There is no single number. Each course sets its own entry requirement, and many write it as grades, like AAB, instead of points. At A level, three Bs are worth 120 UCAS points, AAB is 136, and three As are 144. Find your course’s requirement, then add up your own grades.
- Universities set their own entry requirements. UCAS gives no minimum score for a degree.
- At A level: A* = 56, A = 48, B = 40, C = 32, D = 24, E = 16 points.
- AAB is 136 points, BBB is 120, and CCC is 96.
- Many offers use grades, not points. If yours does, the grades are what count.
- Some courses count only your best three qualifications, so a fourth subject may not help.
What a UCAS point is
UCAS Tariff points turn a qualification and a grade into a number. They let a university compare applicants who took different qualifications, like A levels, BTECs and Scottish Highers. UCAS says some universities and colleges use Tariff points in their entry requirements, and many base offers on qualifications and grades.
Tariff points only apply to Level 3 qualifications in the UK, and the Scottish equivalent, SCQF Level 6. GCSEs earn none.
Why there is no single number
UCAS says universities and colleges are autonomous and decide how to set their entry requirements each year. A course at one university can ask for BBB while a similar course elsewhere asks for AAA. The same course can change its requirement from one year to the next.
You will see articles that say most degrees need 96 to 144 points. That range is CCC (96) to AAA (144) at A level. No official source gives a typical range, so this guide does not publish one. Use the number on your course page.
Three ways an offer is written
UCAS gives its own examples of conditional offers. They show that the same idea can be written in very different ways.
| Style | Example from UCAS | What you check |
|---|---|---|
| Grades | A levels grade AAB with A in chemistry and at least two other sciences | Your grades and your subjects |
| Points and a named qualification | 112 UCAS Tariff points including BTEC National Diploma grade DM | Your total, and that one qualification |
| Points with a split | 88 UCAS Tariff points, of which at least 60 must be obtained from two A levels, excluding General Studies | Your total, and the points from two A levels |
| Another qualification | Scottish Higher grades of BBBB | Your Higher grades |
| IB points | 36 points from your International Baccalaureate Diploma, to include six in Higher Level English | Your IB score, and one subject grade |
Notice the second row. A BTEC National Diploma at DM is 80 points. Add an A level at C (32) and you reach 112. The offer asks for 112, so you meet it, and you also meet the named qualification.
What each A level grade is worth
| Grade | Points |
|---|---|
| A* | 56 |
| A | 48 |
| B | 40 |
| C | 32 |
| D | 24 |
| E | 16 |
Each step down a grade costs 8 points. That makes your sums easy to check: AAB to ABB is 8 points, and so is ABB to BBB.
Common three A level offers in points
| Grades | Points |
|---|---|
| A*A*A* | 168 |
| A*AA | 152 |
| AAA | 144 |
| AAB | 136 |
| ABB | 128 |
| BBB | 120 |
| BBC | 112 |
| BCC | 104 |
| CCC | 96 |
| CCD | 88 |
| CDD | 80 |
| DDD | 72 |
Treat this as a conversion table, not a list of what courses ask for. A course that asks for AAB wants those grades, and a combination like A*BB (which also totals 136 points) may not meet it.
Other qualifications
BTEC Nationals
The points depend on the size of the BTEC. This table covers the Extended Diploma, the largest. The Extended Certificate (one A level in size) earns 56 points at D*, down to 16 at P. Check the title on your certificate.
| Grades | Points |
|---|---|
| D*D*D* | 168 |
| D*D*D | 160 |
| D*DD | 152 |
| DDD | 144 |
| DDM | 128 |
| DMM | 112 |
| MMM | 96 |
| MMP | 80 |
| MPP | 64 |
| PPP | 48 |
T Levels
A T Level is graded as one qualification. A distinction* is worth 168 points, a distinction 144, a merit 120, and a pass 96 or 72, depending on the core grade.
Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers
A Higher is worth 33 points at A, 27 at B, 21 at C and 15 at D. An Advanced Higher is worth 56 at A and 32 at D. Five Highers at AABBB total 147 points.
The International Baccalaureate
UCAS’s 2026 Tariff tables do not list the IB, and UCAS’s own example offers use IB points, like "36 points from your International Baccalaureate Diploma". Plan around the IB score the course asks for. Older UCAS tables gave Higher Level grade 7 a value of 56 points, which some sites still quote. Treat that as a rough guide, and check the course page.
Three worked examples
Maya is predicted A, B and B at A level, plus an EPQ at B. Her course asks for AAB. Her points are 48 + 40 + 40 + 20 = 148. That is more than the 136 points AAB is worth, yet she holds ABB. The offer is in grades, so she is one grade short.
Jordan has a BTEC National Extended Diploma at DDM, worth 128 points. His course asks for 128 UCAS points. He meets it exactly. If the course also named a subject or a specific grade, he would check that too.
Sam studies in Scotland and has five Highers at AABBB, worth 147 points. That clears a 120 point requirement by 27 points. A course asking for BBBB in Highers is a different test, so Sam reads the exact wording first.
What counts and what does not
- UCAS says universities generally count only the highest level of achievement. An AS level in the same subject as your A level normally does not count on top of it.
- Some universities count only a set number of qualifications, for example your best three A levels. A fourth subject may add nothing.
- A qualification having Tariff points does not mean every course accepts it. UCAS tells students to read the entry requirements for each course.
- Some universities decide a qualification repeats content already in another one, and leave it out.
How to find what your course asks for
- Search for the course on the UCAS search tool and open the entry requirements section.
- Note how the requirement is written: grades, points, or both.
- If it is in grades, check those grades. If it is in points, add up your qualifications and compare the total.
- Look for subject requirements, such as an A in chemistry. Points do not satisfy these.
- If anything is unclear, ask the university.
If you are predicted grades
You can use predicted grades to see where you stand. Enter them in the calculator, and compare the total with the course requirement. Your actual results on results day are what the university checks against the conditional offer.
Calculators that help
- UCAS Points Calculator: add your grades and compare the total with an offer.
- Degree Classification Calculator: plan ahead for your degree class once you are in.
- UK Student Finance Calculator: estimate your Maintenance Loan from household income.
Questions students ask
How many UCAS points is AAB?
AAB at A level is 136 points. It is 48 for each A and 40 for the B.
How many UCAS points do I need for a Russell Group university?
There is no group-wide number. Each Russell Group university and each course sets its own requirement, and many are written as grades. Check the course page for the one you want.
Is 120 UCAS points good?
It depends on the course. At A level, 120 points is BBB. Some courses ask for less and some for more, so compare it with the requirement on your course page.
Do AS levels and EPQs count?
They carry points (an AS at A is 20, an EPQ at A* is 28), but universities decide what to count. UCAS says they generally count only the highest level in a subject, so an AS usually does not count next to an A level in the same subject.
Do GCSEs have UCAS points?
No. UCAS Tariff points apply only to Level 3 qualifications in the UK and SCQF Level 6 qualifications in Scotland.
How many UCAS points is a BTEC worth?
It depends on the BTEC. The Extended Diploma at DDM is 128 points and at D*D*D* it is 168. The Extended Certificate at D* is 56.
