UCAS A Level Points for 2024 Entry

Using the UCAS A Level Points Table, your A Level predicted grades and results are converted into a numerical score. These UCAS points are also known as your tariff score.

What are A Level UCAS points for?

The tariff table system has been around since 2001. To reflect developments in qualifications and the increasing number students taking vocational courses such as BTECs and Diplomas, the system has been updated and reviewed several times. The ‘new’ table was instigated in 2017 after a review found significant changes to the type of exams and secondary education courses taken by students since 2001. This new system allows all qualifications to be equally considered, now counting courses that had not been previously considered. These courses include vocational and non-traditional ones, and subjects that do not tend to be part of mainstream A Level syllabi.

With the British government’s support of apprenticeship schemes and apprentice degree programmes, accepting vocational qualifications was a significant step – the old tariff table did not give sufficient weight to such certificates.

Although the new system allows for more non-traditional subjects to be included in an applicant’s total UCAS points, this does not make it any easier or more difficult for students to get into their chosen course. Remember, it is simply a way of measuring qualifications and translating them into a numerical scale, so it is easier for admission tutors to consider applicants who took a wide range of subjects. Students who apply with Diplomas, BTECs, and A Levels can be considered on an equal, numerical scale.

Under the old system, an A* at A Level, for example, would get 140 points. Under the new system, and the one that will apply to you, the same grade gets 56 – this doesn’t mean an A* is worth any less, but the number of points available has been changed. In the old system, 3 As at A Level would be worth 360, now they would equate to 144. But do not worry – 3 As are still 3 As!

Always check the entry requirement of your course carefully before you apply!

It is worth knowing that only around one-third of UK universities actually use UCAS points, with the other two thirds only using grades in their entry requirements, so don’t get too stressed about the table.

UCAS Points Table

A Levels are the most common form of assessment used in the UK education system. These are the exams which many students from Britain, as well as some other students from further afield, take as their final exams when in secondary education. This is why they are often mentioned in university entry requirements.

When it comes to your application, however, you need to bear in mind that some universities and colleges may include a tariff score in their entry requirements. In the table below, you can see what each A Level grade is worth. You can also find the full list of qualifications and their corresponding tariff scores on the UCAS website.

The general rule for working out your total score is ‘the higher the grade, the higher the score’. Have a look further down this page to see how you can calculate your total UCAS A Level points. You can also use the point calculator to work out what all your qualifications are worth.

If you use the UCAS Search Tool and click on a course, you will then find the entry requirements specified by that university, and the A Levels UCAS score required. Some will want students to achieve certain grades to be accepted onto the programme, whilst others offer a number of points instead. For example, one course for Anthropology at one university may have a minimum grade requirement of ABB, but the same course at another university may ask for 120 UCAS points instead. Some will even use a combination of both, so make sure you check what a university wants to see in your application.

All A Level options should be included in the tariff. Don’t worry if you can’t find one in the calculator – just because it isn’t on the UCAS page does not mean that a university will not consider it. It may just be that your type of A Level or subject is relatively new, and has not been updated to the table within the last year. If in doubt, check with UCAS.

A Level UCAS Points Calculator

Convert your A Level grades to UCAS points!

As ever, research is important, so make sure you have thoroughly checked the entry requirements for the course you want to apply for. If you have any doubts, queries, or questions about your A Level grades or UCAS score, make sure to ask a teacher or supervisor, or even ring up the university or college itself.

GCSEs and other Level 2 qualifications are not included in the numerical system – only Level 3 and SCQF Level 6 qualifications (SCQF is the Scottish equivalent to A Levels, and is the Scottish Higher Education national qualifications system). If you have not taken any A Levels or higher qualifications, you may want to reconsider your application and investigate either taking such exams or taking Access to Higher Education Diplomas before applying to university. If this is the case, speak to the course’s admissions tutors to see what they recommend.

You do not have to work and prepare for your exams with the tariff in mind. Some will not even require any A Level tariff scores, so check what is required from the course you are applying to. It is far better to simply focus on doing the best you can in your exams.

What if I took A Levels in addition to other qualifications?

The Tariff point system may be more relevant to you if you have taken a range of qualifications. Some schools allow their students to take traditional A Levels in some subjects, Pre-U in others, or even BTECs. If you have taken this combination of qualifications, you will not simply be able to calculate your total score. Instead, you will have to use the tariff calculator.

Whilst all A Levels should receive a corresponding tariff score, there are some subjects and qualifications that universities and colleges do not accept as part of any entry requirements. Whilst a subject like General Studies may well indeed carry some tariff points, this does not mean that it will be counted as part of your application. If you’re unsure about what subjects are accepted, check the entry requirements on the course page. Here they will clearly explain what subjects they expect applications to have, and what subjects they will not accept.

UCAS Points A Level

To calculate your total A Level tariff point score, you can use the calculator created by UCAS on the website. Here we have provided a simple table to show what A Levels are currently worth, so you can get a rough idea of your total point score if you are applying to a course that requires a certain number of UCAS points for entry.

You can see from this table that the higher the grade, and the more advanced the qualification, the more points awarded. You can also see here that AS levels are roughly 40% of the A Level value.

So for example, if you are taking just A Level qualifications and a course specifies 112 UCAS points in their entry requirements, this roughly corresponds to the grades BBC.

If a course requires students to have 120 UCAS points, several A Level grade combinations would work. 120 points could correspond to BBB, or A*CC, or even 2 A Levels with 2 ASs.

UCAS Tariff Points Table

As the table above shows, each grade has a fixed number of points – it is a finite scale. This means that there is a maximum number you can receive.

It is also worth noting that how a university or college uses the tariff system is not regulated – it can vary across institutions. Some will rely solely on your score when considering your application, others will combine it with grade requirements, whilst some only use your grades.