EPQ Explained (and How It Boosts UCAS Points)

Quick answer: An EPQ is a standalone Level 3 qualification worth up to 28 UCAS points — the same as half an A-level. A* is 28, A is 24, B is 20, C is 16, D is 12 and E is 8.

An EPQ sounds more complicated than it is. In plain terms, it is a research project you choose and run yourself, and it earns real UCAS Tariff points on top of your other qualifications. This page covers exactly what an EPQ is, how it is graded, how each grade converts to points, and how it lifts your total. The good news is that you can calculate your UCAS points total in seconds — and the full EPQ points table is one click away whenever you want to check a grade.

What is an EPQ?

An EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) is a self-directed Level 3 qualification where you research a topic of your choice and produce a 5,000-word essay — or an artefact (such as a product, performance or piece of design) plus a shorter written report. It is worth half an A-level and graded A*–E.

In practice, you pick a question that genuinely interests you, plan the project, gather and weigh your sources, and write it up. You usually keep a production log showing how your thinking developed, and you finish with a short presentation. It is one qualification, run mostly independently, with a teacher acting as your supervisor rather than a lecturer. If you want the bigger picture of how the system works, our guide to what are UCAS points sets the scene.

How the EPQ is graded and assessed

The EPQ is graded A*–E, the same letters you already know from A-levels. Your work is marked against four assessment objectives, which in plain words are:

• Manage — plan and run your project, setting clear aims and a realistic timeline.
• Use resources — research your topic, choosing and judging sources carefully.
• Develop and realise — produce the essay or artefact, applying your skills and decisions.
• Review — reflect on what you did, what worked, and what you would change.

Your school or college marks the EPQ, and the exam board moderates it to keep grading consistent across the country. It usually runs alongside your other Year 12 to Year 13 study, often starting in the lower sixth and finishing partway through your final year. That timing matters: it shares your calendar with your A-levels, so a little planning keeps it manageable. Because it earns Tariff points, it sits inside the same system as your other qualifications — see what is the UCAS Tariff for how that framework fits together.

How many UCAS points is an EPQ worth?

An EPQ is worth up to 28 UCAS points. The full conversion is A* = 28, A = 24, B = 20, C = 16, D = 12 and E = 8 — exactly half the A-level scale, grade for grade. It is a Level 3 qualification that earns Tariff points in its own right, so those points are real and they count.

Here is the simple way to remember it: take the A-level value for the same grade and halve it. An A-level A* is 56 points, so an EPQ A* is 28. An A-level A is 48, so an EPQ A is 24. The pattern holds all the way down. You can check any grade against the EPQ UCAS points table, or drop your grade straight into the EPQ UCAS points calculator to see the number instantly. If you want the wider method behind all of this, our guide on how UCAS points are calculated walks through it step by step.

How an EPQ boosts your UCAS total

The key thing to understand is that an EPQ adds to your A-level total — it never replaces a grade. You keep all your A-level points and stack the EPQ on top.

Here are two worked examples using the real numbers:

• AAB is worth 136 points. Add an A* EPQ (28) and you reach 164 points.
• BBB is worth 120 points. Add an A EPQ (24) and you reach 144 points.

That extra block of points can be exactly what nudges you into the range a course is asking for. An A* EPQ alone is the same Tariff value as moving an A-level grade from D up to A* — so it is far from a rounding error. To see how it combines with your specific grades, use the add your EPQ to your grades calculator, or look at our A-level + EPQ points worked example. You can also check the baseline for what AAB is worth before you add the EPQ, so you can see precisely what the boost does to your number.

How universities treat the EPQ

Most universities welcome the EPQ, and some go further: they make a lower alternative offer if you achieve a set EPQ grade. A common version is asking for ABB instead of AAB, provided you also gain an A in your EPQ. That can take genuine pressure off your A-level results.

But it is worth being clear-eyed here. Not every course counts the EPQ's Tariff points, and selective courses — most Russell Group degrees, Medicine, Law and similar — usually frame their offers in specific A-level grades rather than total points. The EPQ can still strengthen those applications through the research skills it shows, even where its points are not formally added. There is also a useful no-double-counting point to know: if your EPQ topic overlaps with one of your A-level subjects, it still counts separately, because it is a different qualification. The single rule that always applies is to check the exact requirements for your course. Our guides on whether all universities use UCAS points and on contextual and alternative offers explain how this varies in more detail.

Should you take an EPQ?

An EPQ is a strong choice for some students and an optional extra for others — it is one route among several, not a must-do. It tends to suit you most if you want extra points, clear evidence of independent research, or the chance of a lower alternative offer.

Be realistic about the time it takes. A few honest pointers:

• It works best when it strengthens your application without stretching you so thin that your A-level grades slip.
• Choosing a topic linked to your degree subject makes the research feel useful rather than extra.
• If your timetable is already full, it is fine to focus on your main grades first — that is the realistic call for many students.

If you are weighing up several ways to lift your number, see how to get more UCAS points and our roundup of point-boosting courses to compare the EPQ against the alternatives.

Your next step: see your total with the EPQ added

Helpful next step: Now that you know what the EPQ is worth, the most useful thing you can do is see your real total with it included — then check what that number unlocks.

• Add your grade in the EPQ UCAS points calculator, or combine it with your A-levels in the mixed-qualifications calculator.
• Find out how many UCAS points you need for the courses you are eyeing.
• See what you can study with your points once the EPQ is added in.

Frequently asked questions

These quick answers cover the EPQ questions students ask most. For the numbers themselves, the EPQ UCAS points table is the fastest reference, and if you are still short of your target, how to get more UCAS points shows your options.