What are UCAS points?
UCAS Tariff points convert Level 3 and SCQF Level 6 qualifications into a common numerical scale that universities and colleges can use in entry requirements[cite:1]. UCAS itself describes the Tariff as "a broad metric for qualifications at Level 3 / SCQF Level 6 to support university and college management information needs", not a currency you spend[cite:2].
Two rules cover most of what applicants get wrong:
- Only Level 3 (or SCQF Level 6) qualifications carry points. Level 2 qualifications such as GCSEs are not on the Tariff at all[cite:1].
- A university does not have to accept a qualification just because it appears in the Tariff, and it can choose to count fewer points than the table shows[cite:1].
The Tariff tables are updated each May, with separate 2026 and 2027 entry tables published for download on the UCAS website[cite:2][cite:3].
How many UCAS points is each A level grade worth?
A levels sit at the centre of the current Tariff. Here is the full grid, alongside the pre-2017 figures you may still see quoted on older prospectuses or in offers made to mature applicants who studied under the old system.
Table A. A level UCAS Tariff points (current vs pre-2017 tariff)
| A level grade | Current UCAS points | Pre-2017 UCAS points | | --- | --- | --- | | A star | 56 | 140 | | A | 48 | 120 | | B | 40 | 100 | | C | 32 | 80 | | D | 24 | 60 | | E | 16 | 40 |
Common three-A level totals[cite:4]:
- A star A star A star = 168
- AAA = 144
- AAB = 136
- ABB = 128
- BBB = 120
- BBC = 112
- BCC = 104
- CCC = 96
- DDD = 72
A level Double Award (single subjects graded on two A level worth of content, such as some vocational A levels): A star A star = 112 down to EE = 32.
AS levels sit at roughly 40 percent of a full A level. An AS grade A is broadly equivalent to an A level grade B for planning purposes, an AS grade C to an A level grade D, and an AS grade E falls below an A level grade E[cite:1].
BTEC UCAS points
BTECs and their equivalents (like OCR Cambridge Technicals) come in several sizes. The larger the qualification, the more grades combine into the total.
Table B. BTEC UCAS Tariff points
BTEC (Level 3) Extended Diploma (equivalent to three A levels)
| Grade | UCAS points | | --- | --- | | D star D star D star | 168 | | D star D star D | 160 | | D star DD | 152 | | DDD | 144 | | DDM | 128 | | DMM | 112 | | MMM | 96 | | MMP | 80 | | MPP | 64 | | PPP | 48 |
BTEC (Level 3) Diploma (equivalent to two A levels)
| Grade | UCAS points | | --- | --- | | D star D star | 112 | | D star D | 104 | | DD | 96 | | DM | 80 | | MM | 64 | | MP | 48 | | PP | 32 |
BTEC (Level 3) 90-Credit Diploma: D star D star = 84 down to PP = 24.
BTEC (Level 3) Subsidiary Diploma (equivalent to one A level): D star = 56, D = 48, M = 32, P = 16.
BTEC (Level 3) Certificate (equivalent to half an A level): D star = 28, D = 24, M = 16, P = 8.
Nested qualifications count only once at the highest level. A Diploma is counted, but not the Certificate contained within it[cite:1].
Access to HE Diploma UCAS points
The Access to Higher Education Diploma is QAA-regulated and specifically designed to prepare adults without traditional qualifications for university. It is graded on the 45 Level 3 credits within the qualification. Universities most often express Access to HE offers either as a total Tariff number (for example, "96 UCAS points from an Access to HE Diploma") or as a credit profile (for example, "at least 30 credits at Distinction").
Table C. Access to HE Diploma UCAS Tariff points (indicative grid)
| Credit profile | UCAS points | | --- | --- | | 45 Distinctions | 144 | | 30 Distinction, 15 Merit | 128 | | 15 Distinction, 30 Merit | 112 | | 45 Merits | 96 | | 15 Distinction, 15 Merit, 15 Pass | 96 | | 30 Merit, 15 Pass | 80 | | 15 Merit, 30 Pass | 64 | | 45 Passes | 48 |
Under the current per-credit values, a Distinction credit is worth about 3.2 points, a Merit credit about 2.13 and a Pass credit about 1.067, which is why a 45-credit all-Distinction profile totals 144 points and a 45-credit all-Merit profile totals 96 points[cite:5]. Mixed profiles fall between the values in the grid.
