The UCAS Tariff (formerly called UCAS Points System) is used to allocate points to post-16 qualifications. Universities and colleges may use it when making offers to applicants. A points total is achieved by converting qualifications such as A levels (and many others) into points, making it simpler for course providers to compare applicants. It is used as a means of giving students from the United Kingdom places at UK universities.
Common ways for UCAS points to be calculated are through the UCAS Tariff Calculator, official tariff tables, or through third-party software and websites.
The UCAS Tariff was first introduced in 2001. Since then, however, both the range of qualifications held by applicants, and the variety of progression routes into higher education have increased. Therefore a new Tariff was introduced. The new UCAS Tariff points are based on a different methodology. The change to new UCAS Tariff will not in itself change entry requirements for university or college courses. Universities and colleges are independent organisations and each year they decide how to set their entry requirements. Those universities and colleges that use UCAS Tariff points to express their entry requirements will simply set their requirements using the new number system.
The following qualifications can count towards the tariff:
Full Diploma or each of its components.
These are only counted if at grade 6 or above.
These are only counted if at grade 6 or above.