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UCAS Tariff

The Tariff is used by universities and colleges to make broad comparisons between qualifications used for entry to higher education courses. Points have been allocated to a wide range of qualifications and these can be added together, within certain rules, to achieve a Tariff score.

The UCAS Tariff is relevant to both Tariff and non-Tariff using providers. It is used for courses starting from September 2017, and for HESA data returns for the entry cohort 2017/18.

Tariff points and T Levels

 – all the information required to understand the allocation of Tariff points to fully and partially achieved T Levels.

Paragraph Timeline

  1. 1

    All UK Level 3/SCQF Level 6 domestic qualifications regulated by Ofqual, Qualifications Wales, SQA and SCQF will receive points.  

  2. 2

    International qualifications and non-regulated UK qualifications which have historically received Tariff points will no longer receive points, except for the Irish Leaving Certificate. 

  3. 3

    This new process replaces the nomination process.

    Read about the consultation period which preceded these changes.

Advice for providers who use the Tariff

If you're using the Tariff, please make sure you do the following:  

Up-to-date marketing

Ensure all references to Tariff points in your marketing materials are up-to-date, and outward-facing teams are fully informed about it.

Up-to-date planning

Ensure planning teams are up-to-date on the Tariff for HESA data returns. 

Update your website with our resources

In addition to updating the information on your website we suggest you embed our Tariff calculator. You can do this by using the application programming interface (API). Please remember to update the API each year when we update the Tariff list.

Tariff qualifications

The list of Tariff qualifications are updated every May, for activation from September of the following year. 

FAQs

Do we need to articulate all our entry requirements in terms of the Tariff, e.g. Access to HE courses?

Many providers do not use the Tariff for entry requirements and offer-making, while some use a combination of Tariff and grade-based offers. The Tariff is not designed to change the way you articulate your entry requirements. Each provider determines how to express their entry requirements in the clearest way for applicants.

Can I add the Tariff calculator to my own website?

Yes, the UCAS Tariff API allows you to develop your own version of the Tariff calculator, to use for courses starting from September 2017. It's a way of accessing the same data set we use, and querying it to create a bespoke calculator for your website. Find out more and download the example calculator. 

If you’d like to use the API to implement your own Tariff calculator, you’ll need to discuss this with your website developer. You'll also have to agree to the API terms and conditions and be prepared to update your API every year – after we update the calculator qualifications list in May. 

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History of the Tariff

The UCAS Tariff was first introduced in 2001 to help those working in admissions to make comparisons between qualifications. However, both the range of qualifications held by applicants, and the variety of progression routes into HE increased. Therefore, in 2012, UCAS completed a review of what information universities and colleges, students, and schools and advisers needed about qualifications to facilitate admission to HE. The review identified the needs of admissions teams for more detailed, structured information about qualifications, hence the development of QIPs.

The UCAS Board also decided that a new Tariff should be developed to meet certain design principles. It decided the new Tariff should be a simple metric for data returns, easy to administer, fit for purpose, and allow to add more vocational and international qualifications. This simple mathematical model could still be used by universities and colleges instead of grades in their entry requirements.

After a feedback exercise with the HE sector and secondary education community, and in agreement with the UCAS Board, the new Tariff was launched for the 2017 admissions cycle and beyond.

In 2021, UCAS launched a consultation with providers which proposed changes in the way qualifications are included in the Tariff. If approved, all Level 3 (and equivalent) regulated UK qualifications would begin to receive Tariff points – this would include all Level 3 qualifications in the Ofqual Register, the Qualifications Wales database, and the SCQF database. Additional proposals were to remove international and unregulated qualifications and to remove the nomination process.

UCAS received support from the providers they engaged with to approve these changes, except for the removal of the Irish Leaving Certificate, which will remain in future versions of the Tariff Tables.

This new-style Tariff was launched in May 2022, though the methodology used to calculate the points themselves is unchanged from the previous Tariff system.
 

UCAS Tariff API

The UCAS Tariff application programming interface (API) allows you to develop your own version of the Tariff calculator.