What UK degree is my qualification equivalent to?

Who decides what your qualification is 'worth' in the UK

There is no single UK government body that stamps a foreign degree as equal to a British one. Two things happen in parallel. First, UK ENIC (the national agency for recognising international qualifications) publishes benchmark comparisons that place foreign awards on the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF). Second, each university admissions office reads those benchmarks alongside its own subject-level entry requirements and makes the final decision.

That means the same qualification can be treated as equivalent to a UK bachelor's degree at one institution and as insufficient for entry at another, depending on the programme, the year of study, and the subject.

What a UK ENIC statement actually says

A Statement of Comparability names your qualification, the awarding country, the awarding institution, and states that it is 'comparable to' a UK level — for example a UK bachelor's degree (RQF Level 6) or a UK master's degree (RQF Level 7). It does not translate your grade or class. It does not confer entry into UK universities. It is evidence that admissions teams and employers use when they build their own view.

• RQF Level 6 corresponds to a UK bachelor's (honours) degree.
• RQF Level 7 corresponds to a UK master's degree, PGDip or PGCert.
• RQF Level 8 corresponds to a UK doctorate (PhD, DBA, EdD, DProf).

Where equivalence is straightforward

Bologna-aligned European degrees usually map neatly. A three-year Bachelor's from an EQF Level 6 institution in France, Italy, Germany or Spain is generally treated as comparable to a UK bachelor's honours degree. A one- or two-year Master's at EQF Level 7 is comparable to a UK taught master's.

Qualifications from the US, Canada, Australia, India, Pakistan, Nigeria and many Commonwealth countries also have well-documented benchmarks, though the equivalence often depends on the length of the programme and whether it included a thesis or capstone.

Where it gets complicated

Professional diplomas, short vocational awards, unaccredited online degrees, or qualifications from institutions that changed names or accreditation status are harder to place. In these cases an admissions team will often ask for the full transcript, syllabi, and any evidence of continuous professional development. Some universities will admit you on the basis of relevant professional experience under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL / APEL) even where the paper qualification alone would not be enough.

How MYUNI helps

MYUNI reviews your qualifications, professional experience and target country, and produces an indicative pathway report. We do not issue equivalence statements — only UK ENIC does that — and we do not decide admissions. We map realistic options at bachelor's, master's, top-up, executive and doctoral level, and flag where an APEL claim may be worth building.