Nottingham Trent University UCAS Points: 2026 Entry Requirements

Quick answer: Yes — Nottingham Trent University makes offers in UCAS Tariff points, published per course. Verified September 2026 figures include 128 points for Paramedic Science BSc (Hons) and 120 points for Primary Education (QTS) BA (Hons), with a 64 to 72 point minimum on integrated foundation years.

NTU is one of the clearest points-based universities in England, and it says so plainly: "Course entry requirements are typically made up of UCAS Tariff points and sometimes specific grades and subjects." A conditional offer from NTU names a number, and any qualifying combination of results that reaches that number satisfies the academic condition. This page covers the 2026 figures NTU published for named courses, the rule about how many qualifications can be counted, what each total looks like in grades, and the automatic contextual reduction.

Does Nottingham Trent University use UCAS points?

Yes — the Tariff is the mechanism, not a comparison tool. NTU's guidance on how it makes offers is unambiguous: "Conditional offers will display the total UCAS points that you need to achieve in order to be accepted, as well as any specific grades or subjects that you need to be taking." Entry requirements on course pages are printed in the same form, for example "112 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications".

That puts NTU on the opposite side of the divide from most Russell Group universities, which state conditions in fixed grades and will not accept an equivalent points total. Which universities sit where is mapped in do all universities use UCAS points; if the Tariff itself is new to you, start with what are UCAS points.

NTU's published points offers for September 2026

NTU sets a figure per course rather than one university-wide number, and every course page carries a standard offer and a contextual offer side by side. Three verified September 2026 examples show the range:

Two conditions sit underneath the numbers. First, several courses attach a GCSE requirement that no amount of Tariff points can replace: Paramedic Science asks for GCSE English, Maths and Science at grade C/4, and Primary Education asks for the same three because they are a statutory requirement for entering teaching. Second, points offers can still name a subject — Paramedic Science's 128 must include two A-level-equivalent qualifications, one of them in a health, science or social science subject.

How NTU builds your total: the four-qualification rule

This is the detail that decides whether you meet an NTU offer, and it is easy to miss. NTU says: "We typically ask for a maximum of four qualifications to make up your points. These can be the same type of qualification or a combination such as A-levels, BTECs or an extended project. If you are taking more than four qualifications, we'll take your four highest grades to make up the total."

So a fourth qualification genuinely counts. NTU's own worked example for a 120-point offer is A-level English at C (32 points), A-level Psychology at B (40), A-level Geography at C (32) and an Extended Project at C (16) — four qualifications, 120 points exactly, offer met. A university that asked for BBB in three subjects would have rejected the same applicant.

Watch the qualification cap, though. Primary Education (QTS) and several other NTU courses count points "from up to three qualifications", so an EPQ cannot be used to top up a shortfall there. Check the wording on your course page, not just the number.

What NTU's totals look like in grades

Because the offer is a number, several different grade profiles satisfy the same condition. On the current Tariff an A is worth 48 points, a B is 40 and a C is 32, and a BTEC Extended Diploma is graded as three units:

• 128 points, the Paramedic Science figure, is ABB at A-level, or DDM at BTEC Extended Diploma, or BBB (120 points) topped up by an E-grade extended project worth 8. The profiles are collected at 128 UCAS points.
• 120 points, the most common NTU degree figure, is BBB at A-level, or DMM at BTEC Extended Diploma (112 points) plus that same 8-point extended project. See 120 UCAS points and the BBB UCAS points breakdown.
• 112 points, the contextual figure for Primary Education, is BBC at A-level or DMM at BTEC Extended Diploma on its own.
• 64 to 72 points, the integrated foundation year minimum, is CC to BC at A-level, or MPP at BTEC Extended Diploma.

The arithmetic behind every one of these is set out in how are UCAS points calculated.

Calculate your UCAS points now

Contextual offers: eight points off, applied automatically

NTU makes a lower offer to applicants who meet its contextual criteria, and the reduction shows up directly in the points figure: 128 becomes 120 for Paramedic Science, 120 becomes 112 for Primary Education. NTU describes contextual offers as "typically up to two grades lower than our standard entry criteria", and for courses requiring a portfolio or interview an eligible applicant's offer "may even be made an unconditional offer".

You are guaranteed a contextual offer if you meet any one of NTU's published criteria: studying at one of its named key feeder schools and colleges, having a home postcode inside the East Midlands devolved authority area covering Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Derby and Nottingham, coming from a POLAR4 quintile 1 or 2 low-participation area, being care experienced, having received free school meals, being estranged from your parents, or demonstrating exceptional sporting potential as an elite athlete. NTU takes the data from UCAS, so there is nothing extra to apply for — but you do need to declare your circumstances accurately on the application. One limit worth knowing: NTU does not make contextual offers during Clearing. The wider picture is in contextual offers explained.

If your total falls short

Missing the number is not the end of an NTU application. If you do not meet the entry requirements you may be considered for an integrated foundation year, which carries a minimum of 64 to 72 Tariff points, or receive an alternative offer for a related course with lower requirements. NTU also guarantees the foundation pathway to applicants who accepted an offer and then missed its conditions — it considers you automatically and updates your UCAS Hub on results day. Mature applicants without Tariff points can be assessed on work and life experience through a prior learning assessment instead.

Your next step

Count your total first, then read the course page rather than the prospectus summary — the number, the qualification cap and any subject or GCSE condition all sit there together, and all three have to line up. If your total lands between two courses, the options at each band are laid out in how many UCAS points you need.

Nottingham Trent University UCAS points: FAQ

Does Nottingham Trent University use UCAS points?

Yes. NTU states that course entry requirements are typically made up of UCAS Tariff points, and its conditional offers display the total points you need to achieve. Paramedic Science BSc asks for 128 points for September 2026 entry and Primary Education (QTS) BA asks for 120.

How many UCAS points do you need for Nottingham Trent University?

There is no single number, because NTU publishes a figure per course. Verified September 2026 offers run from 128 points for Paramedic Science BSc down to a minimum of 64 to 72 points on its integrated foundation years, with 120 points common across full degrees.

How many qualifications count towards an NTU offer?

Typically a maximum of four, and NTU takes your four highest grades if you are taking more. Some courses count only three — Primary Education (QTS) asks for 120 points from up to three qualifications. They can be A-levels, BTECs, an extended project or a mix.

Does Nottingham Trent University make contextual offers?

Yes, automatically, using data from your UCAS application. Contextual offers are typically up to two grades lower than standard entry criteria — Paramedic Science drops from 128 to 120 points and Primary Education from 120 to 112. NTU does not make contextual offers during Clearing.

What happens if you miss NTU's points total?

NTU may offer an integrated foundation year, which requires a minimum of 64 to 72 UCAS Tariff points, or an alternative offer for a related course with lower requirements. If you accepted an offer and miss the conditions, NTU guarantees you a place on the foundation pathway.