UK to US School Years​: School System Equivalences

Whether you are a British student interested in studying at US universities or a US student considering studying in the UK, it can be important for you to understand the equivalent school years between the UK and the US. To do so, it is necessary to know how the years and grades are converted across the Atlantic.

In this article, we’ll explain mainly:

• The UK and US school year systems; and
• How to convert UK grades to US grades.

However, that’s not all; we’ll also see how Australia fits into the picture. So keep reading!

US school years differ from those in England, but there are also some similarities.

In the UK, compulsory education spans from ages 5 to 18, with:

• Primary school commencing at age 5; and
• Secondary school commencing at around age 11 (or 13 in some systems).

In the American system, children attend school:

• From ages 5 to 18, starting with elementary school (kindergarten through fifth grade); then
• Middle school (usually sixth through eighth grade), starting at age 11; and
• High school (ninth through twelfth grade), starting at age 14.

The table below illustrates the general alignment between ages and grade levels in the UK and US school years.

This table is especially helpful if you’re trying to convert UK grades to US grades for school enrollment or applications (or vice versa).

If you want a more straightforward overview of how grades and school levels work in the US, check out our article “A Guide to US School Years and Education System”.

One of the most common questions students ask is how to convert UK grades to US GPA scores. Here’s a commonly used reference for GCSE results:

If you’re applying to an American university, this table helps admissions teams understand UK grades to US expectations more clearly.

After reading about the UK to US school years comparison, you may ask about the Australian high school to US comparisons. So, here it is! In Australia:

• Schooling is compulsory from ages 5 to 16;
• Students complete 13 years of education;
• Secondary school runs from years 7 to 10; and
• Senior secondary school includes years 11 and 12.

Unlike the US, Australian universities typically assess students based on their year 12 results, rather than entrance exams.

Here’s a simplified equivalence table of Australian high school to US school levels:

This table is helpful for comparing Australian high school grades with those of the US.

Australian grading systems differ by state and institution, but the table below shows a standard conversion used by international admissions offices:

This table helps when you need to compare Australian grades to US GPA ones.

After reading our article, we hope that comparing education systems feels a bit less overwhelming. As you’ve seen, once you break down the UK school years, understand how to convert UK grades to US ones, and see how Australian high school to US equivalents work, the picture becomes much clearer.