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IB UCAS Points

Official 2017 reform UCAS Tariff grade-by-grade values for IB Higher Level subjects (HL 7 down to HL 3), IB Standard Level subjects (SL 7 down to SL 3), plus the Extended Essay + Theory of Knowledge core bonus matrix of up to 3 extra points for the 2025 and 2026 application cycles.

Short answer: IB Higher Level Grade 7 = 56 UCAS points (identical to A-Level A*), HL 6 = 48 (A-Level A), HL 5 = 40 (B), HL 4 = 32 (C). IB Standard Level is approximately half-scale: SL 7 = 28 points, SL 6 = 24, SL 5 = 20, SL 4 = 16. The EE + TOK core contributes up to three additional bonus Tariff points on top of the six-subject sum.

Calculate IB total now Full Tariff table

IB Higher Level (HL) UCAS Points Grade Table

IB Diploma applicants typically take three Higher Level subjects from Groups 1–5 plus the Arts/elective Group 6. Each HL subject maps 1:1 to an A-Level sized Tariff unit on the 2017 reform scale.

IB Higher Level to UCAS points
IB HL gradeUCAS pointsA-Level / BTEC Subsidiary equivalent
HL 756A-Level A* / BTEC Subsidiary D*
HL 648A-Level A / Scottish Adv Higher B Band-1
HL 540A-Level B / IB Core 40 diploma benchmark
HL 432A-Level C / IB Diploma minimum passing subject
HL 324A-Level D / AS-Level A / EPQ A

IB Standard Level (SL) UCAS Points Grade Table

Standard Level subjects are tariffed at approximately half the corresponding HL value, equivalent in size to an AS-Level. Applicants take three SL subjects in a standard IB Diploma.

IB Standard Level to UCAS points
IB SL gradeUCAS pointsAS-Level / EPQ / Welsh Bacc equivalent
SL 728AS-Level A / EPQ A* / Welsh Bacc Advanced A*
SL 624AS-Level A / EPQ A / IB HL 3
SL 520AS-Level B / EPQ B
SL 416AS-Level C / EPQ C / A-Level E
SL 312AS-Level D / EPQ D

Extended Essay + Theory of Knowledge Core Bonus UCAS Points Matrix

Every full IB Diploma includes three mandatory Core components: Theory of Knowledge (TOK), the Extended Essay (EE) 4000-word independent research paper, and CAS (Creativity Activity Service, not tariffed). The combined EE + TOK grade matrix awards up to three bonus Tariff points on top of the six-subject grade sum.

IB EE + TOK core bonus UCAS points
EE + TOK combinationBonus UCAS pointsNotes
EE A + TOK A+3Maximum 3 bonus points achievable
EE A + TOK B / EE B + TOK A+2Strong 2-point core combinations
EE B + TOK B / EE C + TOK A / EE A + TOK C+1Common passing 1-point combinations
Most C/C and below, non-submission or fail+0No core bonus awarded

CAS hours are a mandatory IB Diploma requirement but are never awarded UCAS Tariff points. A predicted A in both EE and TOK is worth about as much extra Tariff value as upgrading one SL subject from grade 6 (24 points) to grade 7 (28 points).

IB Higher Level vs A-Level Grade Equivalence Chart

IB HL 1–7 grades map almost perfectly to A-Level A* to D. The horizontal bars below visualise HL, A-Level and Scottish Advanced Higher side-by-side so you can compare a 56-point maximum single-subject result across pathways.

  • IB HL 7 / A-Level A* / Adv Higher A Band-156 pts
  • IB HL 6 / A-Level A / Adv Higher B Band-148 pts
  • IB HL 5 / A-Level B / Adv Higher C Band-140 pts
  • IB HL 4 / A-Level C / Adv Higher D32 pts
  • IB HL 3 / A-Level D / AS-Level A24 pts

IB Tariff Counting Rules and Common Application Pitfalls

Do universities require the full IB Diploma, or can you tariff individual IB subjects?

UCAS individually tariffs every IB HL and SL grade, whether or not you complete the full IB Diploma. However, universities frequently list full-Diploma score bands (for example 34–36 points) as an offer condition rather than individual subject Tariff totals. Always read the course-specific offer: the same raw IB points may count differently at a Russell Group PPE degree versus a mid-tariff business course.

Which IB components do not count towards the UCAS Tariff?

  • IB CAS hours: never tariffed.
  • IB HL / SL grade 2 and grade 1: scores below a pass are not awarded UCAS Tariff points.
  • Non-diploma IB certificates: individual certificates are tariffed identically to Diploma Programme subjects at the same HL/SL grade, but some high-tariff courses list Diploma as a prerequisite.
  • Retakes / remark bonus points: UCAS uses the highest single awarded grade per subject, identical to A-Level resits. There is no penalty or weighting for an IB remark or resit.

IB UCAS Points — Frequently Asked Questions

How many UCAS points is an IB Higher Level Grade 7?

An IB Higher Level Grade 7 is worth exactly 56 UCAS Tariff points — the maximum value per single subject on the whole 2017 reform UCAS scale, identical to an A-Level A*, a BTEC Subsidiary D* and a Scottish Advanced Higher A Band-1.

Are IB Standard Level subjects worth half of HL?

Roughly, but the mapping is not an exact 50% division. IB HL 7 = 56, SL 7 = 28 (exactly half); HL 6 = 48, SL 6 = 24 (exactly half); HL 5 = 40, SL 5 = 20 (exactly half); HL 4 = 32, SL 4 = 16 (exactly half); so for grades 7, 6, 5, 4 the half-scale mapping holds perfectly. HL 3 = 24 points (one grade higher than SL 3 = 12 points).

How much is the IB Extended Essay + Theory of Knowledge core worth in UCAS points?

The IB Diploma Core (Extended Essay + Theory of Knowledge) earns up to 3 bonus UCAS points, awarded based on the combined EE/TOK grade matrix: A on both = 3 bonus points; A/B or B/A combination = 2 bonus points; most passing combinations = 1 bonus point; fails = 0. These points are added directly to the six subject Tariff total.

How many IB Diploma points are roughly equivalent to AAA at A-Level?

A rough IB Diploma to A-Level benchmark: 42+ total IB points (subjects + core) is broadly competitive with A*A*A*–A*AA Russell Group profiles; 38–41 IB points ≈ A*AA–AAA; 34–37 ≈ AAB–ABB; 30–33 ≈ BBB–BBC. Use the subject-by-subject tables on this page and the main UCAS calculator for exact, point-by-point totals instead of a rough score-band conversion.