UCAS Points for International Students 2026: Do Your Grades Convert?

Quick answer: Only a small set of international qualifications carry official UCAS Tariff points - the International Baccalaureate, Irish Leaving Certificate, French Baccalaureate, Cambridge Pre-U and international A-levels. Indian CBSE/ISC, Pakistani HSSC, Nigerian WAEC, Chinese Gaokao, Bangladeshi HSC and most other national qualifications are not on the UCAS Tariff. UK universities assess them against their own country-by-country equivalence tables instead, so you should compare your grades to the university's stated international requirement rather than trying to convert to points.

At a glance

On the tariff: IB (HL and SL), Irish Leaving Cert (Higher), French Baccalaureate, Cambridge Pre-U, international A-levels and BTECs

Not on the tariff: CBSE, ISC, HSSC/FSc, WAEC/NECO, Gaokao, HSC, SPM/STPM, Kenyan KCSE, and most other national school leaving exams

Tariff points are only used for undergraduate entry. Masters entry uses degree classification, not points

English tests (IELTS, PTE, Duolingo) never carry tariff points, they are a separate requirement

If your qualification is not on the tariff, the fastest route is a direct eligibility check against the university's own requirement

Do international students need UCAS points at all?

Not always. UCAS Tariff points are one way UK universities express an undergraduate entry requirement. Many courses publish requirements in grades ("AAB at A-level or equivalent") and separately list an international equivalent for each country. If you studied outside the UK, the international equivalent is the line that applies to you.

Use tariff points if:

You studied A-levels, international A-levels, BTEC, IB or another qualification that appears on the tariff

The course you want publishes a points total, for example "112 UCAS points"

Ignore tariff points if:

You studied a national qualification not on the tariff

You are applying for a Masters, a Pre-Masters, a top-up degree or a foundation year with its own entry table

International qualifications that DO carry UCAS points

Qualification	Example grade	UCAS points

IB Higher Level (per subject)756IB Higher Level (per subject)648IB Higher Level (per subject)532IB Standard Level (per subject)728IB Standard Level (per subject)516Irish Leaving Certificate (Higher)H156Irish Leaving Certificate (Higher)H340Cambridge Pre-U PrincipalD352International A-levelA48BTEC Extended DiplomaDDM128

A typical IB diploma of three HL and three SL subjects at 6,6,5 / 5,5,4 converts to roughly 48 + 48 + 32 + 16 + 16 + 12 = 172 points, well above most offers. Run your own combination through our UCAS Tariff points calculator.

International qualifications that do NOT carry UCAS points

These are assessed directly, not converted:

Country	Qualification	Typical UK undergraduate requirement

IndiaCBSE / ISC / State Board Class 1260-80 percent overall depending on university tierPakistanHSSC / FSc / Intermediate60-80 percent, or A-levels for direct entry to selective coursesBangladeshHSCGPA 3.5-4.5 out of 5NigeriaWAEC / NECO SSCEUsually a foundation year first, or JAMB plus one year of university studyChinaGaokao / Senior High School DiplomaGaokao score by province, or a recognised foundation yearSri LankaGCE A-Level (local syllabus)Often accepted on a case-by-case basisMalaysiaSTPM / UEC / MatriculationSTPM CCC-BBB equivalentKenya / GhanaKCSE / WASSCEFoundation year, or strong grades for some universities

If your qualification is on this list, do not spend time converting to tariff points. Compare your actual percentage or GPA against the university's published international entry requirement. Our eligibility checker does that comparison for you against live requirements and tells you the specific reason if you fall short.

How UK universities really read international grades

Admissions teams use one of three references:

Their own country pages - the most reliable source, published per country per qualification

UK ENIC (formerly NARIC) statements of comparability - used when a qualification is unusual

Pathway equivalences - foundation year, international year one or pre-masters entry tables

Selective universities apply the strictest reading. Post-1992 universities are usually more flexible and will consider a strong subject profile even if the overall percentage is slightly below the published bar.

What to do if your grades fall short

International Foundation Year - typically accepts 45-60 percent at Class 12 or equivalent and guarantees progression to year one. See our foundation year guide

International Year One - enters you straight into year two of a degree if your grades are close

November or January intake - many universities relax requirements outside the September peak. See our January 2027 intake guide

Retake or add a qualification - an additional A-level or an English test resit can move you into range

Choose a course with a lower published requirement - the same university may take you for a related course

English tests and UCAS points

IELTS, PTE Academic, Duolingo, TOEFL and Medium of Instruction letters carry zero UCAS Tariff points. They are a separate, mandatory condition and also feed the Student Route visa requirement, so a strong points total will not compensate for a missing English score. Most UK undergraduate courses ask for IELTS Academic 6.0 overall with no component below 5.5.

Common mistakes international applicants make with UCAS points

Converting a percentage into UCAS points using an unofficial online table, then applying to a course that would have rejected them

Counting GCSE, O-level, IGCSE or Class 10 results, which never carry tariff points

Adding an IB diploma bonus, which is not part of the tariff

Stacking overlapping qualifications, for example a BTEC Extended Diploma plus three A-levels

Assuming Masters entry uses points, when it uses your Bachelor degree classification

Frequently asked questions

Do international students need UCAS points?

Only if your qualification appears on the UCAS Tariff and the course publishes a points requirement. Otherwise UK universities assess your national qualification directly against their own country-specific entry table.

How many UCAS points is an IB diploma worth?

It depends on your subject grades. Each Higher Level subject is worth 12 to 56 points and each Standard Level subject 6 to 28 points. A 6,6,5 HL profile with 5,5,4 at SL comes to about 172 points.

Do CBSE or HSSC results convert into UCAS points?

No. Indian CBSE/ISC and Pakistani HSSC/FSc results are not on the UCAS Tariff. Universities assess them by percentage against their own equivalence tables, usually 60-80 percent for undergraduate entry.

Do IELTS or Duolingo scores give UCAS points?

No. English language tests carry no tariff points. They are a separate entry condition and are also required for the UK Student Route visa.

Do UCAS points matter for a Masters degree?

No. Postgraduate entry is based on your Bachelor degree classification or percentage, plus English, not on UCAS Tariff points.

Related Reading

UCAS Tariff points calculator

UCAS for international students: the application process

Foundation year vs A-levels

Common UK Student Visa mistakes

Check your eligibility for UK universities

*Sources: UCAS Tariff tables (2017 tariff, current for 2026 entry), UK ENIC comparability guidance, and published university international entry requirement pages.*