International Baccalaureate · Diploma Programme

IB UCAS points: the Diploma, part by part

UCAS scores the IB Diploma one part at a time. A Higher Level 7 is worth 56 points, the same as an A* at A level; a Standard Level 7 is 28; the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge are worth up to 12 each. Add the parts and a typical 36-point Diploma lands around 228 Tariff points. Enter your grades below to see your IB score out of 45 and your Tariff total side by side.

Checked against the UCAS 2027 Tariff tables on 26 October 2026how we check

Your IB grades

Four Higher Level subjects

Higher Level

HL subject 1HL subject 2HL subject 3

Standard Level

SL subject 1SL subject 2SL subject 3

Core

Extended EssayTheory of Knowledge

IB Diploma score

35of 45

UCAS Tariff points

220points

IB UCAS points tables

Higher Level
Grade	Points	A level
7	56	A*
6	48	A
5	40	B
4	32	C
3	24	D
2	16	E
1	12	–

Standard Level
Grade	Points
7	28
6	24
5	20
4	16
3	12
2	8
1	6

Extended Essay, TOK
Grade	Points each
A	12
B	10
C	8
D	6
E	4

UCAS sizes a Higher Level certificate like a full A level and a Standard Level certificate at half of one, so from grade 7 down to grade 2 the HL column runs exactly alongside A* to E, and SL is half of it. The bottom grade breaks the pattern: HL 1 is 12 and SL 1 is 6. The Extended Essay and TOK are each a quarter of an A level.

IB score and Tariff total for the same Diploma

The IB counts every subject the same, 1 to 7, plus up to 3 core points from a matrix of your EE and TOK grades. The Tariff weights Higher Level double. That is why two Diplomas with the same IB score can sit a few Tariff points apart.

HL / SL, EE TOK	IB score	Tariff points
7 7 7 / 7 7 7, A A	45	276
7 6 6 / 6 6 5, A B	39	242
6 6 6 / 6 5 5, B B	36	228
6 5 5 / 5 5 4, B C	32	202
5 5 5 / 5 4 4, C C	29	188
4 4 4 / 4 4 4, C D	24	158

How the Diploma is put together

A Diploma student takes six subjects, three or four of them at Higher Level and the rest at Standard Level, plus the core: the Extended Essay (up to 4,000 words of independent research), Theory of Knowledge, and creativity, activity, service (CAS). Each subject is graded 1 to 7. The EE and TOK are graded A to E and together add up to 3 points, so the top score is 45. The Diploma needs at least 24 points and the core completed. That structure is set out on the IB’s DP passing criteria page.

The UCAS Tariff tables do not list the Diploma as one qualification. They list the parts: the IBO Certificate in Higher Level, in Standard Level, in the Extended Essay and in Theory of Knowledge. CAS has no grade and no points. Add the parts and you have your Tariff total, which is what the calculator above does.

What universities actually ask IB students for

Most universities that see many IB applicants write IB offers in the IB’s own currency: a total out of 45, often with Higher Level grades in named subjects. For a grade offer like that, your Tariff total does not come into it, so aim at the IB score and the HL grades.

Tariff points matter for IB students where a course makes points offers, or where you hold IB certificates without the full Diploma, for example a couple of HL subjects alongside other qualifications. Then each certificate counts on its own, and the main UCAS points calculator lets you mix IB certificates with A levels or BTECs.

UCAS notes that some universities limit what they count, for example only the highest-scoring three A levels or Highers, and some leave out qualifications whose content overlaps. The course page is the final word.

IB points questions

How many UCAS points is the IB Diploma worth?

It depends on the grades, because UCAS scores each part separately. A Higher Level 7 is 56 points, a Standard Level 7 is 28, and the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge are worth up to 12 each. A perfect 45-point Diploma comes to 276 Tariff points; a 36-point Diploma with 6, 6, 6 at HL is around 228.

How many UCAS points is a 7 at Higher Level?

56 points, the same as an A* at A level. A 6 is 48 (an A), a 5 is 40 (a B), a 4 is 32 (a C), a 3 is 24, a 2 is 16 and a 1 is 12.

How many UCAS points is a Standard Level subject?

Half the Higher Level value at grades 7 to 2: a 7 is 28, a 6 is 24, a 5 is 20, a 4 is 16, a 3 is 12, a 2 is 8. A 1 is 6.

Does CAS give UCAS points?

No. Creativity, activity, service is required for the Diploma but has no grade, so it carries no IB points and no Tariff points.

Why is my IB Tariff total bigger than three A levels?

Because you study six subjects plus the core, and the Tariff adds up every part. Universities know this. Most that recruit IB students make IB offers, written in IB points and Higher Level grades, rather than comparing your Tariff total with an A level student’s.

What about the IB Career-related Programme?

UCAS gives Tariff points to its Diploma subject courses (as HL or SL certificates) and to the reflective project, which uses the same A to E scale as the Extended Essay. The career-related study is a separate qualification, such as a BTEC, and is looked up on its own. The other parts of the CP core carry no points.