- Where to start?
- Step 1: Choosing courses
- Step 2: Applying
- Step 3: Offers
- Step 4: Results
- Step 5: Next steps
- Step 6: Starting university or college
- UCAS terms explained
- UCAS Tariff
- Student finance
- Important dates
- Events
- News
Find out how many points your qualifications are awarded
Please click on a link below to read a summary of the qualification and access an Expert Group Report for the chosen qualification. Expert Group Reports include details of the qualifications seeking inclusion in the Tariff and the qualification against which it has been benchmarked, the process involved and the recommendations reached. Notes for the qualifications are below each table.
AAT NVQ Level 3 in Accounting
| Grade | Tariff points |
| Pass | 160 |
Read a summary of the AAT NVQ Level 3 in Accounting and access the full Expert Group report
Advanced Diploma
Advanced Diploma = Progression Diploma plus Additional & Specialist Learning (ASL). Please see the appropriate qualification to calculate the ASL score. Please see the Progression Diploma table for Tariff scores.
Read a summary of Advanced Diplomas and access the full Expert Group report
Advanced Extension Awards*
| Grade | Tariff points |
| Distinction | 40 |
| Merit | 20 |
*Points for Advanced Extension Awards are over and above those gained from A level.
Read a summary of Advanced Extension Awards and access the full Expert Group report
Advanced Placement Programme (US & Canada)*
| Grade | Tariff points |
| Group A | |
| 5 | 120 |
| 4 | 90 |
| 3 | 60 |
| Group B | |
| 5 | 50 |
| 4 | 35 |
| 3 | 20 |
*Details of the subjects covered by each group are here
ASDAN Community Volunteering qualification*
| Grade | Tariff points |
| Certificate | 50 |
| Award | 30 |
*Points for the ASDAN Community Volunteering qualification come into effect for entry into higher education from 2011 onwards.
Asset Languages Advanced Stage*
| Grade 12 | Grade 11 | Grade 10 | |
| Speaking | 28 | 20 | 12 |
| Listening | 25 | 18 | 11 |
| Reading | 25 | 18 | 11 |
| Writing | 25 | 18 | 11 |
*Points for Asset Languages come into effect for entry into higher education from 2010 onwards.
Read a summary of the Asset Languages Advanced Stage
British Horse Society / Equestrian Qualifications (GB) Ltd (EQL)
| Grade | Tariff points |
| Stage 3 Horse Knowledge & Care | |
| Pass | 35 |
| Stage 3 Riding | |
| Pass | 35 |
| Preliminary Teacher's Certificate | |
| Pass | 35 |
BTEC Awards* (excluding BTEC National qualifications)
| Grade | Tariff points | ||
| Group A | Group B | Group C | |
| Distinction | 20 | 30 | 40 |
| Merit | 13 | 20 | 26 |
| Pass | 7 | 10 | 13 |
*Points for Edexcel BTEC Awards come into effect for entry into higher education from 2010 onwards. Details of the subjects covered by each BTEC Award group are here.
Read a summary of the BTEC Awards and access the full Expert Group report
BTEC Certificates and Extended Certificates* (excluding BTEC National qualifications)
| Grade | Tariff points | ||||
| Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D | Extended Certificates | |
| Distinction | 40 | 60 | 80 | 100 | 60 |
| Merit | 26 | 40 | 52 | 65 | 40 |
| Pass | 13 | 20 | 26 | 35 | 20 |
*Points for Edexcel BTEC Certificates and Extended Certificates come into effect for entry into higher education from 2010 onwards. Details of the subjects covered by each BTEC Certificate and Extended Certificate groups are here.
BTEC Diplomas* (excluding BTEC National qualifications)
| Grade | Tariff points | ||
| Group A | Group B | Group C | |
| Distinction | 80 | 100 | 120 |
| Merit | 52 | 65 | 80 |
| Pass | 26 | 35 | 40 |
*Points for Edexcel BTEC Diplomas come into effect for entry into higher education from 2010 onwards. Details of the subjects covered by each BTEC Diploma groups are here.
Read a summary of the BTEC Diplomas and access the full Expert Group report
BTEC National in Early Years*
| Grade | Tariff points | ||
| Theory | Practical | ||
| Diploma | Certificate | ||
| DDD | 320 | ||
| DDM | 280 | ||
| DMM | 240 | ||
| MMM | 220 | ||
| DD | 200 | ||
| MMP | DM | 160 | |
| MPP | MM | D | 120 |
| PPP | MP | M | 80 |
| PP | P | 40 | |
*Points apply to the following qualifications only: BTEC National Diploma in Early Years (100/1279/5); BTEC National Diploma in Early Years (100/1280/1). The certification end date for these qualifications is 31 August 2010. For any other BTEC Early Years qualification, the BTEC Nationals score below applies.
