If you've started looking at university courses, you've probably run into "UCAS points" or "tariff points" — and a lot of confusion about what they actually mean. Here's a plain-English guide.
What the UCAS tariff is
The UCAS tariff is a points system that converts your qualifications into a single number, so universities can compare applicants who took different routes — A-levels, BTECs, Scottish Highers, the IB and more — on a common scale.
The higher the grade, the more points it's worth. For A-levels (2017 onwards):
- A* = 56 points
- A = 48 points
- B = 40 points
- C = 32 points
- D = 24 points
- E = 16 points
So three A-levels at AAB come to 48 + 48 + 40 = 136 points. Grades like AAA are 144, and BBB is 120.
BTECs convert too. A BTEC Extended Diploma is roughly equivalent to three A-levels, so D*D*D* is worth 168 points — the same as A*A*A*.
Points vs. grades: why courses often ask for both
You'll see entry requirements written two ways: as grades ("AAB") or as tariff points ("128 points"). Points-based requirements are more flexible — they let you make up the total from different qualifications, including things like an EPQ or a music grade. Grade-based requirements are stricter about which subjects and grades you need.
Always check whether a course wants specific subjects as well as a points total. Points alone rarely tell the whole story.
The honest bit: entry requirements aren't offers, and offers aren't reality
This trips up almost everyone, so it's worth stating plainly:
A published entry requirement is what a university advertises. The offer they make you may differ. And the grades students actually enrolled with often span a wider range than either.
Data on real entrants shows that plenty of students get onto courses with grades below the advertised headline — through clearing, contextual offers, adjustment, or simply because the course had places. That doesn't mean you should bank on it. But it does mean you shouldn't rule yourself out of a course just because your predicted grades are a notch under the advertised line.
The more useful question is: where do my grades sit among the students who actually got in? If a good share of them entered with grades like yours, it's a realistic target.
How to use tariff points sensibly
- Work out your own total from your predicted or actual grades using the values above.
- Compare it to who got in, not just the advertised offer — a course where students entered across a range including your grades is worth a serious look.
- Check subject requirements separately. Hitting the points total is no good if you're missing a required A-level.
- Keep a spread. A couple of ambitious choices, a couple of realistic ones, and a safe option is a sensible shape for a shortlist.
StudyDecidr does step 2 for you: tell us your grades and we'll show you courses based on the actual entry profile of students who enrolled — not the advertised offer. Try it here.