UCAS Points Guide 2026: How the UCAS Tariff Works

UCAS Points Converter

Enter your three A-level grades to see the total UCAS Tariff points they carry. Uses the official 2026 values: A*=56, A=48, B=40, C=32, D=24, E=16.

What UCAS points are and how universities use them

UCAS Tariff points are a numeric score UCAS assigns to Level 3 (and Scottish SCQF Level 6) qualifications so admissions teams can compare very different types of study on one scale. The tariff was rewritten by UCAS in 2017 and today's numbers come from that revised system. Older figures such as A* equalling 140 points describe a retired scheme and no longer apply.

Not every UK university uses the tariff. Oxford, Cambridge and most Russell Group medical, dental and veterinary schools set offers in specific grades (for example AAA at A-level) rather than a total points figure. Modern and post-1992 universities, foundation degrees, art and design courses and most vocational routes are far more likely to state an offer such as 'ask for 96 UCAS points'. The right approach is always to check the entry requirements page of every course you are considering, not to assume any single threshold.

The tariff never guarantees a place. UCAS is clear that a qualification appearing on the tariff does not oblige a university to accept it, and some universities accept qualifications that do not carry tariff points at all.

How the UCAS Tariff is calculated

Every qualification on the tariff has two hidden numbers behind it: a size band from 1 to 4 and a grade band from 3 to 14. The size band reflects the guided learning hours, in other words how much teaching time the course takes. The grade band reflects how demanding that grade is compared with the rest of Level 3. Size multiplied by grade gives the tariff score for that grade.

A full A-level has size band 4. An A* sits in grade band 14, so 4 times 14 gives 56 points. An AS-level has size band 2, so the same grade of A (grade band 10) is 2 times 10, or 20 points, roughly half a full A-level. A BTEC Extended Diploma has size band 12 (equivalent to three full qualifications), which is why its top grade of DDD reaches 144 points and D*D*D* reaches 168.

For composite qualifications such as the International Baccalaureate Diploma or the Cambridge Pre-U Diploma, UCAS does not award points to the diploma as a whole. You add up the tariff for each subject taken, plus the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge if you sat them separately.

A-level and AS-level UCAS points

The table below applies to every A-level awarding body (AQA, OCR, Pearson Edexcel, CCEA and WJEC) and to Advanced VCEs. It has not changed since the current tariff started in 2017.

Three A-levels are the most common combination in an offer. To convert your predicted or actual grades, look up each grade and add the three numbers. AAB comes to 48 plus 48 plus 40, which is 136 points. BBB is 120. CCC is 96. If you retook a subject and achieved a higher grade, the higher grade is the one that counts; universities see the final result on your certificate.

AS-levels are worth roughly half the points of the same grade at full A-level, because the size band is 2 instead of 4. An AS is only worth counting when a course explicitly asks for AS points, which is now rare after most English AS courses were decoupled from A-levels in 2015.

BTEC National UCAS points

BTEC Nationals are graded Pass (P), Merit (M), Distinction (D) and Distinction star (D*). The tariff scales with the size of the qualification. A single-unit BTEC Certificate at D* is worth 28 points, the same as one AS at grade A, because both sit at size band 2 in the top grade band.

The BTEC National Extended Diploma has size band 12, equivalent to three A-levels. Its grades run from PPP (48 points) up to D*D*D* (168 points), so D*D*D* on a BTEC Extended Diploma is worth exactly the same as A*A*A* at A-level. That parity surprises many parents who assume vocational study carries fewer points. A DDM result, a common outcome, gives 128 points, matching an A-level offer of AAB.

The middle-sized BTEC Diploma (two A-level equivalent) runs from 32 points for PP to 112 for D*D*. The single-A-level equivalent, called the Extended Certificate or Subsidiary Diploma, runs from 16 to 56. You can mix BTEC and A-level results freely; a student holding a BTEC Diploma at DD (96 points) plus one A-level at grade C (32 points) reaches 128 UCAS points, the same total as ABB across three A-levels.

T-Level UCAS points

T-Levels were added to the UCAS Tariff in November 2021 and now sit at the same top-end value as A-levels and BTEC Extended Diplomas. A whole T-Level is the size of three A-levels and awards up to 168 points.

The overall T-Level grade combines a Core grade (A* to E) and an Occupational Specialism grade (Distinction, Merit or Pass). A T-Level Distinction* gives 168 points, Distinction 144, Merit 120, and a Pass is worth 96 if the Core is C or above or 72 if the Core is D or E. T-Levels are still relatively new, so always check whether the course you want lists T-Level offers separately from A-level or BTEC offers.

