UCAS Points

The UCAS Tariff is a points-based system maintained by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) that assigns numerical values to qualifications recognized in the UK higher education system. It allows universities to set entry requirements in terms of UCAS points rather than specific grade combinations, giving applicants flexibility in how they meet the threshold.

The A-Level tariff scale allocates points as follows: A* = 56, A = 48, B = 40, C = 32, D = 24, E = 16. An AS-Level (the first year of a two-year A-Level) carries roughly half the points: A = 20, B = 16, C = 12, D = 8, E = 4. Other qualifications included in the tariff system include BTECs, the IB Diploma (which has its own conversion table), Cambridge Pre-U, Scottish Highers, and various vocational qualifications.

Universities use UCAS points in different ways. Some set their entry requirements in terms of specific A-Level grades (e.g., "ABB at A-Level"), while others specify a total UCAS Tariff points threshold (e.g., "120 UCAS points from at least three A-Levels"). The latter approach is more flexible, as students could meet a 120-point requirement with various grade combinations. More selective universities tend to specify grade-based offers rather than points-based offers.

For IB Diploma students applying to UK universities, the UCAS Tariff provides a conversion: the full IB Diploma score maps to UCAS points (for example, 45 points in the IB converts to 720 UCAS Tariff points, while 24 points converts to 260). Individual IB Higher Level and Standard Level certificates also carry tariff values. Students should check the current UCAS Tariff tables, as conversions are updated periodically, and verify whether their target universities use tariff-based or grade-based offers.