What Is the HEAR (Higher Education Achievement Report)?

The HEAR, or Higher Education Achievement Report, is a standardized record issued by most UK universities to graduates alongside their degree. It gives a fuller picture of a student's achievements than a degree classification alone, combining academic results with other recognized activities. It replaced the earlier progress file and is the UK's version of the Diploma Supplement used across Europe.

What it contains

The HEAR is organized in sections, including:

• Information about the holder: name, date of birth and student number.
• Information about the qualification: title, awarding institution, level and mode of study.
• Content and results: modules taken, credits and marks, final classification.
• Information about the function of the qualification: how it fits into the framework of UK higher education and further study possibilities.
• Additional information: prizes, placements, study abroad, roles in student societies, volunteering and other verified achievements.
• Certification and national system: a description of the UK higher education system.

How it differs from a transcript

A transcript lists courses and grades. The HEAR also records recognized co-curricular achievements, authenticated by the university, and presents the information in a consistent national format. It helps employers and other universities see your skills and experiences in context.

How to get and use it

Many universities deliver the HEAR digitally, and some offer verification tools so that employers can check authenticity. Download or request it when you graduate, and keep a copy. Use it for job applications and further study, and ask your university how to have extra achievements, such as society roles or volunteering, recorded before you finish.

For international readers

If you are applying to a UK university or employer from abroad, you may encounter this document as an addition to the degree certificate. In Europe, similar information appears in the Diploma Supplement.

Related terms

See diploma supplement, transcript, CATS points, external examiner and credential evaluation.