For a full breakdown of how Access grading works, see the deeper explainer on UCAS points for the Access to HE Diploma, and the Access to Higher Education Diploma course page for Lift College's own delivery model.
T Levels, Cambridge Technicals and other Level 3 qualifications
T Levels, first taught from 2020, are sized as three A levels each. The whole qualification receives a single UCAS Tariff score based on the overall grade[cite:6][cite:7].
Table D. T Level UCAS Tariff points (full qualification)
| T Level overall grade | UCAS Tariff points | A level equivalent | | --- | --- | --- | | Distinction star | 168 | A star A star A star | | Distinction | 144 | AAA | | Merit | 120 | BBB | | Pass (C or above on the core) | 96 | CCC | | Pass (D or E on the core) | 72 | DDD |
Partial T Level achievement (for example, passing the core component and completing the industry placement but not the occupational specialism) carries its own separate Tariff allocations, which vary by T Level route. UCAS's Tariff calculator will show the exact figure for a specific T Level[cite:6].
OCR Cambridge Technicals (Art & design, Business, Engineering, Health & social care, IT, Media, Performing arts, Sport):
- Extended Diploma: D star D star D star = 168 down to PPP = 48
- Diploma: D star D star = 112 down to PP = 32
- Subsidiary Diploma: D star D star = 84 down to PP = 24
- Introductory Diploma: D star = 56, D = 48, M = 32, P = 16
- Certificate: D star = 28, D = 24, M = 16, P = 8
Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), offered by AQA, City & Guilds, OCR, Pearson Edexcel, VTCT and WJEC: A star = 28, A = 24, B = 20, C = 16, D = 12, E = 8.
Scottish Highers: grade A = 33 points, grade B = 27 points. Advanced Highers carry higher values. Check the current Tariff table for the full Highers and Advanced Highers grid.
IB Higher Level subjects: grade 7 = 56 points, grade 6 = 48, grade 5 = 32, grade 4 = 24, grade 3 = 12. IB Standard Level and the full IB Diploma follow their own Tariff conventions on the UCAS tables.
Do GCSEs give you UCAS points?
No. The UCAS Tariff only applies to Level 3 or SCQF Level 6 qualifications, and Level 2 qualifications such as GCSEs "do not receive UCAS Tariff points"[cite:1]. Universities still use GCSE grades as threshold entry requirements (typically grade 4 or 5 in English and maths, and sometimes science) but those grades are never converted into a UCAS Tariff score.
If your GCSE profile is weak, the most efficient way to strengthen a university application is usually to complete Level 2 Functional Skills qualifications in English and maths (widely accepted as GCSE equivalents), then move to a Level 3 route that does carry Tariff points, such as A levels, a BTEC or Access to HE.
For a full walkthrough of how universities treat mature students without GCSEs, see GCSE grades explained for adult learners and GCSE equivalent qualifications for adults.
Does the EPQ give UCAS points?
Yes. The Extended Project Qualification is worth 8 to 28 UCAS points depending on grade. Its main value at university entry is not the raw points total but the way selective universities use it. Many will either add the EPQ points to a Tariff-based offer, or reduce their grade requirement in return for a strong EPQ grade (for example, offering AAB instead of AAA if you achieve A star on the EPQ). Always check the individual course page: EPQ policies vary by university and by department.
How to calculate your UCAS points
The mechanical rule is: add up the Tariff value of each Level 3 qualification you hold, applying the "nested qualifications count once" and "highest three A levels" rules of the specific university.
