Merit / Distinction

MERR-it / diss-TINK-shun
Neutral Neutral

What it really means

The grades for a taught master's degree: Pass (50+), Merit (60+) and Distinction (70+). A Distinction is the master's equivalent of a First.

Chinese explanation
授课型硕士的成绩等级:Pass(50分以上)、Merit(60分以上)、Distinction(70分以上)。Distinction 相当于本科的一等学位。

Example conversation

A: What do you need for a Distinction? B: Seventy overall, including the dissertation.
A:拿 Distinction 需要多少分? B:总评70分,毕业论文也算在内。

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Official sources

Rules and amounts change — confirm important details with the official source.
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Reviewed by the UK Decoded editorial team · Last checked 24 July 2026 · Report a mistake