What Is the UCAS Tariff?

Quick answer: The UCAS Tariff is the official UK points system that turns your Level 3 grades into one comparable number — for example, an A-level A* = 56 points and an A = 48, and your results are added together into a single total.

If you have just heard the phrase "UCAS Tariff" and felt a flicker of worry, take a breath — it is simpler than it sounds. The Tariff is the official UK system that converts your post-16 (Level 3) grades into a single, comparable number that universities can use. This page explains exactly what it is, which qualifications it covers, how grades become points, and where its limits are. By the end you will be able to calculate your exact total with confidence. If you want the closely related basics first, start with what UCAS points are.

The UCAS Tariff explained in one line

The UCAS Tariff is the official UK points system that turns your Level 3 grades into a single number universities can compare. Each grade is worth set points — an A-level A* = 56, A = 48, B = 40 — and totals are added up.

Here is the cleanest way to hold it in your head: the Tariff is the rulebook, and your points are the score. The Tariff is the fixed set of rules that says how much each grade is worth across every qualification. Your UCAS points are simply the number you get when you apply those rules to your own results. So when someone asks "how many UCAS points do you have?", they are really asking what score the Tariff produces for your grades. If you want to see the rulebook in action step by step, read how UCAS points are calculated.

What the UCAS Tariff is for

The Tariff exists to solve a fairness problem. The UK has dozens of different Level 3 qualifications — A-levels, BTEC Nationals, the International Baccalaureate, Scottish Highers, T-Levels and more — and they do not look alike at all. Without a shared scale, it would be almost impossible for a university to weigh a BTEC Extended Diploma against three A-levels, or an IB Diploma against Scottish Highers. The Tariff fixes that by giving every qualifying grade a points value on one common scale.

That common currency works two ways. It lets universities compare very different applicants on equal footing, and it lets courses set their entry requirements in points — for example "112 UCAS points" — so that students from any qualification route know whether they are in range. Think of it as a translation layer: it does not replace your grades, it just expresses them in a shared language. To see how many points different courses ask for, head to how many points you need.

Which qualifications the UCAS Tariff covers

The Tariff covers a wide range of Level 3 (and Scottish SCQF Level 6) qualifications. Below are some of the most common ones, with one example value each so you can see the scale at work. Each qualification has its own full table, but they all feed into the same points total.

If your qualification is on this list, the Tariff applies to you. You can explore the full grade-to-points breakdown for the big routes — A-level points, BTEC points, IB points and Scottish Highers points — and the same logic extends to AS-levels, the Welsh Bacc, Pre-U, Access to HE, music grades and Core Maths.

How grades turn into Tariff points

The mechanism is refreshingly plain: every grade has a fixed value, and you add them up. A-levels are the clearest worked example, and they set the anchor scale most other qualifications line up against.

To find your total, you simply add the points for each qualifying result. So three A-levels at AAA come to 48 + 48 + 48 = 144 points. BBB is 40 + 40 + 40 = 120 points, and CCC is 32 + 32 + 32 = 96 points. Notice that each step up a grade is worth 8 points, which keeps the scale steady and predictable. The same add-them-up rule applies whether you sit A-levels, BTECs or a mix — every qualifying result is counted once and the totals stack.

Want to try it on your own grades? Use the A-level calculator, or check exactly what AAA is worth and what BBB is worth.

What the UCAS Tariff does not count

It is just as important to know what the Tariff leaves out, because this trips a lot of people up — and none of it is a problem, it is simply how the system is designed. The Tariff only counts Level 3 (and SCQF Level 6) qualifications, and it never double-counts the same learning.

• GCSEs do not count towards your Tariff total — they sit at Level 2, one rung below. Courses may still ask for specific GCSEs (often Maths and English), but those grades earn zero Tariff points.
• No double-counting the same subject. If you take an Advanced Higher in a subject, it replaces the Higher rather than adding to it.
• AS-levels are not counted if you go on to complete the full A-level in the same subject — the A-level supersedes it.

If GCSEs are on your mind, see do GCSEs count for UCAS points. And if you are curious how high a total can realistically go, read about the maximum UCAS points.

Do all universities use the UCAS Tariff?

Here is the honest picture: many courses use the Tariff, but not all of them. Tariff points are widely used at post-1992 universities, on foundation routes, through Clearing, for vocational courses and for applicants with mixed qualifications — anywhere a course wants to welcome students from lots of different qualification backgrounds on a level scale.

But plenty of selective courses make offers in specific grades rather than points. Most Russell Group universities, and competitive courses such as Medicine and Law, will typically ask for something like "AAA at A-level" instead of a points figure. Many IB and Scottish offers are also expressed in grades. So your points total is genuinely useful, but always check how your particular course states its requirements. For the full breakdown, read do all universities use UCAS points, and to see where your number sits, check what counts as a good score.

Work out your own Tariff total

Now that you know what the Tariff is and how it works, the next step is to turn it into your own number. It takes about a minute, and it sets you up to make real decisions.

• Calculate your exact total with the UCAS points calculator — enter your grades and get your number instantly.
• See what you can study by matching your total to courses with what you can study with your points.
• Check what your course needs and confirm you are in range before you apply.

If you are taking more than one type of qualification, the mixed-qualification calculator adds them all together correctly so nothing gets missed.

A quick history of the UCAS Tariff

*Supplementary context — background, not essential to using the Tariff.*

The Tariff you see today is not the original one. It was fully redesigned for 2017 entry, which is when the current scale arrived — the one where an A-level A* = 56 points. You may still stumble across old tables online where an A* is listed as 140 points; those are the legacy pre-2017 figures and they no longer apply, so ignore them. The most recent change for 2026 entry is that Level 3 apprenticeships now earn Tariff points too. For the full story, see the history of the UCAS Tariff and the new Tariff qualifications.

Frequently asked questions

What is the UCAS Tariff in simple terms?

The UCAS Tariff is the official UK points system that turns your Level 3 grades into a single, comparable number. Each grade is worth set points — an A-level A* is 56 and an A is 48 — and your results are added together into one total.

What is the difference between the UCAS Tariff and UCAS points?

They go together. The UCAS Tariff is the rulebook that sets how many points each grade is worth; your UCAS points are the score that rulebook produces. The Tariff is the system, the points are your number. See how points are calculated for the full method.

What qualifications does the UCAS Tariff cover?

The Tariff covers Level 3 qualifications, including A-levels, AS-levels, BTEC Nationals, the IB, Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers, T-Levels, the EPQ, the Welsh Bacc and more. It does not cover GCSEs, which sit at Level 2.

How does the UCAS Tariff turn grades into points?

It gives every grade a fixed value, then adds them up. At A-level: A* = 56, A = 48, B = 40, C = 32, D = 24, E = 16. So AAA is 144 points and BBB is 120. Each qualifying result is counted once.

Do all universities use the UCAS Tariff?

No. Many courses use the Tariff — especially at post-1992 universities, foundation routes and through Clearing — but selective courses, including Medicine, Law and most Russell Group offers, usually ask for specific grades instead of points. To plan around your score, see how many points you need.

Has the UCAS Tariff changed for 2026?

The grade values are stable — they have not changed since the 2017 redesign, so an A-level A* is still 56 points. The main update is that Level 3 apprenticeships now earn Tariff points for 2026 entry.