Read a summary of the BTEC National in Early Years and access the full Expert Group report
BTEC Nationals
| Grade | Tariff points | ||
| Diploma | Certificate | Award | |
| DDD | 360 | ||
| DDM | 320 | ||
| DMM | 280 | ||
| MMM | DD | 240 | |
| MMP | DM | 200 | |
| MPP | MM | 160 | |
| PPP | MP | D | 120 |
| PP | M | 80 | |
| P | 40 | ||
Read a summary of BTEC Nationals and access the full Expert Group report
CACHE Level 3 Award, Certificate and Diploma in Child Care & Education*
| Grade | Tariff points | Grade | Tariff points | Grade | Tariff points |
| Award | Certificate | Diploma | |||
| A | 30 | A | 110 | A | 360 |
| B | 25 | B | 90 | B | 300 |
| C | 20 | C | 70 | C | 240 |
| D | 15 | D | 55 | D | 180 |
| E | 10 | E | 35 | E | 120 |
*Points apply to current specifications. For Tariff points for the CACHE Diploma in Child Care and Education prior to 2009 click here.
Cambridge Pre-U
| Grade | Principal Subject | Global Perspectives and Research | Short Course |
| D1 | To be confirmed | To be confirmed | To be confirmed |
| D2 | 145 | 140 | To be confirmed |
| D3 | 130 | 126 | 60 |
| M1 | 115 | 112 | 53 |
| M2 | 101 | 98 | 46 |
| M3 | 87 | 84 | 39 |
| P1 | 73 | 70 | 32 |
| P2 | 59 | 56 | 26 |
| P3 | 46 | 42 | 20 |
*Points for Cambridge Pre-U come into effect for entry into higher education from 2010 onwards.
Read a summary of the Cambridge Pre-U and access the full Expert Group report
Certificate of Personal Effectiveness (CoPE)*
| Grade | Tariff points |
| Pass | 70 |
*Points are awarded for the Certificate of Personal Effectiveness (CoPE) awarded by ASDAN and CCEA.
Read a summary of the Certificate of Personal Effectiveness and access the full Expert Group report
CISI Introduction to Securities and Investment*
| Grade | Tariff points |
| Pass with Distinction | 60 |
| Pass with Merit | 40 |
| Pass | 20 |
*Points for CISI Introduction to Securities and Investment come into effect into higher education from 2011 onwards.
Diploma in Fashion Retail*
| Grade | Tariff points |
| Distinction | 160 |
| Merit | 120 |
| Pass | 80 |
*Awarded by ABC Awards.
Read a summary of the Diploma in Fashion Retail and access the full Expert Group report
Diploma in Foundation Studies (Art & Design, and Art, Design & Media)
| Grade | Tariff points |
| Distinction | 285 |
| Merit | 225 |
| Pass | 165 |
EDI Level 3 Certificate in Accounting and Accounting (IAS)
| Grade | Tariff points |
| Distinction | 120 |
| Credit | 90 |
| Pass | 70 |
Essential Skills and Essential Skills, Wales*
| Grade | Tariff points |
| Level 2 | 10 |
*Essential Skills and Essential Skills, Wales will attract Tariff points for 2010 but will be removed from the Tariff for entry into higher education from 2011 onwards.
Extended Project (Stand alone)*
| Grade | Tariff points |
| A* | 70 |
| A | 60 |
| B | 50 |
| C | 40 |
| D | 30 |
| E | 20 |
*Points cannot be counted if taken as part of Progression / Advanced Diploma.
Free-standing Mathematics qualifications*
| Grade | Tariff points |
| A | 20 |
| B | 17 |
| C | 13 |
| D | 10 |
| E | 7 |
*Covers free-standing Mathematics - Additional Maths, Using and applying Statistics, Working with Algebraic and Graphical Techniques, Modelling with Calculus
Functional Skills*
| Grade | Tariff points |
| Level 2 | 10 |
*Functional Skills will attract Tariff points for 2010 but will be removed from the Tariff for entry into higher education from 2011 onwards.
