Nigerian University Degree Classification
Nigerian universities accredited by the NUC use a 5-point CGPA scale to classify degrees into First Class Honours (4.50–5.00), Second Class Upper (3.50–4.49), Second Class Lower (2.40–3.49), Third Class (1.50–2.39), and Pass (1.00–1.49). Letter grades map: A = 70–100% (5 pts), down to E = 40–44% (1 pt) and F = below 40% (0 pts). Class of degree affects NYSC mobilisation, postgraduate admission, and federal employment eligibility.
NUC Letter Grade to Grade Point Mapping
Standardised across all NUC-accredited universities. Minimum pass: E (40%).
| Grade | % Range | Grade Points (of 5) | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 70–100% | 5 | Excellent |
| B | 60–69% | 4 | Good |
| C | 50–59% | 3 | Satisfactory |
| D | 45–49% | 2 | Pass |
| E | 40–44% | 1 | Marginal Pass |
| F | Below 40% | 0 | Fail |
Source: NUC Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS). Some institutions set the A threshold at 75% rather than 70%, grade point values (5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0) are standardised.
NUC Degree Classification Thresholds
CGPA ranges for each class of degree on the NUC 5-point scale.
| Classification | CGPA Range (of 5.00) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| First Class Honours | 4.50–5.00 | Awarded for consistently excellent performance. Qualifies for direct postgraduate admission at most Nigerian and international universities. |
| Second Class Upper Honours | 3.50–4.49 | The standard minimum for competitive federal employment, NYSC corps membership selection, and most postgraduate admissions. |
| Second Class Lower Honours | 2.40–3.49 | Full honours degree. Some employers and postgraduate programmes accept with work experience or bridging coursework. |
| Third Class Honours | 1.50–2.39 | Qualifying degree. Most competitive graduate employers require at minimum Second Class Lower. |
| Pass | 1.00–1.49 | Degree awarded without honours classification. Further studies typically require additional coursework. |
| Fail | Below 1.00 | Degree not awarded. Student may be required to repeat or withdraw. |
NYSC and Class of Degree
NYSC and Class of Degree
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) requires all Nigerian graduates under 30 years of age from NUC-accredited universities to complete a one-year national service programme. The class of degree appears on the NYSC call-up letter and mobilisation documents. Corps members with First Class and Second Class Upper degrees are generally given priority in posting and assignment to federal government parastatals. The NYSC discharge certificate is issued after successful completion of the service year and is required for federal employment and many private sector positions. The class of degree is permanently recorded on both the degree certificate and the NYSC documentation.
Nigerian Transcript Format
Standard fields on a Nigerian academic transcript.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Course Code | Departmental course identifier (e.g., ENG 301) |
| Course Title | Full course name as registered |
| Credit Units (CU) | Credit units for the course (typically 2–4) |
| Grade | Letter grade: A, B, C, D, E, or F |
| Grade Points (GP) | Points earned: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, or 0 |
| Quality Points (QP) | CU x GP for each course |
| GPA | Per-semester GPA: total QP / total CU |
| CGPA | Cumulative GPA across all semesters |
| Class of Degree | Printed on final transcript: First Class, Second Class Upper, etc. |
How OpenEduCat Tracks Nigerian Honours
NUC 5-point scale pre-configured
The Nigeria module installs the NUC grade scale (A=5, B=4, C=3, D=2, E=1, F=0) with the standard percentage-to-grade bands on activation. Course administrators can adjust percentage boundaries for their department if institutional rules differ from the NUC standard bands.
Automatic CGPA and class-of-degree assignment
OpenEduCat computes the CGPA after each semester using the credit-unit-weighted average formula. When the final semester grades are published, the system looks up the CGPA in the NUC classification table and assigns the class of degree automatically. First Class, Second Class Upper, Second Class Lower, Third Class, Pass, or Fail is assigned without manual intervention.
Quality point computation per course
For each course, OpenEduCat stores the credit units, grade, grade points, and quality points (CU x GP). The per-semester GPA and cumulative CGPA are derived from these values. The transcript shows all four columns (CU, Grade, GP, and QP) in the standard Nigerian academic record format.
NYSC-ready transcript output
Nigerian academic transcripts must include the class of degree explicitly for NYSC mobilisation. OpenEduCat generates transcripts that display the CGPA, the class of degree, and the full semester-by-semester academic record in the format required by NYSC and postgraduate admissions offices.
Related Gradebook Pages
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Nigerian university degree classification and NUC CGPA thresholds.
Automate NUC degree classification with OpenEduCat
NUC 5-point scale, CGPA computation, First Class through Pass classification, and NYSC-ready transcripts, pre-configured on day one.