BTEC UCAS Points – How Do They Add Up?
Your BTEC qualification
The vast majority of students applying to university who have completed a BTEC course will have studied under the new Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) suite of qualifications, better known as Nationals. If you studied for your BTEC before 2011, then you will have studied under the old Nationals Qualifications Framework (NQF) classification.
UCAS Points for New BTEC Nationals (RGF)
In applications submitted for 2017 admissions onwards, the new Level 3 BTEC Nationals will qualify for the following UCAS tariff points.
| Extended Diploma | Diploma | Foundation Diploma | Extended Certificate | Certificate | AS level | A level | UCAS tariff points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D*D*D* | 168 | ||||||
| D*D*D | 160 | ||||||
| D*DD | 152 | ||||||
| DDD | 144 | ||||||
| DDM | 128 | ||||||
| DMM | D*D* | 112 | |||||
| D*D | 104 | ||||||
| MMM | DD | 96 | |||||
| D* | 84 | ||||||
| MMP | DM | 80 | |||||
| 78 | |||||||
| D | 72 | ||||||
| MPP | MM | 64 | |||||
| D* | A* | 56 | |||||
| PPP | MP | M | D | A | 48 | ||
| B | 40 | ||||||
| PP | M | C | 32 | ||||
| D* | 28 | ||||||
| P | D | D | 24 | ||||
| A | 20 | ||||||
| P | M | B | E | 16 | |||
| C | 12 | ||||||
| D | 10 | ||||||
| P | 8 | ||||||
| E | 6 |
D=Diploma M=Merit P=Pass
UCAS Points for BTEC Nationals (QCF)
In applications submitted for 2017 admissions onwards, the new Level 3 BTEC Nationals will qualify for the following UCAS tariff points.
| Extended Diploma | Diploma | 90-credit Diploma | Subsidiary Diploma | Certificate | AS level | A level | UCAS tariff points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D*D*D* | 168 | ||||||
| D*D*D | 160 | ||||||
| D*DD | 152 | ||||||
| DDD | 144 | ||||||
| DDM | 128 | ||||||
| DMM | D*D* | 112 | |||||
| D*D | 104 | ||||||
| MMM | DD | 96 | |||||
| D*D* | 84 | ||||||
| MMP | DM | 80 | |||||
| D*D | 78 | ||||||
| DD | 72 | ||||||
| MPP | MM | 64 | |||||
| DM | 60 | ||||||
| D* | A* | 56 | |||||
| PPP | MP | MM | D | A | 48 | ||
| B | 40 | ||||||
| MP | 36 | ||||||
| PP | M | C | 32 | ||||
| D* | 28 | ||||||
| PP | D | D | 24 | ||||
| A | 20 | ||||||
| P | M | B | E | 16 | |||
| C | 12 | ||||||
| D | 10 | ||||||
| P | 8 | ||||||
| E | 6 |
D*= Diploma* D=Diploma M=Merit P=Pass
UCAS Points for BTEC Nationals CPLD (2012-14)
In applications submitted for 2017 admissions onwards, the Level 3 BTEC Nationals in Children’s Play, Learning and Development (introduced in 2012) and the revised version amended to meet the Early Years Educator criteria (introduced in 2014) will qualify for the following UCAS tariff points.
| Diploma | Certificate | Subsidiary Certificate | Award | Subsidiary Award | AS level | A level | UCAS tariff points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D*D*D* | 168 | ||||||
| D*D*D | 160 | ||||||
| D*DD | 152 | ||||||
| DDD | 144 | ||||||
| DDM | 128 | ||||||
| DMM | D*D* | 112 | |||||
| D*D | 104 | ||||||
| MMM | DD | 96 | |||||
| D*D* | 84 | ||||||
| MMP | DM | 80 | |||||
| D*D | 78 | ||||||
| DD | 72 | ||||||
| MPP | MM | 64 | |||||
| DM | 60 | ||||||
| D* | A* | 56 | |||||
| PPP | MP | MM | D | A | 48 | ||
| B | 40 | ||||||
| MP | 36 | ||||||
| PP | M | C | 32 | ||||
| D* | 28 | ||||||
| PP | D | D | 24 | ||||
| A | 20 | ||||||
| P | M | B | E | 16 | |||
| C | 12 | ||||||
| D | 10 | ||||||
| P | 8 | ||||||
| E | 6 |
BTECs – they are about more than just UCAS points
For many universities, BTEC UCAS points are just a part of the selection process, with a wide range of other factors considered when making their final decision.
Studying a BTEC can have a number of advantages in gaining a place:
- As well as demonstrating academic merit, BTEC qualifications also show universities that you have a good understanding of the practical applications of your knowledge.
- Choosing a BTEC also shows that you are strongly focused on your post-graduate career.
- And, unlike many purely academic students, BTEC holders have experienced the workplace and have a clear picture of where they are going. This can be very attractive to universities, as it gives students a strong motivation to work hard and complete their course.