Four worked examples:
1. Three A levels: A, B, B 48 + 40 + 40 = 128 UCAS points.
2. BTEC Extended Diploma at DDM 128 UCAS points, taken as a single 168-hour qualification.
3. Access to HE Diploma at 30 Distinction, 15 Merit 128 UCAS points, applying the per-credit values.
4. Two A levels (A, B) plus an EPQ at A 48 + 40 + 24 = 112 UCAS points. Some universities will only count the EPQ if they explicitly say so in the offer.
For any total, the fastest sanity check is the official UCAS Tariff points calculator, which is built directly on the current tables and handles all the edge cases.
How universities actually use UCAS points
Points-based offers vs grade-based offers
Points-based offers are common at post-92 universities and on courses that recruit heavily from vocational routes. De Montfort University, for example, notes that "the majority of our undergraduate degrees will require at least 104 UCAS Tariff points"[cite:8]. That is a typical band. Mainstream courses usually sit in the 96 to 128 range.
Grade-based offers are more common at Russell Group and highly selective universities, which typically ask for grades (for example AAB or A star AA) rather than a points total. This is deliberate: a grade offer signals which subjects and which grades the university wants, in a way that a raw Tariff number cannot.
When a qualification in the Tariff still is not accepted
Being on the Tariff is not the same as being accepted. A provider can decide it will not count a qualification even if UCAS assigns points to it (a common example: some medicine and veterinary courses will not accept certain vocational qualifications as a full substitute for A levels), and it can choose to count fewer points than the table shows[cite:1]. Always read the course's own entry requirements before assuming your Tariff total qualifies you for a specific place.
Six things people get wrong about UCAS points
- Points do not equal acceptance. A university can refuse to count a qualification, or count fewer points, even when the Tariff assigns a value to it[cite:1].
- Many providers make offers in grades, not points. Selective universities usually state the grades they want in specific subjects, not a raw Tariff number[cite:1].
- Nested qualifications only count once. A BTEC Diploma is counted, but not the Certificate inside it. The same logic applies to other tiered vocational qualifications[cite:1].
- Some universities only count your best three A levels. If you have four, do not assume you can add all four totals together.
- GCSEs give zero UCAS points. The Tariff is Level 3 only. GCSE grades matter as threshold entry requirements, not as a points contribution[cite:1].
- Old (pre-2017) tariff points do not convert one-for-one. An old-style A level A grade was worth 120 points on the old scale; the same grade is now worth 48. Mature applicants comparing old offers with new prospectuses need to translate carefully.
UCAS points if you are a mature student or returning to study
Mature applicants almost always benefit from routes designed for adult entry. The two most common are:
- Access to Higher Education Diploma — QAA-regulated, one year full time or 12 to 18 months part time. Widely accepted by UK universities as a substitute for A levels. Points range from 48 to 144, and Lift's own Access to Higher Education Diploma is delivered fully online.
- A levels for adults — the same qualification as sixth-form students, delivered flexibly. See our A levels catalogue.
If you do not yet have Level 2 English and maths at the required standard, complete Level 2 Functional Skills qualifications first. They do not carry Tariff points but they are widely accepted as GCSE equivalents for university entry.
Frequently asked questions
See the [full FAQ set](#faqs) above for definitive answers to the most common UCAS points questions.
Sources
[cite:1]: https://www.ucas.com/applying/before-you-apply/what-and-where-to-study/entry-requirements/calculate-your-ucas-tariff-points [cite:2]: https://www.ucas.com/advisers/help-and-training/guides-resources-and-training/information-new-ucas-tariff-advisers [cite:3]: https://www.ucas.com/applying/before-you-apply/what-and-where-to-study/entry-requirements/ucas-tariff-points [cite:4]: https://www.ucas.com/sites/default/files/new-tariff-tables.pdf [cite:5]: https://openawards.org.uk/whats-new/news/did-you-know-all-open-awards-level-3-qualifications-carry-ucas-points/ [cite:6]: https://www.ucas.com/corporate/news-and-key-documents/news/ucas-tariff-points-allocated-t-levels [cite:7]: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/introduction-of-t-levels/introduction-of-t-levels [cite:8]: https://www.dmu.ac.uk/study/applying/ucas-tariff-guide-entry-requirements.aspx