grade 1, meaning no certificate is awarded, while in university S/U (Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory) systems, a 'U' means the work was below a passing threshold (like a D or F) and no credit is earned.
What is a Grade U? U means "Ungraded" — a failure to achieve a grade.
Achieving less than 40% results in a U (unclassified). For passing grades, 40% corresponds to an E grade, 50% a D, 60% a C, 70% a B, and 80% an A. The A* grade was introduced in 2010 and is awarded to candidates who average 80% UMS across all modules, with a score over 90% UMS in all A2 modules.
In both systems, work below the grade G or 1 standard is denoted as 'Unclassified' (U). For comparison purposes, a grade C is considered equivalent to a 4, and an A is equivalent to a 7, and an 8 is equivalent roughly to an A*.
Since 2003, the university has used a four-point letter-grading system for calculating Grade Point Averages (GPA). (Grades in the nine-point grading system are retained on student records for terms that are prior to September 2003.) Grade points reflect judgements of student achievement performance in a class.
A 75% is usually a B or C, depending on the grading scale, often falling into a B- or C+ range in US systems (around 70-79%) but can sometimes be a solid B or even an A in some international or specific Australian scales where higher scores are harder to get. It's a strong pass, but its letter grade varies by institution, often sitting at the cusp of B/C or B+/C+.
What is a 70% GPA? On a scale of 4.0, 70% is a 2.8 GPA, while the same is a 3.1 GPA out of 4.3 and 3.5 out of 5.0 scales.
'UNGRADED' shows that the candidate failed to reach the standard required for grade E(e). Cambridge O Level syllabuses in languages other than English • Performance in speaking tests (compulsory or optional) is recorded on the statements of results below the syllabus grade as: 'with Pass in Oral'.
A failing grade is awarded to students who have not met the minimum requirements to pass their degree course. This means they have not demonstrated sufficient academic ability or achieved the necessary grades to receive a degree qualification.
U is university level (academic) C is college level (applied) M is a mix of U and C.
Grades of F and U are failing grades. R and I are interim grades. Grades of W and X are final grades carrying no credit.
For most classes, a grade of D is the lowest passing grade that will earn course credit.
When you start at university, any mark over 50% is a great grade. Getting a mark over 50% means that you are beginning to understand the difficult work of your degree. Getting over 60% is excellent because it means you have demonstrated a deep knowledge of your subject to the marker.
First-degree graduates who achieved First Class Honours were more likely than others to be in full-time UK employment 15 months after graduation. In fact, they consistently achieved better outcomes across all measures.
What is considered a pass grade? In the UK a pass mark at university is typically 40% (a third, the lowest degree grade.) Anything below this is usually a fail.
A 70% is often a B or a C, depending heavily on the grading system, but in many US systems it's a low C or C-, while in Australia, 70-74% is typically a Distinction (D), and 60-69% is a Credit (C). It's crucial to check your specific school or country's scale, as 70% can range from a solid pass to a high B or low Distinction.
Is a 4.0 GPA good? A 4.0 GPA is generally considered the gold standard for GPA. If your school uses unweighted GPAs, a 4.0 does mean that you have all As - in other words, perfect grades!
The highest grade is 9, the lowest is 1, and U means “ungraded”. The number scale is not directly equivalent to the old letter one.
Grading System: IGCSE exams are graded on a scale from A* (highest) to G (lowest). A grade of “U” indicates ungraded.
Average GPA: 4.2
(Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA. With a GPA of 4.2, Harvard requires you to be at the top of your class. You'll need nearly straight A's in all your classes to compete with other applicants.
6.0 GPAs Are Extremely Rare
Earning a 6.0 GPA is highly unusual because it requires a school with a heavily weighted grading system. Most high schools, even those with weighted GPAs, cap their scales around 5.0, allowing higher GPAs for students in Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) classes.