IB UCAS Points Calculator

Quick answer: UCAS does not convert your IB diploma as one number. It adds up each part. A Higher Level 7 is 56 points, an HL 6 is 48, a Standard Level 7 is 28, and each core grade (TOK, Extended Essay) is worth 4 to 12. Add them together for your total.

The IB isn't worth one fixed number. UCAS totals each subject and your core. Pick your Higher Level and Standard Level grades plus TOK and the Extended Essay above, and the calculator adds up your points instantly using the 2026 Tariff. The biggest IB worry we hear is "is my 38 just 38 UCAS points?" The short answer is no, and it's almost always more than you'd expect. We do the maths for you.

How to use the IB UCAS points calculator

The tool above runs your total live, so there's no submit button and nothing to send off. Here's the quick way to get an accurate number:

1. Add your Higher Level subjects. Pick the grade (7 down to 1) for each of your three HL subjects. Naming the subject is optional, so you can leave it blank if you're just checking the maths.
2. Add your Standard Level subjects. Do the same for your three SL subjects.
3. Add your core grades. Choose your Theory of Knowledge (TOK) and Extended Essay (EE) grades, each on the A to E scale. (On the Career-related Programme? Add your Reflective Project grade here instead.)
4. Read your running total. The big number at the top updates as you go, with a plain-English read of what it's roughly worth.

If you want to see every grade-to-points value in one place, here's the full IB points table. When you're happy with your total, use the result buttons to see which courses are in range.

How the IB converts to UCAS points (it's a sum, not one number)

This is the part most calculators get wrong. UCAS doesn't look at your headline diploma score (the 24 to 45 number). Instead it gives every single component its own points value and adds them up. That's why your Tariff total and your diploma score are two completely different numbers. Here's exactly how each part is valued under the 2026 Tariff.

Higher Level subjects:

Standard Level subjects:

Theory of Knowledge:

Extended Essay:

So a Higher Level subject carries far more weight than a Standard Level one: an HL 7 is 56 points while an SL 7 is 28 points, exactly half. Grades below 5 at HL (so a 3) still score, but a 2 or 1 is worth 0; the same applies at SL below a 3. Your core grades (TOK and EE) each add 4 to 12 points on the A to E scale. Add all the rows together and that's your IB UCAS Tariff total. If you want to dig into the method behind it, here's how UCAS points are calculated, and here's the full IB UCAS points breakdown.

Worked example: a realistic mixed IB in UCAS points

Most students don't get straight 7s, so let's total a realistic profile. Say you finish with Higher Levels of 6, 6 and 5, Standard Levels of 6, 5 and 5, plus a B in TOK and a B in the Extended Essay. Here's how it adds up.

That's 204 UCAS points from a solid, far-from-perfect diploma. To put that in context, three A-levels at AAA come to 144 points, so this IB profile sits comfortably above an all-A A-level offer. See what 144 UCAS points can get you and how that compares to AAA at A-level. Notice how much the Higher Levels drive the total: the three HL subjects alone contribute 128 of the 204 points.

Why your IB diploma score and your Tariff points are different

Here's the bit worth bolding in your head: your 24 to 45 diploma score is not your UCAS Tariff number. They measure the same exam results in two different ways. The diploma score is the IB's own scale; the Tariff is UCAS adding up each component for the university system. So a 38-point diploma might total well over 180 UCAS points once you sum the HL, SL and core grades behind it.

If you're new to the whole system, what the UCAS Tariff actually is and what UCAS points are both explain it in plain English.

Do universities use UCAS points for IB applicants?

We'll be honest with you here, because false reassurance helps no one. Most universities that accept the IB make their offers in IB points and Higher Level grades (for example, "34 points overall including 6,6,5 at Higher Level"), not in UCAS Tariff points. So your Tariff total is best used as a guide and a comparison tool, not as the thing the offer is written in.

That said, some courses and some universities do quote a Tariff figure, and Clearing especially often runs on points. So your IB UCAS total is genuinely useful for spotting which courses are realistic. The golden rule: work out your total here, then always check each course's exact IB requirements on the university's own page.

For more on this, see which universities use UCAS points and the IB explained.

What your IB UCAS points are worth: courses in range

Once you've got your number, the useful question is: what's in range? As a rough feel, a total around 112 points lines up with many courses that ask for BBC at A-level, 128 is in ABB territory, and 144 matches AAA. Strong IB diplomas often clear those marks comfortably once the Higher Levels are added in.

"In range" simply means your total meets or beats a course's typical ask, with a sensible buffer. "Out of range" means you'd be relying on a contextual offer or Clearing, which is still a real route, just a different one. To turn your total into actual course ideas, use what you can study with your points, and to work the requirement from the other direction, see how many UCAS points you need.

Studying the IB alongside other qualifications?

Plenty of students take the IB with something extra, or switch into the IB after starting another route. If you've also got an EPQ or an additional A-level, you can stack those points on top of your IB total. Our mixed qualifications calculator handles that, and can you mix qualifications explains how universities treat combined totals. The short version: extra qualifications can add points, but universities usually focus on your main HL grades first.

Not got the points you hoped for? Your next steps

If your total came in lower than you wanted, take a breath. It's a setback, not the end of the road, and you have real, practical options.

• Clearing. From results day onwards, thousands of good courses have places, and many quote requirements in UCAS points. See UCAS points for Clearing.
• Contextual offers. Many universities lower their typical ask for eligible applicants. Read how contextual offers work.
• Re-check the offer terms. Because IB offers are usually in IB points, you might be closer than your Tariff total suggests, so confirm the exact requirement first.

A-level results day 2026 is 13 August, and Clearing runs alongside it, so know your plan before then. If you're staring down a near miss, what to do with not enough UCAS points walks you through it calmly, step by step.

Other UCAS points calculators

Taking more than one type of qualification, or want to compare? These tools use the same 2026 Tariff values:

• The main UCAS points calculator for any mix of qualifications
• A-level calculator for A*, A, B and beyond
• EPQ calculator for your Extended Project
• Mixed qualifications calculator to combine the IB with extras

Sorted your place? Helpful next steps

*Helpful next step: the stuff that matters once your offer is confirmed.*