GCSE Grade Converter: 9–1 to A*–G
Quick answer: Ofqual fixes three points between the scales: the bottom of a 7 is the bottom of an A, the bottom of a 4 is the bottom of a C, and the bottom of a 1 is the bottom of a G. In between, grades 9–7 compare with A*/A, 6–4 with B/C and 3–1 with D–G. So C or above = 4 or above, but there is no official single letter for a 5, 6, 8 or 9. Fewer students get a 9 than got an A*.
GCSE grade converter
Each grade converts to a band, not one grade: Ofqual fixes only three points between the scales.
How to use it
Choose a direction, then add each subject with its grade. Each grade shows the band of grades it compares with on the other scale, and the totals count your grade 4 or above (standard passes), English and maths at grade 5 or above (strong passes — name the subject so the converter can tell) and grade 7 or above.
The official comparison
From Ofqual’s brief guide for parents: “The bottom of a grade 7 is comparable to the bottom of the old grade A, the bottom of a new grade 4 is comparable to the bottom of the old grade C, and the bottom of the new grade 1 is comparable to the bottom of the old grade G.” Its chart puts 9, 8 and 7 against A* and A, 6, 5 and 4 against B and C, and 3, 2 and 1 against D, E, F and G.
| New grades (9–1) | Old grades (A*–G) | Official fixed point |
|---|---|---|
| 9, 8, 7 | A*, A | The bottom of grade 7 is the bottom of grade A, so 7 or above is A or above. |
| 6, 5, 4 | B, C | The bottom of grade 4 is the bottom of grade C, so 4 or above is C or above. |
| 3, 2, 1 | D, E, F, G | The bottom of grade 1 is the bottom of grade G, so 1 or above is G or above. |
| U | U | U is unclassified on both scales. |
Entry requirements written in old grades
Only three old requirements have an exact new equivalent:
| If a course or job asks for | It now means | Official? |
|---|---|---|
| Grade C or above | Grade 4 or above | Yes: Ofqual and the DfE |
| Grade A or above | Grade 7 or above | Yes: the bottom of 7 is the bottom of A |
| Grade G or above | Grade 1 or above | Yes: the bottom of 1 is the bottom of G |
| Grade B or above | Somewhere in 4 to 6 | No: B has no fixed point, so check with the course |
| Grade A* | Somewhere in 7 to 9 | No: A* has no fixed point, so check with the course |
Why there is no one-to-one chart
The scales have different numbers of grades: “The new grading scale has more grades above a grade 4 than above the old grade C, to provide greater differentiation for higher achieving students” (DfE factsheet). Three new grades (4, 5, 6) cover what two old grades (B, C) did, so a 5 or a 6 cannot be pinned to one letter. Charts that do so are an estimate, not Ofqual’s comparison.
When the 9–1 grades started
English language, English literature and maths were first graded 9 to 1 in summer 2017; other subjects moved over between 2018 and 2020. The DfE said in 2019 that most GCSEs in Wales and Northern Ireland would continue to be graded A* to G.
Frequently asked questions
Is a 4 a C?
Is a 7 an A?
Is a 9 an A*?
What is a 5 in old grades?
What is a standard pass and a strong pass?
Why do other sites say 8 = A* and 6 = B?
Do Wales and Northern Ireland use 9 to 1?
Sources
- Ofqual: GCSE 9 to 1 grades, a brief guide for parents — Ofqual blog, 2 March 2018, updated 1 February 2019
- Department for Education: GCSE new grading scale factsheets — Factsheets for parents and for employers, FE and HE providers, updated 8 May 2019
Both read on 2026-10-02.