For applications to higher education courses starting in September 2017 and beyond. At the moment, an A* grade is worth 140 points, an A grade is worth 120 points, a B worth 100 and so on. In the new tariff the numbers are different, but on the whole you need to achieve the same grades. This affects all qualifications on the UCAS tariff, not just A-Levels. The AS-Level has changed and is now worth 40% of an A-Level rather than the previous 50%. Overall, the change is quite small. The new points system is as follows:

This is more accurate than the previous tariff according to exam regulators. A lot of Higher Education institutions do not use the UCAS Tariff system and if they do, they will change the required amount of points to reflect these changes. The grades you need to achieve, however, should stay broadly the same. Speak to your teachers and the universities about the changes to the system. Again, some institutions don't use the Tariff, some will tell you exactly what qualifications they need and those that they won't accept. They may do this even if they do not use the Tariff. Either way, check the entry requirements for your chosen course before you apply. Find a UCAS Tariff calculator on the UCAS website.

The Gold Arts Award, which benefits many young people in pushing them into the requirements to get them into university, while previously worth 35 UCAS points, is now worth 16 points. We must reassure you though that the value of it compared to all other UCAS qualifications has not lowered at all!

---

Image courtesy of Flickr/UniversityBlogspot