GCE and VCE
| Grade | Tariff points | ||||
| GCE & AVCE Double Award | A level with additional AS (9 units) | GCE A level and AVCE | GCE AS Double Award | GCE AS & AS VCE | |
| A*A* | 280 | ||||
| A*A | 260 | ||||
| AA | 240 | ||||
| AB | 220 | ||||
| BB | A*A | 200 | |||
| BC | AA | 180 | |||
| AB | 170 | ||||
| CC | 160 | ||||
| BB | 150 | ||||
| CD | BC | A* | 140 | ||
| DD | CC | A | AA | 120 | |
| CD | AB | 110 | |||
| DE | B | BB | 100 | ||
| DD | BC | 90 | |||
| EE | DE | C | CC | 80 | |
| CD | 70 | ||||
| EE | D | DD | A | 60 | |
| DE | B | 50 | |||
| E | EE | C | 40 | ||
| D | 30 | ||||
| E | 20 | ||||
A* grades will be introduced to GCE A level achievement from 2010.
Read a summary of GCE Advanced levels and access the full Expert Group report
Read a summary of GCE Advanced Subsidiary levels and access the full Expert Group report
Higher Sports Leader Award
| Grade | Tariff points |
| Pass | 30 |
Read a summary of the Higher Sports Leader Award and access the full Expert Group report
Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (from 2012 entry to HE)
| Grade | Tariff points | ||
| All subjects except Mathematics | Mathematics compulsory component | Mathematics optional components | |
| 5** | No value pending receipt of candidate evidence (post 2012) | ||
| 5* | 130 | 60 | 70 |
| 5 | 120 | 45 | 60 |
| 4 | 80 | 35 | 50 |
| 3 | 40 | 25 | 40 |
Read a summary of Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education and access the full Expert Group report
Institute of Financial Services
| Grade | Tariff points | |
| Certificate in Financial Studies* | Diploma in Financial Studies | |
| A | A | 60 |
| B | B | 50 |
| C | C | 40 |
| D | D | 30 |
| E | E | 20 |
*Completion of both qualifications will result in a maximum of 120 UCAS Tariff points.
International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma*
| IB Diploma points | UCAS Tariff |
| 45 | 720 |
| 44 | 698 |
| 43 | 676 |
| 42 | 654 |
| 41 | 632 |
| 40 | 611 |
| 39 | 589 |
| 38 | 567 |
| 37 | 545 |
| 36 | 523 |
| 35 | 501 |
| 34 | 479 |
| 33 | 457 |
| 32 | 435 |
| 31 | 413 |
| 30 | 392 |
| 29 | 370 |
| 28 | 348 |
| 27 | 326 |
| 26 | 304 |
| 25 | 282 |
| 24 | 260 |
Read a summary of the International Baccalaureate Diploma and access the full Expert Group report
International Baccalaureate (IB) Certificate*
| Higher Level | Standard Level | Core | |||
| Grade | Tariff points | Grade | Tariff points | Grade | Tariff points |
| 7 | 130 | 7 | 70 | 3 | 120 |
| 6 | 110 | 6 | 59 | 2 | 80 |
| 5 | 80 | 5 | 43 | 1 | 40 |
| 4 | 50 | 4 | 27 | 0 | 10 |
| 3 | 20 | 3 | 11 | ||
*Points for IB Certificate come into effect for entry into higher education from 2010 onwards.
Read a summary of the International Baccalaureate Certificate
iMedia*
| Grade | Tariff points |
| Diploma | 66 |
| Certificate | 40 |
*Awarded by OCR.
Read a summary of iMedia and access the full Expert Group report
IT Professionals (iPRO)*
| Grade | Tariff points |
| Diploma | 100 |
| Certificate | 80 |
*Awarded by OCR.
Read a summary of the IT Professionals (iPRO) and access the full Expert Group report
Irish Leaving Certificate
| Grade | Tariff points | |
| Higher | Ordinary | |
| A1 | 90 | |
| A2 | 77 | |
| B1 | 71 | |
| B2 | 64 | |
| B3 | 58 | |
| C1 | 52 | |
| C2 | 45 | |
| C3 | A1 | 39 |
| D1 | 33 | |
| D2 | A2 | 26 |
| D3 | B1 | 20 |
| B2 | 14 | |
| B3 | 7 |
Read a summary of the Irish Leaving Certificate and access the full Expert Group report
Key Skills*
| Grade | Tariff points |
| Level 4 | 30 |
| Level 3 | 20 |
| Level 2 | 10 |
*Level 2 Key Skills will continue to attract Tariff points for 2010 but will be removed from the Tariff for entry into higher education from 2011 onwards.
