How to get a First Class Degree

Getting a first-class degree is no small feat, but with the right strategy, it’s absolutely achievable. From required reading and looming deadlines to high-stakes exams, the pressure is real. Yet every year, students who prepare smartly rise to the top.

At The Profs, we’ve seen this firsthand. In 2025, 85%* of students who came to us with a 2.1 saw their grades jump to a first. With the help of our expert Undergraduate Tutors, they mastered the techniques, habits, and mindset needed to reach the top band.

In this blog post, we’ll walk you through exactly how to do the same. You’ll learn how the British undergraduate degree classification system works, how to get more from your lectures and seminars, and how to approach studying in a way that actually sticks.

Whether you’re aiming to improve your current grade or start strong from day one, this guide will show you how to think, plan, and study like a first-class student.

*Source: Respondents to The Profs Client Feedback Survey 2025

Understanding Degree Classifications

When you start university, one of the first things you’ll encounter is the degree classification system. 

In the United Kingdom, the undergraduate degree classification system has been used for decades to measure academic ability and signal academic achievement across your whole course.

At its simplest, here’s how it works:

• First-class degree (First) – awarded to students with an average of 70% or above.
• Upper second class (2:1) – usually between 60–69%.
• Lower second class (2:2) – usually between 50–59%.
• Third-class honours (Third) – usually between 40–49%.

Each category has an impact on your future. For example:

• A first-class honours degree (sometimes called a ‘first-class honours’) can boost your chances of securing a postgraduate place at competitive law schools or on a degree course that has strict entry requirements.
• An upper second class is still considered strong, but some college or career pathways may demand higher.
• A third class or third-class honours is a pass, but it may close doors to certain careers or graduate training.

It’s important to remember:

1. Your final grade isn’t based on just one exam or coursework task.
2. The result reflects your effort across modules, assignments or presentations, essays, and projects.
3. The marking criteria and weighting vary depending on the institution and across your final year.

Understanding this grading system early gives you a stepping stone to success. If you know how the criteria is used, you can shape your study approach, manage your workload, and stay motivated. 

Why Achieving a First-Class Honours Degree Matters

Getting a first-class honours degree is about more than a certificate at the end of your degree course.

Here’s why it really matters:

Career Opportunities

• Getting a first-class degree can boost your lifetime earnings by £50,000.
• Employers in competitive fields like law, finance, and consulting know it separates the best students from the pack.
• In a crowded market, it can be the deciding reason you get that interview.

Postgraduate Pathways

• A first-class honours degree massively boosts your chances of getting into top UK universities or places like University College London.
• It proves you’ve mastered research methods, academic writing, and the ability to handle challenging modules.

Personal Success

• Getting a first class honours proves you’re capable of tackling complex subject matter, no matter how demanding.
• It’s a huge boost to your confidence and motivation!

Our expert tutors know exactly how to get you there. Work 1-to-1 with an Online Tutor today and start building your path to a first-class degree. 

Are First-Class Degrees Getting Easier to Achieve?

The Myth of Grade Inflation

•  The number of first-class degrees awarded in the UK has grown in the past year.
• Some people argue this is just grade inflation and that it’s “easier” now to walk away with a first.
• But universities have introduced new regulations and stricter marking criteria to make sure a first-class honours degree still represents high academic standards.

Why It Can Feel Harder to Get a First

In truth, it may actually be harder to get a first now because:

1. The workload has intensified, with more demanding modules, coursework, and projects.
2. You’re juggling more than just one exam, everything from essays to presentations, seminars, and group discussions can affect your final grade.
3. Universities want to see more than memorisation. They’re looking for genuine academic writing, critical research methods, and a deep understanding of grades. 

Securing first-class honours today isn’t easy, but that’s exactly why it carries so much weight. With our expert Undergraduate Tutors, you’ll learn proven strategies to rise above the average and secure the first-class degree you need.

How to Get a First Class Degree: Top Tips

If you’re serious about achieving a first class degree at university, you’ll need more than just natural intelligence. Below are six top tips that can transform your chances of securing a first:

Tip 1. Plan Your Work to Earn Higher Grades Every Week

 Many students underestimate just how important planning is. Without a strategy, deadlines creep up, stress builds, and your coursework suffers.

Why it matters:

•  The marking criteria will reward your consistency.
• Weekly planning keeps your work manageable and aligned with the grading system. It will avoid any night cramming later on down the line.
• Strong planning reduces anxiety and improves academic achievement.

How to do it:

•  Break modules into weekly goals.
• Track your progress on each assignment or presentation.
• Use a planner to block library time, downtime, and revision.
• Check your progress against the criteria used to aim for the highest honours.

Example: A degree student writing a thesis in their final year who sets mini-deadlines for each chapter is far more likely to produce polished work than someone who leaves it to the last minute. Using a free planner app like Trello or Notion, they can:

•  Create a board with each chapter as a task.
• Add deadlines and reminders for each stage of the project.
• Track progress visually, moving tasks from “To Do” to “In Progress” to “Complete.”

Tip 2. Tackle Required Reading with a Smart Strategy

The reading list can feel endless. Every book, textbook, and journal looks essential, but the truth is: sometimes you don’t have to read everything cover to cover.

