How Are Masters Degrees Graded in the UK?

UK taught Masters degrees are graded Distinction, Merit or Pass, not First, 2:1 or 2:2. At most universities a Distinction is an average of 70% or more, a Merit is 60% to 69% and a Pass is 50% to 59%. There's no single national scheme, though, so borderline and dissertation rules differ between universities.

If you're used to undergraduate classes, the biggest surprise is usually the pass mark: 50%, not 40%. Below you'll find the usual bands, how four universities apply them, why the dissertation matters so much, and how it all compares with a bachelor's degree.

What are the grades for a Masters degree in the UK?

Here are the usual bands for a taught Masters such as an MA or MSc, based on the regulations of Nottingham, Southampton, Manchester and Edinburgh:

These are the common figures, not a law. QAA, which sets the UK's qualification standards, defines what a Masters is but doesn't set grade bands. Its Master's Degree Characteristics Statement doesn't mention Distinction, Merit or Pass at all. Each university writes its own rules into its regulations.

How do different universities work out Masters grades?

The headline bands are the same at all four universities we checked. The differences show up at the edges, in borderlines and in the dissertation:

So two students with the same 69% average could come out with different grades at different universities. Your own university's regulations are the only reliable guide, so look them up in your first week.

What is the pass mark for a Masters degree?

At all the universities we checked, the pass mark for a taught Masters is 50%, both for modules and for the degree overall. That's higher than the 40% pass mark you'll know from undergraduate study.

There is some flexibility. Many universities let you "compensate" a small number of low marks if the rest of your work is strong:

• Nottingham compensates module marks below 40% for up to 20 credits if you've passed modules worth at least 80 credits.
• Southampton allows a pass by compensation in taught modules worth up to 30 credits, with a qualifying mark of 35.
• Manchester treats marks between 40 and 49 as its compensation zone, for up to 40 credits, but compulsory units can't be compensated.

Compensation doesn't usually apply to the dissertation. Nottingham, for example, only awards a Masters if you've completed both the taught and dissertation stages.

How much does the dissertation count towards your Masters grade?

Usually a lot. QAA says most Masters degrees include a research project leading to a dissertation, and often "at least a third of the course is devoted to a research project". With a typical taught Masters worth 180 credits, that's why dissertations of 60 credits are common. Edinburgh's is 60 credits.

Some universities go further than weighting it by credits:

• Edinburgh won't award a Merit or Distinction unless your dissertation itself hits 60% or 70%.
• Manchester lets individual schools require a 70% average in both the taught part and the dissertation for a Distinction.
• Southampton makes the dissertation a core module with a pass mark of 50. If you fail it, you can submit a revised version on the same subject once.
• Manchester doesn't let you resubmit a dissertation that scores under 30, unless you have approved mitigating circumstances.

The takeaway: plan your dissertation early. It isn't something to fit in after the taught modules are done.

How are research Masters like the MRes graded?

QAA lists the MPhil, MLitt and MRes as examples of research Masters. For an MRes, it says "at least half of the course is commonly devoted to one or more research projects". Manchester's MRes, for example, has 90 credits of taught content and a 90-credit dissertation.

Where universities grade research Masters, the rules sit in their own regulations, so check them directly. We haven't found an official source for how MPhil degrees are graded in general, so we don't give one here.

How many credits is a Masters degree?

QAA says a Masters in England, Wales and Northern Ireland has "a typical minimum of 180 credits, of which at least 150 will be at master's level". Scotland also uses a minimum of 180. That's 90 ECTS credits in European terms, since two UK credits equal one ECTS credit.

Masters degrees sit at level 7 of the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ), which is level 11 in Scotland. At Manchester, Postgraduate Diplomas and Certificates have no classification other than pass or fail.

How do Masters grades compare with undergraduate degree classes?

A bachelor's degree with honours is classified as a First, 2:1, 2:2 or Third. A taught Masters uses Distinction, Merit or Pass instead. The top lines line up at most universities, since both a First and a Distinction start at 70%. The pass lines don't: 40% at undergraduate level against 50% at Masters.

The undergraduate bands above come from Southampton's 2026-27 regulations.

Integrated Masters degrees, such as an MEng or MSci, are different again. QAA gives them a credit allocation of 480, with at least 120 at Masters level, and says they meet both the bachelor's and Masters standards in full. Southampton classifies them like a bachelor's degree, as First, 2:1, 2:2 or Third, weighting the four years 0:1:2:2.

What should you do next?

If you're about to start a Masters, find your university's postgraduate taught regulations and check three things: the Distinction and Merit lines, the borderline rule, and any dissertation requirement. If you're still weighing up university costs, our guide to student finance basics covers how undergraduate funding works.

And if you're earlier in the process and still applying for your first degree, our guides on what UCAS is, how the UCAS application works and what UCAS points are are the place to start.