UCAS Tariff Points Calculator 2026 - Convert Your Grades to UCAS Points

The UCAS Tariff is a points system UCAS uses to translate very different Level 3 qualifications - A-levels, BTECs, IB, Scottish Highers, T-Levels, EPQs and dozens more - into one common currency. Universities set an entry requirement either in grades ("AAB at A-level") or in tariff points ("120 UCAS points from three A-levels").

Only qualifications on the official UCAS Tariff count. GCSEs, Access to HE, English tests (IELTS, PTE) and IB Middle Years qualifications don't carry tariff points, even though universities still use them as separate entry criteria.

Step-by-step: calculate your points in 60 seconds

1. List every Level 3 qualification you'll finish before the course starts (predicted grades are fine for applications).
2. For each one, look up the points for your grade using the calculator above or the tables.
3. Add them together. That total is your UCAS Tariff score.
4. Compare it to the university's advertised tariff requirement, or work backwards from their grade offer (see conversions below).

Common A-level combinations converted

Do BTECs and A-levels combine?

Yes - as long as the total qualification size doesn't overlap. A BTEC Extended Diploma is worth three A-levels, so you can't stack it with three A-levels. A BTEC Diploma equals two A-levels, so one A-level plus a BTEC Diploma is a valid three-qualification combination. Always check the specific course - some (Medicine, Veterinary, some Engineering) don't accept BTECs at all.

Do EPQ points count towards an offer?

Sometimes. Around a third of UK universities will drop a grade if you achieve an A or above in the EPQ (28 or 24 tariff points). Others will accept EPQ points towards a total tariff requirement but not as a grade substitute. Check the course page or contact admissions.

International qualifications

The tariff covers IB, French Baccalaureate, Irish Leaving Cert and Cambridge Pre-U directly. Most other international qualifications (Pakistani HSSC, Indian CBSE/ISC, Chinese Gaokao, Nigerian WAEC) aren't on the tariff - universities assess them against their own equivalence tables. If you're international, our eligibility checker maps your grades directly to UK offers without needing tariff conversion. For a full country-by-country breakdown, read UCAS points for international students.

What if I'm short on points?

• Foundation year - most post-1992 universities accept 48-64 UCAS points (see our foundation year guide).
• Clearing - opens July, thousands of undergraduate places accept lower tariff totals.
• Resit an A-level or add an EPQ - fastest way to add 20-56 points before results day.
• November or January intake - many universities relax entry requirements outside September.

What each UCAS points total means (96 to 168 points)

Most searches land on a specific milestone, so here is what each common tariff total is worth in A-level, BTEC and IB terms, and the kind of offer it unlocks.

Working backwards is just as easy: pick your target total in the UCAS calc above, then adjust grades until the number matches. If you are aiming at a November 2026 or January 2027 start, universities often accept 8 to 16 points below their September requirement.

Frequently asked questions