Updated 29 October 2026

A level grades and UCAS points

How A levels and AS levels are graded, what each grade is worth in UCAS points, how many to take, and how the UK and International versions differ.

A levels are graded A* to E and usually take two years (Years 12 and 13). Most students take three, and university offers are written as three grades, such as AAA or ABB.

In UCAS points, A* = 56, A = 48, B = 40, C = 32, D = 24, E = 16. AAA is 144 points.

A level and AS level grades with UCAS points

The UCAS Tariff turns grades into points. These are the values in UCAS's tariff table for 2027 entry:

Grade	A level	AS level	Extended Project (EPQ)
A*	56	No A* at AS	28
A	48	20	24
B	40	16	20
C	32	12	16
D	24	10	12
E	16	6	8

Source: UCAS Tariff tables for 2027 entry. UCAS positions an AS at about 40% of an A level: an AS grade A lines up with an A level grade B, and an AS grade E is below an A level grade E.

Common A level combinations in points

Three A level grades	UCAS points
AAA*	168
AAA	160
A*AA	152
AAA	144
AAB	136
ABB	128
BBB	120
BBC	112
CCC	96

UCAS says only some universities use tariff points in their entry requirements. Many selective courses ask for grades in named subjects instead (for example, AAA including chemistry). The course page is what counts.

International A levels and tariff points. UCAS's 2027 tariff table lists UK A and AS levels; we could not find Cambridge, Pearson Edexcel or OxfordAQA International A levels in it. UCAS says qualifications without points can still be accepted. If a course asks for points, ask the university how it counts International A levels.

How many A levels?

OxfordAQA says students in England usually study 3 or 4 A level subjects over two years. Offers are normally made on three:

Oxford: offers range from A*A*A to AAA, depending on the course.
UCL: offers range from A*A*A to ABB, and UCL does not make offers with any grade below B (2026-27).

Because offers are usually made on three grades, a fourth A level is only worth taking if your child enjoys the subject and can keep all their grades high. Check the course pages your child is interested in before deciding.

UK A levels and International A levels

British-curriculum schools in the UAE may teach UK A levels, International A levels, or a mix. The grades are the same (A* to E), but the way exams are spread across the two years differs:

Qualification	Structure	Exam series
UK A level (England, Ofqual-regulated)	Linear: all exams at the end of the two years. The AS is a separate qualification and does not count towards the A level.	Summer
Cambridge International AS & A Level	Can be taken in one go, or in stages: an AS result can count towards the A level if the A level is completed within 13 months.	June and November
Pearson Edexcel International AS/A Level (IAL)	Modular: units can be taken during the course.	January, May/June and October
OxfordAQA International AS/A Level	Modular: individual units can be resat.	May/June; October/November for all subjects from 2028, and January for some subjects from 2029

UK universities accept both. Oxford says International A levels from Cambridge, Pearson Edexcel and OxfordAQA are equivalent to UK A levels on a grade-for-grade basis, except Cambridge's Global Perspectives and Research and Thinking Skills, which Oxford does not accept. Pearson says UK NARIC has confirmed its International A levels are comparable to UK A levels.

A levels and the UAE

For university in the UAE, your child will need the Ministry of Education's equivalency certificate. Its A level requirement is low (one A level or two AS levels at grade E or above), but universities set their own entry grades on top. Choosing A levels starts with GCSE results: see GCSE and IGCSE grades explained. For applications and deadlines, see university from a UAE British school.

Questions parents ask

How many UCAS points is an A level worth?

From 16 to 56, depending on the grade: A* = 56, A = 48, B = 40, C = 32, D = 24, E = 16 (UCAS Tariff for 2027 entry). Three A grades (AAA) are worth 144 points.

How many A levels should my child take?

Three is the usual number. OxfordAQA says students in England usually study 3 or 4 A levels, and university offers are normally written as three grades: Oxford's offers range from A*A*A to AAA depending on the course. A fourth A level is only worth it if your child can keep all their grades high.

What is the difference between AS and A level?

An AS level is roughly the first year of an A level and is graded A to E, with no A*. In England, reformed AS levels are standalone and no longer count towards the A level. With Cambridge International A levels, an AS result can count towards the A level if the A level is completed within 13 months, and OxfordAQA describes its AS as either standalone or the first half of the A level. An AS grade A is worth 20 UCAS points.

Do UK universities accept International A levels?

Yes. Oxford, for example, says International A levels from Cambridge, Pearson Edexcel and OxfordAQA are equivalent to UK A levels on a grade-for-grade basis, except that it does not accept the Cambridge International A levels in Global Perspectives and Research or Thinking Skills.

Do all universities use UCAS points?

No. UCAS says some universities refer to tariff points in their entry requirements. Many, especially the most selective, ask for specific grades in specific subjects instead, such as AAA including maths. Always read the course page.

What A level grades does UCL ask for?

UCL's academic manual for 2026-27 says its A level offers range from A*A*A to ABB, and it does not make offers with any grade lower than B. Individual programmes set their own grades within that range.

What A level result does the UAE equivalency certificate need?

One A level or two AS levels at grade E or above, plus five GCSE/IGCSE passes. Arabic and Islamic Studies do not count. Universities in the UAE then set their own, higher, entry grades.

Sources