American employers expect to see a GPA (Grade Point Average) on a 4.0 scale. A “First Class Honours” or “2:1” has no direct, universally recognized equivalent in the US system. When you leave “First Class Honours” on your resume without context, a recruiter either ignores it or assumes it is a minor departmental distinction.
Hiring managers outside academia rarely know that a 2:1 in the UK represents the minimum for most graduate schemes, or that a First is genuinely rare (roughly 10-15% of graduates). By writing “2:1” you are forcing a reader to stop and decode—and they will not do that work for you.
The safe rule: Never list the classification on a résumé unless the job description explicitly asks for your degree class or transcript. For most roles, your degree name and the institution are enough.
If an application requires a GPA, or if you want to include the classification to show strong performance, translate your UK result into a US GPA range. No single university or credential evaluation service uses an identical conversion table, but the following ranges are widely accepted by US admissions officers and professional credential evaluators (e.g., WES, ECE):
How to present it on your resume (if you include the GPA):
Bachelor of Arts, History (Honours) University of Cambridge GPA equivalent: 3.7 / 4.0 (First Class Honours)
Notice: “GPA equivalent: 3.7 / 4.0” comes first, then the classification in parentheses. That keeps the US-friendly number visible and uses the UK detail as secondary context.
Most US employers do not require a GPA from candidates with more than two years of professional experience. If you have graduated recently (0–2 years) and your classification is a 2:2 or lower, omit the GPA—your degree still proves your field of study. For experienced hires, the degree classification rarely matters, so do not weaken your resume by drawing attention to a lower mark.
A common mistake is writing “BSc (Hons) Computer Science” on a US resume. American recruiters read “BS in Computer Science” or “Bachelor of Science, Computer Science.” The “(Hons)” tag is unfamiliar and looks like a typo or an extra qualification.
Before (UK-style):
BSc (Hons) Economics, 2:1 London School of Economics
After (US-style):
Bachelor of Science, Economics London School of Economics
Do not add “Honours” to the degree name. In the US, an “Honors” degree is rare and indicates a separate thesis program. Your UK Honours degree is simply a standard bachelor’s in the American context. Drop the abbreviation and spell out the degree type.
If you are applying to a US graduate program, the admissions committee will review your full transcript. In that case, keep the exact UK classification and percentage because they understand the scale. But on a resume for a job with that graduate degree? Use the GPA-equivalent method above.
A 2:2 or Third is not a career death sentence, but you must stop calling it out directly. The resume is not a confessional—it is a marketing document. If your classification is below a 2:1, do not write it. Instead, use these strategies:
Real before/after example:
Before:
BA (Hons) Marketing, 2:2 University of Manchester, 2021
After:
Bachelor of Arts, Marketing University of Manchester, 2021 Relevant course: Digital Analytics & Consumer Behavior (85%), Brand Strategy (78%) Capstone project: “Social Media ROI for Small Retailers” – presented to faculty board
Notice the “2:2” is gone. The reader sees a degree from a recognized university and course-level marks—not the overall grade. That subtle shift keeps you in the interview pool.
US resumes expect a clean, reverse-chronological education block. Use bold for degree and university, plain text for dates, and no extra spacing or shading.
Template:
Bachelor of Science, Psychology University College London September 2017 – June 2020 GPA equivalent: 3.5 / 4.0 (Upper Second-Class Honours) [optional]
ATS formatting fact: Most US applicant tracking systems (ATS) parse education fields using standard degree abbreviations (BA, BS, MA, PhD, MBA) before a colon or comma. Write “Bachelor of Science, Psychology” not “BSc Psychology.” The parsing engines recognize the full term and associate it with the correct degree level. Hyphenate “Upper Second-Class Honours” only if you include it—but better to use the GPA equivalent and keep the classification in parentheses.
If you want to verify how your resume looks in an ATS, you can copy-paste the text into a plain-text editor or use a free checker online to see if the parser strips your UK classifications. Most importantly, do not use tables, columns, or text boxes for your education section—ATS often rearranges or skips content inside those elements.
Free US-style Word templates—including one annotated for international applicants—are available at PrismResume templates to help you match local formatting conventions without guesswork.
Wondering how your own resume holds up?
Check it free — no sign-upTranslate Chinese restaurant management experience into hotel receptionist metrics for a U.S. resume. Replace food verbs with hospitality verbs, yuan with USD, and covers with room bookings.
Learn how to list European languages and CEFR levels on a US resume without clutter. One concise rule: one line, active languages only, honest level, and consistent formatting.
Stop hiding from the missing CS degree. Bootcamp graduates get hired every day by using skills-based sections, project evidence, and a clean template.
Loading…