Why it matters:

• Reading strategically saves time and helps you focus on what’s most useful.
• Targeted reading improves essay writing and exam performance.

How to do it:

• Prioritise the required reading from lectures and seminars first.
• Skim for key points, then slow down on chapters or sections that matter.
• Summarise what you’ve read in your own words.

Top tip: Download Zotero (a free research manager). For each book or journal article on your reading list:

• Save the PDF or link in Zotero.
• Highlight and tag key arguments (e.g. “for Essay 2: climate policy”).
• Write a 3-sentence summary in Zotero’s notes section.
• At the end of the year, you’ll have a library of summaries ready for revision = no more drowning in required reading.

Tip 3. Make the Most of Lectures and Seminars

Many students attend a lecture or seminar without fully engaging. But these sessions are full of useful information, if you know how to listen actively and take smart notes.

Why it matters:

• Lecturers often highlight concepts that will come up in exams.
• Paying attention helps you understand how topics connect.
• Participating builds confidence and improves focus.

How to do it well:

• Take clear, structured notes using headings or colour codes.
• Write down any questions or confusing points to follow up later.
• After class, review your notes and turn them into short summaries or flashcards.

Quick tip: Keep a separate document for “exam hints”. Any time your lecturer mentions what’s likely to be assessed, note it down. Over time, this becomes your go-to revision guide.

Tip 4. Prepare for Exams with Proven First-Class Methods

You can’t just cram the night before and expect to hit a top grade. A proper exam plan is essential for achieving a first. But the real trick is how you prepare. 

Unique Methods That Work: 

1. The 48-Hour Rule: Two days after a lecture, rewrite the key concepts from memory without looking at your notes. This strengthens recall and shows gaps while the material is fresh.
2. The 20:5:2 Method: Revise in 20-minute bursts, summarise in 5 minutes, then explain the topic in 2 minutes as if teaching a peer. If you can’t explain it in simple terms, it’s most likely that you don’t completely understand the topic.
3. Exam Blueprints: Make a spreadsheet of past exam questions, group them by theme, and colour-code how often they’ve appeared. This builds a personal “exam map” to focus your revision.
4. Voice Notes Revision: Record yourself explaining a theory or process, then listen while walking or commuting. Hearing your own explanation deepens learning without extra desk time.
5. Blurting Technique: Take a blank sheet of paper and write everything you know about a topic in 5 minutes. Then compare it against your notes and the gaps = your next revision target.
6. Past Paper Annotations: Don’t just practise under timed conditions, annotate your answers with the marking criteria, asking “where would I gain or lose marks?” to train your brain to think like an examiner.
7. Pomodoro with Twist:  Use the standard Pomodoro technique (25 mins work, 5 mins break), but every third cycle, do a “mini-test” instead of passively re-reading. Active recall is key to long-term academic success.

Build lasting academic habits with tailored support from The Profs’ Study Skills Tutors.

Tip 5: Craft Essay and Dissertation Structures That Earn First-Class Marks

Strong structure is the backbone of academic writing. Whether it’s a 2,000-word essay or a 12,000-word thesis, how you organise your ideas often matters as much as the ideas themselves.

Here are the key Do’s and Don’ts

Do’s:

1. Plan before writing: Use Scrivener, Notion, or even a simple Word outline to map out sections. For dissertations, break it into Introduction, Literature Review, Research Methods, Findings, Discussion, and Conclusion. Use your starting motivation to make a strong and detailed plan.
2. Write a clear introduction: Open with your argument (the “what” and “why”), signpost the structure, and show awareness of the wider academic debate. A weak intro signals confusion. A strong one sets the tone for a first class degree. It matters more than you think.
3. Develop strong conclusions: Go beyond summarising. Show how your argument answers the question, why it matters, and what the implications are. For a thesis, tie the conclusion back to your research methods and findings.
4. Anchor arguments in evidence: Support every claim with high-quality sources (journal articles, case studies), not just books or textbooks.
5. Integrate feedback: Apply earlier feedback understanding from lecturers to improve clarity and analysis in longer projects.
6. Be critical: Don’t just summarise, analyse. Evaluate strengths and weaknesses of sources to show depth of knowledge

Don’ts:

1. Don’t start without a plan: Diving straight in usually leads to repetition and disorganised writing.
2. Don’t write vague introductions: Avoid clichés such as “Since the beginning of time…” Examiners value clarity; a weak opening could end up impacting your final grade.
3. Don’t end with a summary-only conclusion: Conclusions should answer “So what?” and show your work’s significance in the whole course. Though, be careful to never introduce new arguments in your conclusion =.
4. Don’t ignore the marking criteria: Every university publishes standards. Missing them can cost marks even if your ideas are good. 
5. Don’t leave referencing until the last minute: Use Zotero or Mendeley to log references as you go to save time near a deadline.
6. Don’t neglect polish: Errors in formatting or language undermine even the best arguments. Always proofread and use tools like Grammarly to flag issues; final checks are crucial to academic success.

