UCAS Tariff Points Calculator: Turn Your Grades into Points
Pick your grades below and this calculator adds up your UCAS Tariff points for you — A levels, AS levels, the EPQ, BTEC Nationals, Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers, and T Levels, all on the official UCAS tariff tables. Many universities express their entry requirements as a points total rather than named grades, so knowing your number tells you which offers are within reach, which are a stretch, and how much room a single grade slip would leave you. If a course has given you a points offer, enter it too: the calculator will tell you whether your grades meet it, beat it, or fall short — and by how much.
How the UCAS tariff calculator works
The UCAS Tariff gives every Level 3 grade a points value, and your total is simply those values added together. At A level the scale runs in steps of eight: A* is 56, A is 48, B is 40, C is 32, D is 24 and E is 16 — so AAA is 144 points and BBB is 120. AS levels are worth roughly 40% of the A level scale (A 20, B 16, C 12, D 10, E 6), and the Extended Project Qualification is worth half an A level (A* 28 down to E 8). BTEC Nationals are graded as whole qualifications rather than subject by subject: an Extended Diploma at DDD is 144 points, the same as AAA at A level, while a Diploma at MM is 64 and an Extended Certificate at D is 48. Scottish Highers carry A 33, B 27, C 21 and D 15, and Advanced Highers mirror the A level scale from A 56 to D 32. A T Level overall grade is worth Distinction* 168, Distinction 144, Merit 120, or Pass 96 or 72 depending on the core grade. This calculator covers those main UK qualifications — the ones the overwhelming majority of applicants hold. It does not yet cover the International Baccalaureate, the Welsh Baccalaureate or smaller qualifications such as Core Maths; if you hold those, the UCAS website's own tariff tables carry the full list.
Two rules catch people out. First, do not double-count the same subject: if you took an AS and then completed the full A level in that subject, the A level replaces the AS — count the A level only. The same applies to an Advanced Higher replacing a Higher in the same subject. Second, a points total is not the whole story: many selective courses make grade-based offers instead (such as ABB, or DDM on a BTEC), and courses can require a particular grade in a particular subject on top of any total. Use this calculator to understand your position, then always check the exact wording of each course's entry requirements. Predicted grades are fine to use — most applicants calculate their tariff from predictions long before results day, and testing a one-grade slip in each subject is a sensible way to choose an insurance choice you would genuinely accept.
A levels — pick a grade for each subject (leave at "None" for subjects you are not taking)
AS levels — only count an AS if you did not complete the A level in that subject
Scottish Highers
Scottish Advanced Highers — an Advanced Higher replaces the Higher in the same subject
Use the calculator responsibly
A tariff total is a summary, not a verdict on your application. Universities are free to make offers in grades rather than points, to exclude certain qualifications from counting towards an offer, or to require specific grades in specific subjects — so a total that clears a published points threshold does not guarantee anything if the small print says otherwise. Check each course page carefully, and where a course lists both a points figure and typical grades, treat the grades as the safer guide. If you are calculating from predicted grades, be honest with them: an optimistic total can steer you towards five choices you are unlikely to meet, with no realistic insurance option. Run the pessimistic version too — one grade lower in each subject — and make sure at least one of your choices still works. Finally, remember that points are only one part of the application: your personal statement and reference carry real weight, especially for competitive courses. Our UCAS personal statement character counter helps you shape that statement inside the 2026 three-question format.
Frequently asked questions
How many UCAS points do I need for university? There is no single national figure. Offers range from under 40 points at some foundation and access routes to 168 for the most competitive courses. As a rough map: many universities make offers around 112–128 points (BBC to ABB at A level, or DMM to DDM on a BTEC Extended Diploma), Russell Group courses commonly sit at 136–168, and plenty of solid courses recruit at 80–104. Always check the specific course.
How many UCAS points is an A worth? At A level, an A is worth 48 points, with A* at 56 and B at 40. At AS level an A is worth 20. On a BTEC Extended Certificate a Distinction (D) is also 48, which is why that qualification is described as a one-A-level equivalent.
Can I add points from different qualifications together? Yes — that is the point of the tariff. A levels, BTECs, Highers, an EPQ and a T Level can all contribute to one total, and this calculator adds any combination. The exception is the same subject at two levels: an AS inside a completed A level, or a Higher inside an Advanced Higher, counts once, at the higher level.
Do GCSEs carry UCAS points? No. The tariff covers Level 3 qualifications only. Courses may still require particular GCSEs — English and Maths at grade 4 or above are common — but those requirements sit alongside your points, not inside them.
What if my grades fall a few points short of an offer? Universities often still accept near-misses, especially where the shortfall is small or the course has places in Clearing, but nothing is guaranteed. A shortfall of 8 points is exactly one A level grade step, so it is worth phoning the university on results day before assuming the place is gone.
Is the EPQ worth doing for the points? An EPQ at A* adds 28 points — the same as an A at AS — and some universities lower their grade offer for applicants with a strong EPQ. It also gives you something substantial to write about in your personal statement. Whether that is worth the hours depends on your other subjects; the points alone are a bonus, not the reason.
Need help with the application itself?
Points get you considered; the statement gets you chosen. If your personal statement needs work — structure, evidence, or writing that sounds like you at your best — our team can help, and if you are already at university, we support coursework and dissertations too. See our prices (from £20 per 1,000 words) or ask for a free quote.
Other free tools
Working on your application? Draft your statement inside the limit with our UCAS personal statement character counter, and estimate your living-cost funding with our maintenance loan calculator for 2026/27. Already holding results? The degree classification calculator shows where university marks lead, and the reference count calculator plans the sources an assignment needs.