EPQ, Scottish Highers and other qualifications

The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) is half the size of an A-level. An A* EPQ is worth 28 UCAS points, the same as a BTEC Certificate at D* or an International Baccalaureate Standard Level 7. Many universities also reduce their standard offer by one grade if a student achieves an A or higher on the EPQ, so its practical value is often greater than the raw tariff score suggests.

Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers use a separate scale that reflects Scottish secondary education. A Higher at grade A is worth 33 points; an Advanced Higher at grade A matches an A-level A* at 56 points. A typical Scottish offer might be four Highers such as AAAB (33 plus 33 plus 33 plus 27 equals 126 points), often with one or two Advanced Highers on top for competitive courses.

International Baccalaureate points work per subject, not per diploma. A Higher Level 7 is worth 56 points, matching an A-level A*. A Standard Level 7 is worth 28, matching a half-size AS or EPQ. The IB Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge each carry up to 12 additional points.

Which universities use the UCAS Tariff (and which do not)

Only some UK universities express their entry requirements in UCAS points. In practice three broad groups exist. First, most Russell Group and older research universities publish grade-based offers such as 'AAA including chemistry'. Second, most modern and post-1992 universities publish tariff-based offers such as '112 UCAS points from Level 3 qualifications'. Third, a growing number publish both, letting applicants meet either target.

The reason for the split is admissions culture. Selective courses want to see specific subjects at specific grades, because two students with 128 UCAS points can look very different: AAB in mathematics, further mathematics and physics is not the same preparation for an engineering degree as DDD in a BTEC in business studies. Wider-access courses use the tariff because it lets them recognise a much broader range of qualifications on one number line.

If a course states a points total, read the small print. Common conditions include 'excluding General Studies', 'must include grade B or above in a science' or 'no more than 32 points from AS-levels'. Meeting the number alone does not always meet the offer, and universities are entitled to withdraw an offer at Confirmation if a condition has been missed.

Common mistakes when adding up UCAS points

The most frequent mistake is using the pre-2017 tariff. Any online table that shows A* as 140 points or A as 120 describes the retired system and has been out of date for years. Every figure in this guide is drawn from the current UCAS Tariff tables published by UCAS.

The second is double counting an AS-level that was later cashed in as part of the full A-level. If you sat AS in year 12 and then completed the full A-level in year 13, only the A-level grade attracts UCAS points. The AS points disappear because the qualification has been superseded by the full A-level.

The third is misreading BTEC sizes. A BTEC Extended Certificate (also called Subsidiary Diploma) at D* is worth 56 points, the same as one A-level A*. Many parents assume the word 'Extended' in the name means it is a bigger qualification; it is not. The full three-A-level equivalent is the Extended Diploma, which is a separate and larger qualification.

Finally, do not add points from a qualification that is not on the tariff. GCSEs, functional skills and most Level 2 or short courses carry no UCAS points at all. If a qualification is not listed in the official UCAS Tariff tables, its value is zero, whatever an unofficial online calculator may claim.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many UCAS points is an A*? A full A-level at A* is worth 56 UCAS Tariff points. At AS-level the highest grade offered is A (there is no A*), which is worth 20 points.

How many UCAS points do you need for university? There is no single answer because every course sets its own requirement. Typical undergraduate offers range from around 96 points (roughly CCC at A-level) at wider-access universities up to 168 points (A*A*A* or equivalent) at the most competitive courses. Medicine and veterinary courses normally ask for AAA or AAB in named subjects instead of a points total.

Do GCSEs count for UCAS points? No. GCSEs are Level 2 qualifications and sit below the tariff, which only covers Level 3 and Scottish SCQF Level 6 qualifications. Universities still consider your GCSE grades separately, especially in English, mathematics and any subject related to the degree you have applied for.

Does an EPQ add UCAS points to my A-levels? Yes. An EPQ at A* adds 28 UCAS points to your total; at A it adds 24; at B, 20. Many universities also reduce their standard offer by one grade if you achieve an A or higher on the EPQ, so it is often worth more than the tariff figure alone suggests.

Can I mix A-levels, BTECs and other qualifications? Yes. UCAS points are additive across every qualification on the tariff. You can combine an A-level, a BTEC Certificate and an EPQ and the total counts as one tariff score, provided the course accepts that mix; some competitive degrees only accept A-levels or the IB.

Are UCAS points the same as A-level grades to universities? No. Tariff points are a broad comparison tool, not a replacement for grades. Selective universities almost always ask for specific grades in specific subjects, even when they also list a points total. Always read the full entry requirements before you rely on a points figure.

Is a T-Level worth as many UCAS points as three A-levels? Yes, at the top end. A T-Level Distinction* is worth 168 UCAS points, the same as A*A*A* at A-level. A Distinction is worth 144 (equivalent to AAA), Merit is 120 (BBB) and a Pass is 96 or 72 depending on the Core grade.

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