Dissertations can be daunting, but you don’t have to navigate them alone. Our Dissertation Tutors offer invaluable insight into research strategy and writing technique. Approach your project with clarity and confidence with The Profs.

Tip 6. Turn Class Feedback into a Roadmap for First Class Honours

Most students do not make use of feedback, but to achieve first-class honours, you must actively engage with

Why it matters:

• Feedback highlights exactly where you’re losing marks.
• Using it builds your skills over the whole course.
• It’s the fastest way to improve your grades.

Make sure you collect every comment from your lecturers. Group them by theme (structure, referencing, analysis). Applying them to your next task is key, so you are using each one is a chance to grow. 

Ready to put these strategies into practice? Our Online tutors are here to help you take the next step towards securing your first-class degree.

What to Do If You Don’t Get a First

Not everyone will finish university with a first-class honours degree, and that’s okay. A 2:1 (upper second class) is still highly respected, and even a 2:2 (lower second class) can lead to great opportunities if you can demonstrate the right skills, motivation, and potential.

Here’s how to move forward confidently:

1. Focus on strengths

• Highlight your best projects, dissertation, or coursework that demonstrate advanced research skills and critical thinking.

2. Leverage experience

• Employers and postgraduate admissions teams care about more than grades; internships, volunteering, and extracurricular achievements often carry equal weight.

3. Seek support

• If you missed a first by a small margin, ask for a detailed breakdown or meet with a lecturer to improve your understanding of grades for future applications.

4. Build your profile

• Many careers and law schools look for well-rounded graduates. Strong academic writing, communication, and problem-solving can make up for not having the highest honours.

5. Remember the bigger picture

• Your degree is one part of your journey. It’s not a forever thing that will define you. What matters most is how you apply your knowledge and experiences in real life.

Don’t feel overwhelmed: The Profs’ Degree Tutors will help you make the most of your strengths, build your academic profile, and unlock life-changing success.

How Can We Help You Get a First-Class Degree?

Achieving a first class degree at university is hard work, but you don’t have to do it alone. At The Profs, we have years of experience helping degree students turn potential into life-changing results.

Here’s what makes our support different:

1. We are the UK’s highest-rated tuition company on Trustpilot since 2016 (rated 4.9/5 based on 1500+ reviews)
2. 98% of our tutors hold postgraduate degrees, 41% have doctorates, and the majority are experienced lecturers, teachers, and professional trainers.
3. Only the top 3% of tutor applicants join our network, ensuring you work with the best and brightest mentors.
4. 93%* of our undergraduates achieved a grade improvement.
5. 57%* of our undergraduates achieved a first-class result.

Whether you need help with academic writing, research methods, or exam strategy, our tutors can guide you step by step. Join the thousands of students who have boosted their grades with The Profs’ University Tutors and take the next step towards academic success.

*Source: Respondents to The Profs Client Feedback Survey 2025.

FAQs about How to Get a First-Class Degree

Do you need 70 in every module to get a first?

No, you don’t need 70 in every module. Universities calculate your final classification by averaging marks across your whole course, with different weighting in your second and final year. As long as your overall average is 70 or above, you can still achieve a first-class honours degree, even if some modules fall below that threshold.

That said, aiming for good grades across all subjects gives you the best chance of success. Consistency matters, and students who spread their effort evenly rather than relying on one strong module usually perform better. Remember, to get firsts, you’ll need to work hard throughout your degree, balancing exams, coursework, and other assessments.

What grades do you need to get a first-class degree?

To get a first-class degree, you generally need an overall average of 70% or higher across assessed coursework, exams, and projects. The exact criteria vary between different universities, but the expectation is the same: critical analysis, originality, and consistently strong work.

If you want to achieve a first-class honours, you’ll need to demonstrate excellence in areas such as academic writing, research, and independent thought. The bottom line: you need to show your examiner that you understand your subject in depth. Writing an essay that goes beyond the expected requirements is one of the best ways to impress.

For students wondering about tips on how to get the top grade, it comes down to planning ahead, seeking feedback, and refining your skills over time. Success rarely comes down to just one exam; it’s about the overall standard you maintain across your university degree.

Is a 2.1 better than a first?

No, a first-class honours degree sits above an upper second-class (2:1) in the British undergraduate classification system. A 2:1 is still a strong result, and many students get good opportunities with it, but a first signals the very top level of academic achievement.

Holding a first can improve your chances of securing places at selective postgraduate courses or landing a competitive job after graduation. Employers often see a first as evidence of resilience, discipline, and the ability to perform at the highest academic level. While both 2:1s and firsts are highly respected, it’s clear that first degrees stand out more in applications.

How rare is a first-class degree in the UK?

The percentage of first-class results has grown in recent years, with the number of firsts awarded across UK universities rising due to grade inflation and changes in marking. Even so, a relatively small proportion of the total student population achieves a first-class honours degree, making it a prestigious and highly valued outcome.

Data shows that while more students get firsts today than in the past, it is still considered the highest academic standard. Achieving one takes commitment. You’ll need to work consistently hard, manage your workload, and maintain focus across three or more years of study. Despite the growing number of firsts awarded, graduates with this classification continue to carry an advantage when applying for postgraduate study or stepping into a competitive job market.