📊
WAEC Grading System Explained
From A1 to F9 — what every grade means, which ones count as credits, and what universities actually require.
9
Grade Levels
6
Credit Grades
5
Credits for Uni
All WAEC Grades at a Glance
Tap any grade to see what it means in practice.
A1
Distinction
75–100%
The best grade you can get. Shows mastery of the subject.
Credit
B2
Very Good
70–74%
Excellent grade. Counts as a full credit for all admission requirements.
Credit
B3
Good
65–69%
Good solid performance. Counts as credit. Many students aim for B3 as a minimum.
Credit
C4
Credit
60–64%
Still a credit pass. Meets university admission requirements.
Credit
C5
Credit
55–59%
Credit pass. Acceptable for most admission purposes.
Credit
C6
Credit
50–54%
The minimum credit grade. Still fully counts as a credit for JAMB and university admission.
Credit
D7
Pass
45–49%
An ordinary pass. Does NOT count as a credit. Cannot be used for university admission requirements.
Pass
E8
Pass
40–44%
An ordinary pass. Does NOT count as a credit. Better than failing but not useful for admission.
Pass
F9
Fail
0–39%
A failure. You will need to retake this subject to use it for any admission purpose.
Fail
Credit vs Pass — What's the Difference? 🎯
✅
Credit Pass
Grades A1, B2, B3, C4, C5, C6. These are the only grades that count toward your five required credits for university and polytechnic admission. If you got a C6, you have a credit — full stop.
⚠️
Ordinary Pass
Grades D7 and E8. You passed the subject and it appears on your certificate, but it does NOT count as a credit. You cannot use a D7 or E8 to meet university admission requirements.
❌
F9 is a Failure
Grade F9 means you failed the subject. It will appear on your certificate as F9 and cannot be used for anything. You need to retake the subject — either at the next sitting or as a private candidate.
What Different Institutions Require 🏫
🎓
University (Degree)
Minimum of five credit passes (A1–C6) at WAEC or NECO in not more than two sittings. English Language and Mathematics must be among the five credits for virtually all courses. Medicine, Law, and Engineering often require specific science or arts subjects as credits.
🏛️
Polytechnic (HND / ND)
At least four credit passes including English Language and Mathematics. Some programmes require five credits. Lower National Diploma (ND) entry requirements vary by institution — some accept three credits for certain courses.
📋
College of Education (NCE)
Five credit passes including English Language. Mathematics credit is required for most science and primary education programmes. Education courses specify which two subjects you will teach, and credits in those subjects are usually required.
💼
Civil Service / Professional Bodies
Most federal and state government jobs at entry level require five WAEC credits including English and Mathematics. Professional bodies like ICAN, COREN, and NMA also require these as minimum qualifications before professional training can begin.
🚀
Aim for Credits — Practice Now
The gap between a D7 and a C6 is smaller than you think. Consistent past question practice is what closes it.
Practice WAEC Questions →Common Questions 🤔
Yes — C6 is a full credit pass. It meets university and polytechnic admission requirements exactly the same way an A1 does. For admission purposes, a C6 in Mathematics and a C6 in English Language is all you need. Many students aim higher for competitive courses, but C6 is not a bad result.
Both are credit passes and both are excellent grades. B2 represents a score of 70–74% while B3 represents 65–69%. For university admission, they are treated the same — both are credits. The distinction matters more for merit-based scholarships or competitive programme selection where overall grade points are considered.
No. D7 is an ordinary pass and does not count as a credit. If you have a D7 in a subject required for your course, you need to retake it. However, D7 does show on your certificate as a pass, which is better than F9.
A withheld result means WAEC has concerns about the integrity of your result — this could be due to examination malpractice suspicion or document issues. Contact your school or WAEC directly. A withheld result is different from a failure; it can sometimes be released after investigation.
WAEC combines your Paper 1 (objective) and Paper 2 (theory/essay) scores according to each subject's marking scheme. The combined percentage is then converted into a letter grade: 75–100% becomes A1, 70–74% becomes B2, and so on down to 0–39% which is F9.
No. WAEC uses fixed percentage bands — the grade boundaries do not shift based on how the general population performed. A score of 75% is always an A1, regardless of whether everyone else scored higher or lower that year.