What are your grades worth?
Some universities or school leaver schemes ask for specific grades in A levels or BTEC, and
others make offers in UCAS points. Some universities make UCAS points offers, but
including certain grades in certain subjects, so be careful to read all the small print.
Remember, if you are applying to university you need to choose universities with a spread
of entry requirements – your AS or BTEC 90 credit grades are a clear indicator of the grades
you are likely to be predicted. If you are applying for jobs you need to look carefully at the
qualifications they require. You will be given your predicted grades early in the Autumn
term – you will be able to see them on Proportal.
Most courses require GCSE English and Maths at grade C or above and some require a B (or
occasionally an A in maths). If you will be re-taking one of those GCSEs and the university
requires that GCSE grade, remember that if you do not re-take until next Summer your
GCSE results will come out one week later than your A level or BTEC results, so could delay
your place being confirmed.
So what UCAS points are your qualifications worth?
A levels
A levels (A2)
A*
A
B
C
D
E
140 points
120 points
100 points
80 points
60 points
40 points
AS levels are worth half the number of points, so an A at AS is worth 60, a B is worth 50 and
so on. But if you carry a subject on to A2 you do not add the AS and A2 points together - so
if you got a B at AS and drop the subject, that gives you 50 points; if you get a B at AS,
continue to A2 and get a B, you get 100 points in total for that subject.
Example:
Student gets BCDD in AS levels. They drop one of the subjects they got a D in, so they just
have a D at AS for that subject. That D at AS = 30 points. They get BBC in their three
subjects at A2. B = 100 points, C = 80 points. Total for A2 = 280. Total including the AS =
310 points.
The student is also predicted B in their EPQ (Extended Project). EPQ (Extended Project) is
worth the same as an AS, but it has an A* grade (unlike AS) so the maximum number of
points is 70 (for an A*). If the student gets a B that will be worth 50 points. Their total
points score will then be 360 points.
BTEC
BTEC extended diploma
D*D*D*
D*D*D
D*DD
DDD
DDM
DMM
MMM
MMP
MPP
PPP
420 points
400 points
380 points
360 points
320 points
280 points
240 points
200 points
160 points
120 points