UK university “China lists”: how Tier, Band and Prestigious decide your required average
Your required average is not a UK-wide rule — each university writes its own China list, and the vocabulary differs. One prints Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3; another prints Band A, B, C; another splits institutions into Categories or Groups; King's uses "211/Double First-Class" and "non-211" instead of tiers at all. This page lists each university's own wording and the exact figures printed beside it in that university's own entry requirements. To use it, find your own institution on that university's list and read the figure printed next to your tier, band, category or group — the list has to contain your university, and your name alone tells you nothing. Where a university states that its current published page is the deciding document, treat that page as authoritative over anything shown here.
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King's College London — 2026 entry. Split is 211 institutions & Double First-Class institutions versus non-211 institutions, not tiers. Weighted averages printed: First Class Bachelor Degree 88% (211 & Double First-Class) / 90% (non-211); High 2:1 85% / 88%; 2:1 80% / 85%; High 2:2 77% / 80%; 2:2 75% / 77%. For GPA-graded degrees, a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.3–3.5 on a 4.0 scale is normally looked for. Applicants are said to be stronger candidates if attending a university considered prestigious, listed as prestigious by UK ENIC or within the Project 211/Double First Class list.
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The University of Manchester — 2026/27 entry. Vocabulary is a ranked list of names with a rank coefficient, then Core List bands: Rank 1 List (Core List: Top+ Tier 1) = 80%; Rank 2 List = 82%; Rank 3 List = 85%. A separate Core List block, "Other Tier 1 Universities", carries additional Tier 1 universities. Individual ranked rows print coefficients such as 0.8 and 0.82. The stated policy is that schools prioritise applicants from higher ranked institutions who exceed minimum academic entry requirements.
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University of Bristol — 2026 entry. Vocabulary is a Specialist University List, with two figures per institution: a 2:1 column and a Strong 2:1 column. Figures printed in the rows include 78 / 81, 80 / 82, 80 / 83, 82 / 85, 85 / 88, 87 / 90, and, for Sino-foreign joint-venture entries, GPA forms such as 3.3 GPA, 3.0 CGPA and 4.0/82.
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The University of Warwick — 2027 entry. Vocabulary is institution Category against a UK 2:1 equivalent: Category 1 = 0.7, Category 2 = 0.75, Category 3 = 0.8, Category 4 = 0.88. Requirements vary by subject, some courses accept UK 2:2 or equivalent, and the Law school sets separate requirements for certain Chinese institutions.
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University of Birmingham — 2027 entry. Postgraduate vocabulary is institution Group, with two printed columns: economics and non-quantitative business courses, and all other master's courses. Group 1 = 0.75 / 0.73; Group 2 = 0.8 / 0.78; Group 3 = 0.85 / 0.83; Group 4 = 0.9 / 0.87. Undergraduate entry accepts Gaokao with a minimum 80% overall average, including 80% in Mathematics where required at A level, or a Senior Secondary School Graduation Certificate with minimum 85% overall across year 11 and year 12.
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University of Glasgow — 2027 entry. Vocabulary is University Band against results required for 2:1 and for 2:2: Band A = 0.75 (2:1) and 0.7 (2:2); Band B = 0.8 and 0.75; Band C = 0.85 and 0.8. The university states that the file is for reference and that final admission decisions rest with its admissions office.