UCAS Points for Radiography 2026

Quick answer: Most radiography degrees ask for 112–128 UCAS points in 2026 — about BBC to ABB at A-level — and nearly every offer names a science subject. Points get you shortlisted; an interview then decides the offer.

Radiography sits a clear step above subjects like criminology or business on the points ladder, and for good reason: the degree leads straight to registration as a radiographer with the Health and Care Professions Council, and you spend a large slice of every year on clinical placement in an NHS imaging or radiotherapy department. The trade-off is generous — eligible students receive a £5,000 NHS training grant every year, none of it repayable. Below we break the 112–128 band down by grade and qualification, explain the science-subject and interview conditions that sit alongside the points, and map your options if you fall short. Want your own total first? Calculate your UCAS points and come back.

How many UCAS points you need for radiography

Aim for 112–128 points and the large majority of diagnostic and therapeutic radiography degrees are in range. The standard offer clusters at 112–120 (BBC–BBB), with selective departments asking for 128 (ABB). The table below shows how the tiers map to points and A-level grades.

Unlike criminology or business, radiography names its subjects. A typical condition reads "112–120 points including 32–40 points from biology, chemistry, physics or maths" — Portsmouth pins a minimum of 32 points to a science subject, and Lincoln asks for 40. That means the grade in your science counts double: it feeds the total and satisfies the named-subject condition at the same time. For the wider picture on targets, see how many UCAS points you need and what you can study with your score.

Radiography entry requirements by qualification

Radiography offers accept several routes beyond A-levels, provided the science content is there. Here is how the common qualifications reach the 112–128 band. Every value uses the official 2026 UCAS Tariff.

The BTEC route deserves a straight answer, because the subject matters as much as the grades. A BTEC Extended Diploma in Applied Science at DMM or DDM is the safest ticket into the radiography band — it carries the science content admissions teams look for. Health and Social Care is accepted at some universities, and only when the diploma includes enough science units, so check the unit list on the course page before you rely on it. T-Levels are gaining ground too: Lincoln accepts a Health or Science T-Level at Merit. Scottish applicants are usually assessed on four or five Highers, with each Higher worth 33 points at A, 27 at B and 21 at C. And to be clear: GCSEs carry no UCAS Tariff points — but radiography courses ask for GCSE English, maths and science at grade 4/C or above as a separate condition, so keep those certificates handy.

To dig into any single route, see A-level UCAS points, BTEC UCAS points, T-Level UCAS points, Scottish Highers points, or Access to HE points.

The honest caveat: do radiography courses use UCAS points?

Most radiography courses do state their offer in UCAS points — a points-based offer like "112–120 UCAS points" is standard, especially at post-1992 universities. But radiography attaches two conditions to the number that most subjects never do, and both matter more than the total itself.

First, the points never stand alone. Virtually every course pins part of the total to a named science subject, so 120 points without biology, chemistry, physics or maths fails a condition that 112 points with a B in biology passes. Second, points only get you to the shortlist. Because the degree leads to HCPC registration, every course invites shortlisted applicants to an interview — usually values-based, testing your understanding of patient care and what a radiographer actually does — and any offer comes with an enhanced DBS check and an occupational health screening before your first clinical placement. Those placements are not a bolt-on: blocks in real imaging and radiotherapy departments run through every year of the degree.

A few selective departments state their offer in grades instead — "BBB including a B in one science" rather than "120 points" — which is stricter than the number alone suggests. The rule is simple: read the exact course listing, and check the subject condition, the interview stage and the points format together. For the bigger picture, see do all universities use UCAS points.

What to do if you are short of points for radiography

Falling short of the radiography band is recoverable, because the subject has more entry routes than its 112-point headline suggests. Check the lowest range a course accepts (often below its headline offer), then pick the most realistic next step from these:

• A health or science foundation year — accepts 80–104 points and feeds straight onto the BSc, with the science content built in.
• Clearing — radiography appears in Clearing most years; the science-subject condition still applies, so have your grades ready when you call.
• An EPQ or Core Maths top-up — an EPQ adds up to 28 points at A*; a top-up fixes the total, though it never replaces a missing science subject.
• A retake of your science subject — lifting a C to a B adds 8 points and strengthens the named-subject condition at the same time, so it does double duty.
• A contextual offer — if you are eligible, the bar drops by a grade or two; our guide to contextual offers explains who qualifies.
• A degree apprenticeship — diagnostic radiographer degree apprenticeships pay you to train inside an NHS trust; entry runs through the trust's own application, not a Tariff offer. See apprenticeships and UCAS points.

Work through your options at not enough UCAS points, how to get more points, and UCAS points for Clearing.

Plan your next step toward a radiography offer

The funding is one of radiography's strongest cards, so weigh it alongside the points bar. Eligible students in England receive the £5,000 NHS Learning Support Fund training grant each year, and diagnostic radiography qualifies for a further £1,000 specialist subject payment on top — plus reimbursement of excess placement travel costs. None of it is repayable, and it sits on top of the normal student loan.

Radiography also sits next to several healthcare degrees with different points bars, and it pays to compare before you firm a choice. UCAS points for nursing run slightly lower at 104–120, while UCAS points for psychology suit applicants who want a science-adjacent degree without the clinical placement load. A sharp personal statement carries real weight here too — the interview panel reads it, so evidence of a department visit or a conversation with a working radiographer sets you apart.

Radiography UCAS points: FAQ

How many UCAS points do you need for radiography?

Most radiography degrees ask for 112 to 128 UCAS points in 2026 — about BBC to ABB at A-level. Nearly every offer also requires a science subject, and shortlisted applicants attend an interview before any offer is made.

What A-level grades do you need for radiography?

Typically BBC (112 points) up to ABB (128 points), including at least one of biology, chemistry, physics or maths. Many courses pin 32 to 40 of the points to that science subject, so the grade in it matters as much as the total.

Can you study radiography with BTEC points?

Yes. A science-based BTEC Extended Diploma at DMM gives 112 points and DDM gives 128 — right in the radiography range. Applied Science is the safest subject; Health and Social Care is accepted at some universities only when it includes enough science units.

Do all radiography courses use UCAS points?

Most state their offer in points, especially post-1992 universities, but the points never stand alone. Every course names a science subject, interviews shortlisted applicants, and requires DBS and occupational health checks before clinical placement.

What if I do not have enough points for radiography?

You have real options: a health or science foundation year, Clearing, an EPQ or Core Maths top-up, a retake of your science subject, a contextual offer, or a diagnostic radiographer degree apprenticeship paid by an NHS trust.