Music Examinations*
| Practical | Theory | Tariff points | ||||
| Grade 8 | Grade 7 | Grade 6 | Grade 8 | Grade 7 | Grade 6 | |
| Distinction | 75 | |||||
| Merit | 70 | |||||
| Distinction | 60 | |||||
| Pass | Merit | 55 | ||||
| Distinction | 45 | |||||
| Pass | Merit | 40 | ||||
| Distinction | 30 | |||||
| Pass | Merit | 25 | ||||
| Pass | Distinction | 20 | ||||
| Merit | Distinction | 15 | ||||
| Pass | Merit | 10 | ||||
| Pass | 5 | |||||
*Points shown are for the ABRSM, Guildhall, LCMM, Rockschool and Trinity College London Advanced Level music examinations.
Read a summary of the Music Examinations and access the full Expert Group report
OCR Level 3 Certificate in Mathematics for Engineering*
| Grade | Tariff points |
| A* | TBC |
| A | 90 |
| B | 75 |
| C | 60 |
| D | 45 |
| E | 30 |
*Points come into effect for entry to higher education from 2011 onwards.
OCR Nationals*
| Grade | Tariff points | ||
| National Extended Diploma | National Diploma | National Certificate | |
| D1 | 360 | ||
| D2/M1 | 320 | ||
| M2 | 280 | ||
| M3 | D | 240 | |
| P1 | M1 | 200 | |
| P2 | M2/P1 | 160 | |
| P3 | P2 | D | 120 |
| P3 | M | 80 | |
| P | 40 | ||
Read a summary of OCR Nationals and access the full Expert Group report
Progression Diploma*
| Grade | Tariff points |
| A* | 350 |
| A | 300 |
| B | 250 |
| C | 200 |
| D | 150 |
| E | 100 |
*Points for the Progression Diploma come into effect for entry to higher education from 2010 onwards.
Advanced Diploma = Progression Diploma plus Additional & Specialist Learning (ASL). Please see the appropriate qualification to calculate the ASL score.
Read a summary of the Progression Diploma
Scottish Qualifications*
| Grade | Tariff points | ||||||||
| Advanced Higher | Higher | Scottish National Certificates** | Scottish Interdisciplinary Project*** | Ungraded Higher | NPA PC Passport | Intermediate 2 | Standard Grade | Core Skills | |
| A | 130 | ||||||||
| Group C | 125 | ||||||||
| B | 110 | ||||||||
| Group B | 100 | ||||||||
| C | 90 | ||||||||
| A | 80 | ||||||||
| Group A | 75 | ||||||||
| D | 72 | ||||||||
| B | A | 65 | |||||||
| 60 | |||||||||
| B | 55 | ||||||||
| C | 50 | ||||||||
| C | Pass | Pass | 45 | ||||||
| A | 42 | ||||||||
| Band 1 | 38 | ||||||||
| D | 36 | ||||||||
| B | 35 | ||||||||
| C | Band 2 | 28 | |||||||
| Higher | 20 | ||||||||
| Int 2 | 10 | ||||||||
*Intermediate 2 and Standard grades will continue to attract Tariff points for 2010 but will be removed from the Tariff for entry into higher education from 2011 onwards.
**Points for Scottish National Certificates come into effect for entry into higher education from 2011 onwards. Details of the subjects covered by each Scottish National Certificate group are here.
***Points for Scottish Interdisciplinary Project come into effect for entry into higher education from 2010 onwards.
Read a summary of Scottish Advanced Highers
Read a summary of Scottish Highers
Read a summary of Scottish National Certificates
Read a summary of Scottish Interdisciplinary Project
Read a summary of ungraded Highers
Read a summary of NPA PC Passport
Speech & Drama Examinations*
| Tariff points | ||||
| PCertLAM | Grade 8 | Grade 7 | Grade 6 | |
| Distinction | 90 | |||
| Merit | 80 | |||
| Distinction | 65 | |||
| Pass | Merit | 60 | ||
| Distinction | 55 | |||
| Merit | 50 | |||
| Pass | 45 | |||
| Distinction | 40 | |||
| Pass | Merit | 35 | ||
| Pass | 20 | |||
*Points shown are for ESB, LAMDA, LCMM and Trinity Guildhall advanced level speech and drama examinations accredited on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), and LAMDA's Certificates in Communication and Certificate in Performance accredited on the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF)
Read a summary of the Speech and Drama Examinations and access the full Expert Group report
Welsh Baccalaureate Core*
| Grade | Tariff points |
| Pass | 120 |
Read a summary of the Welsh Baccalaureate Core and access the full Expert Group report
*Points for the Core are awarded only when a candidate achieves the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Diploma