Durham University UCAS Points: 2026 Entry Requirements

Quick answer: No — Durham University does not make offers in UCAS Tariff points. It publishes grades, department by department, in a band it describes as A*A*A to BBB, and it prints its own conversion tables for BTEC, IB, Access to HE and Scottish qualifications instead of using the Tariff.

Those conversion tables are the reason this page is worth reading properly. Durham does more than list accepted qualifications: it publishes exactly which BTEC, IB and Advanced Higher profiles it treats as equal to each A-level offer. Line those equivalences up against the Tariff and they do not match — which tells you something useful about why the Tariff is a comparison tool rather than a currency. Every figure below comes from Durham's own admissions pages and its September 2026 course entries.

Durham publishes grades by department, not a points total

Durham's guidance for UK qualifications is direct: "Our offers are usually based on the grades you achieve from your best three A levels, with grades ranging from A*A*A to BBB, but we don't accept General Studies or Global Perspectives & Research. You also won't be able to count two AS levels as one A level."

There is no Tariff figure anywhere in that sentence, and none in Durham's course database. Each department sets its own grade profile, so the honest answer to "how many UCAS points for Durham" is that the question does not map onto how Durham decides. Which universities do quote points is covered in do all universities use UCAS points; if the Tariff itself is new to you, what are UCAS points is the place to start.

Two departments, two different reductions

The two reductions are not the same size. Law drops two grades, from A*AA to AAB. Psychology drops three, from AAA to BBB. Durham does not operate one university-wide discount, so the only reliable figure is the one printed on your course entry.

The two degrees differ in their conditions too. Law requires the LNAT, and admissions selectors read both the multiple-choice score and the essay, with no minimum score set for the multiple-choice section. Psychology sets no A-level subject requirement at all — Durham notes that "no specific subjects are required, and a combination of arts and science subjects is encouraged" — but it does ask for GCSE Mathematics at grade B/5, relaxed to 4/C on the contextual offer.

Durham's equivalence table, and where it parts company with the Tariff

This is the table Durham publishes for UK applicants, condensed to the RQF BTEC, IB and Scottish columns:

What Durham's band is worth on the Tariff

For weighing Durham against a university that does publish points, the conversion is simple: A*A*A comes to 160 Tariff points, A*AA to 152, AAA to 144, AAB to 136, ABB to 128 and BBB to 120. The whole Durham band therefore sits inside a 40-point range. The grade profiles that reach the middle of it are collected at 144 UCAS points, the BTEC equivalents are broken down at DDD BTEC UCAS points, and the Scottish figures at Advanced Highers UCAS points. Where a total like that gets you across the sector is set out at how many UCAS points do I need.

Four rules in Durham's small print

• A-levels do not have to be sat together. "You don't have to have studied your A levels in one sitting, as we will accept grades achieved in different years." That is unusually generous among selective universities, several of which require all three in the same sitting, and it matters if you are resitting a subject.
• The EPQ carries no weight in an offer. Durham values it as preparation for degree study, "but it does not form part of our offers." The same sentence is used for the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales. An EPQ that is worth 24 Tariff points at grade A elsewhere is worth nothing in a Durham condition — see EPQ explained for where it does count.
• Science practicals are a condition of entry. If you take Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Geology A-level with an English board, you must pass the practical endorsement to enter a Faculty of Science course.
• T Levels are considered, with a caveat. Durham will consider T Level applicants for many courses, but where the T Level does not cover subject knowledge a course requires, you may need to supplement it with a suitable qualification such as an A-level.

Contextual offers and the Foundation Programme

Durham runs two separate routes, and it is worth knowing which one you fall into.

The contextual offer is automatic and applied at the point of decision. You are eligible if you have been eligible for free school meals, regardless of school type — or if you meet two or more of: a home postcode in POLAR4 Quintile 1 or 2, a home postcode in ACORN 5 or 6, attendance at a UK state school, being care-experienced, or being an estranged student. You must be classified as 'home' for fee purposes, applications are assessed automatically, and the deadline is the UCAS equal consideration date of 18:00 on 14 January 2026. Two limits catch people out: contextual offers are unavailable through Clearing, and using your school address rather than your home address on the UCAS form may take you out of consideration. The sector-wide picture is in contextual offers explained.

The Foundation Programme is the second route, and contextual offers do not apply to it "as the entry requirements for these courses are already reduced". Durham describes it as designed for students from under-represented groups "who have the potential to achieve but who, because of educational disadvantage or disruption, do not have the level of attainment or access to qualifications required for standard entry". It runs about 100 places a year through the Centre for Academic Development, and successful students progress into year one of their degree. The Law with Foundation entry for September 2026 publishes no A-level grade profile at all — the stated condition for under-21s is GCSE grade 4 or higher in Maths and English Language, plus the programme's eligibility criteria.

Your next move

Open your course in Durham's database, note both the standard and contextual grades, and check whether your qualification appears in the equivalence tables in the profile you expect. If you hold a BTEC or Scottish qualifications, read Durham's own row rather than converting to points yourself — the two answers can differ by a full grade. Keep your Tariff total for the job it does well: comparing Durham against the points-based universities sharing your five UCAS choices.

Calculate your UCAS points now

Durham University UCAS points: FAQ

Does Durham University use UCAS points?

No. Durham makes offers in grades, stating that its offers are usually based on the grades from your best three A levels, ranging from A*A*A to BBB. It publishes its own equivalence tables for BTEC, IB and Scottish qualifications instead of a Tariff total.

How many UCAS points do you need for Durham University?

No points figure applies. Durham's published band of A*A*A to BBB works out at 160 down to 120 Tariff points, useful only for comparing Durham with points-based universities. Law asks for A*AA and Psychology for AAA for September 2026 entry.

What is the contextual offer at Durham University?

A reduced offer published beside the standard one on each course page. Law M101 drops from A*AA to AAB and Psychology C800 drops from AAA to BBB, so the size of the reduction varies by department rather than being fixed university-wide.

Does Durham University accept BTECs?

Yes. Durham publishes a full BTEC conversion: a Level 3 Extended Diploma at D*D*D matches an A*A*A offer, DDD matches AAA or AAB, and DDM matches ABB or BBB. Many courses require specific A-level subjects alongside the BTEC.

Does Durham accept an EPQ for UCAS points?

No. Durham says it values the extended project as preparation for university study, "but it does not form part of our offers". The same wording applies to the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales, so neither adds anything to a Durham conditional offer.