Calculator · UCAS tariff
IB to UCAS points and A-level offers
UCAS gives tariff points for each IB grade separately: a 7 at HL is 56 points, the same as an A* at A-level, a 7 at SL is 28, and TOK and the Extended Essay add up to 12 each. There is no official IB to A-level conversion, so this page sets your total against the offers universities publish for the same course: A*AA sits next to 38 or 39 IB points, and A*A*A next to 41 to 42 at Cambridge.
Your six subjects
Theory of Knowledge
Extended Essay
UCAS tariff points
238
UCAS's 2027 tariff table raises the values for IB grades 1 to 5. UCAS has not announced this change; confirm before you rely on it.
Published offers you meet
- University of Warwick, BSc EconomicsA*AA
- University of Bristol, BSc EconomicsA*AA
- University of Edinburgh, Economics MAA*AA
- University of Manchester, BSc EconomicsAAA
- and 1 more in the table below
Checks points, HL scores and maths; other subject conditions are on each course page.
IB Diploma
Diploma awardedYou are there.
Target 38, you have 39.
UCAS tariff points for every IB grade
Values from UCAS's official tariff tables for 2026 and 2027 entry. For 2027 the values for grades 1 to 5 rise; UCAS has not announced the change, so confirm before you rely on it.
| Grade | HL 2026 | HL 2027 | SL 2026 | SL 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 56 | 56 | 28 | 28 |
| 6 | 48 | 48 | 24 | 24 |
| 5 | 32 | 40 | 16 | 20 |
| 4 | 24 | 32 | 12 | 16 |
| 3 | 12 | 24 | 6 | 12 |
| 2 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 8 |
| 1 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 6 |
| TOK / EE | A 12 · B 10 · C 8 · D 6 · E 4 (each, both years) | |||
A-level and IB offers, side by side
Each row is a course that publishes both an A-level and an IB offer for 2027 entry, read on the university's own course page. Where a university gives a range (Exeter, Edinburgh), both ends have their own row.
| University, course | A-level | IB | Also |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of CambridgeEconomics | A-Level A*A*A | IB 41 · HL 776 | 41 to 42 points; some Colleges ask for more |
| University of EdinburghEconomics MA | A-Level A*A*A* | IB 40 · HL 766 | Upper end of the range; maths 6 at SL if not at HL |
| LSEBSc Economics | A-Level A*AA | IB 39 · HL 766 | A* in A-level Maths; 7 in HL Mathematics |
| University of WarwickBSc Economics | A-Level A*AA | IB 38 | A in A-level Maths; 6 in HL Mathematics (AA or AI) |
| University of BristolBSc Economics | A-Level A*AA | IB 38 · 18 at HL | Maths at A-level; IB maths 6 at HL or 7 in AA SL |
| University of ExeterBSc Economics | A-Level A*AA | IB 38 · HL 766 | Upper end of the range; maths 5 at HL or 6 at SL |
| University of EdinburghEconomics MA | A-Level A*AA | IB 37 · HL 666 | Lower end of the range; maths 6 at SL if not at HL |
| University of ManchesterBSc Economics | A-Level AAA | IB 36 · HL 666 | Maths at A-level; maths among the 6,6,6 at HL |
| University of ExeterBSc Economics | A-Level AAA | IB 36 · HL 666 | Lower end of the range; maths 5 at HL or 6 at SL |
What the offers show
- A*A*A and A*A*A* sit next to 40 to 42 points with 776 or 766 at HL (Cambridge, Edinburgh).
- A*AA sits next to 37 to 39 points, usually with 766 or 18 at HL (LSE, Warwick, Bristol, Exeter, Edinburgh).
- AAA sits next to 36 points with 666 at HL (Manchester, Exeter).
- Almost every offer also sets HL scores and a required subject, usually maths for economics, so the total alone is not enough.
- None of these courses uses UCAS points for IB applicants; they all state IB points and HL scores.
How UCAS counts the IB
UCAS scores each part separately: every HL and SL grade, plus TOK and the Extended Essay. There is no figure for the whole diploma, and CAS earns nothing. Six 7s (three at HL, three at SL) with two As make 276 points. IB courses taken without the diploma (certificates) are scored the same way.
For comparison, A-level grades score A* 56, A 48, B 40, C 32. So a 7 at HL scores like an A* and a 6 like an A. A 5 at HL changes: 32 points for 2026 entry (like a C), 40 in the 2027 table (like a B). Check that your diploma passes, too.
Questions about UCAS and A-levels
What is the IB equivalent in A-Levels?
There is no official conversion. Universities publish their own pairs: for economics, A*AA sits next to 38 points at Warwick, Bristol and Exeter and 39 at LSE, and AAA next to 36 at Manchester and Exeter.
What is 42 IB points in A-Level?
Cambridge asks for A*A*A or 41 to 42 points with 776 at HL for Economics, so 42 points meets the highest A-level offers.
What is 38 IB points in A-Level?
Warwick, Bristol and Exeter ask for A*AA or 38 IB points for Economics; LSE asks for A*AA or 39.
How many UCAS points is the IB Diploma?
There is no single figure. UCAS adds up each grade: 56 for a 7 at HL, 28 for a 7 at SL, up to 12 for TOK and 12 for the Extended Essay. The maximum with three HL subjects is 276.
Is a 7 in IB an A*?
In UCAS points, yes at HL: a 7 at HL scores 56, the same as an A*. A 7 at SL scores half that.
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- UCAS, Tariff tables for 2026 entry
- UCAS, Tariff tables for 2027 entry
- University of Cambridge, Economics (2027 entry)
- University of Edinburgh, Economics MA (2027 entry)
- LSE, BSc Economics (2027 entry)
- University of Warwick, BSc Economics (2027 entry)
- University of Bristol, BSc Economics (2027 entry)
- University of Exeter, BSc Economics (2027 entry)
- University of Manchester, BSc Economics (2027 entry)
Last checked 8 November 2026.