UCAS Tariff · exact matches only
160 UCAS Points in Grades
160 UCAS points is A*A*A at A level or D*D*D in a BTEC National Extended Diploma. Every combination below is worth exactly 160 points under the UCAS Tariff. Nothing rounded, nothing approximate.
Updated 22 September 2026, checked against the UCAS 2027 Tariff tables.
160 UCAS points at a glance
| Route | Grades worth 160 points |
|---|---|
| Three A levels | A*A*A |
| A levels plus an AS | AAA + AS B, A*AB + AS B, A*A*C + AS B |
| A levels plus an EPQ | AAA + EPQ C, AAB + EPQ A, A*AA + EPQ E and 6 more |
| BTEC Extended Diploma | D*D*D |
| BTEC Diploma | no grade lands on it exactly |
| BTEC Extended Certificate | A*A* + BTEC Ext Cert D, A*A + BTEC Ext Cert D*, BTEC Diploma D*D* + BTEC Ext Cert D and 1 more |
| T Level | none exactly; Distinction is 144, Distinction* is 168 |
Three A-levels worth 160 points
| Grades | Points |
|---|---|
| A*A*A | 160 |
Order never matters: A*A*A is the same total whichever subject earns which grade. The most even combination is listed first, because that is how offers usually quote it.
BTEC grades worth exactly 160 points
| BTEC National | Size | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Extended Diploma | Three A-levels | D*D*D |
Mixed routes to 160 points
Most people do not hold three identical-sized qualifications. These mixes of A-levels with an EPQ, an AS-level or a BTEC also land exactly on 160. Check the course page first: some universities count the EPQ towards a points offer and some do not.
| Route | Points |
|---|---|
| A*+A*+DBTEC Ext Cert | 160 |
| A*+A+D*BTEC Ext Cert | 160 |
| A+A+A+CEPQ | 160 |
| A+A+A+BAS | 160 |
| A+A+B+AEPQ | 160 |
| A*+D*DBTEC Diploma | 160 |
| A+D*D*BTEC Diploma | 160 |
| D*D*BTEC Diploma+DBTEC Ext Cert | 160 |
| D*DBTEC Diploma+D*BTEC Ext Cert | 160 |
What kind of offers sit around 160 points?
A total of 160 points is at the very top of what three A-levels or one Extended Diploma can produce. Offers this high are unusual in points form: most courses at this level ask for named grades instead. Hitting it needs A and A* grades, or a BTEC packed with Distinction stars.
Holding a mix of qualifications? Add everything up in one go with our UCAS points calculator. The full grade-by-grade tables are on the A-level points and BTEC points pages, and if you are short of a target, see how to get more UCAS points.
160 UCAS points: questions people ask
- What grades are 160 UCAS points?
- At A-level, A*A*A is the most even way to reach exactly 160 points. Order does not matter: each grade carries fixed points (A* 56, A 48, B 40, C 32, D 24, E 16) and the total is the sum.
- Can I get 160 UCAS points with a BTEC?
- Yes. D*D*D (Three A-levels) is worth exactly 160 points under the UCAS Tariff, so a BTEC-only route to a 160-point offer exists.
- Is 160 UCAS points a good score?
- 160 points is a high total: AAA is 144 and A*A*A* is 168. Offers this high sit at selective universities and competitive courses such as medicine, law and engineering, and many of those courses ask for specific grades rather than a points total.
- Does an EPQ count towards 160 UCAS points?
- Often, yes. The EPQ carries tariff points (A* 28, A 24, B 20, C 16) and the mixed routes above show where it closes the gap to 160. Some universities exclude it from points offers, so read the course entry requirements before you rely on it.