Apprenticeships will be allocated UCAS Tariff points from this year. The aim of this new initiative is to ensure students are aware of all the pathways available into higher education. It forms part of UCAS’ broader aim to support students to take their next steps and support a diverse range of progression routes into university or college.
The new model will see:
- Tariff points awarded to apprenticeships at Level 3 (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) and SCQF Level 6 (Scotland) for those applying for 2026 entry onwards
- the number of Tariff points determined by the expected amount of time spent in study and work, and competency (achieving a ‘pass’ grade/band 8)
- size bands and grade bands aligned across all four UK nations, meaning an apprenticeship expected to last 24 months will get the same number of points regardless of where it was taken
Dr Jo Saxton CBE, Chief Executive, UCAS said:
“Bringing parity to vocational and technical qualifications was one of my key priorities during my time as chief regulator at Ofqual, and I am delighted that UCAS is continuing that drive for parity by allocating Tariff points to apprenticeships.”
“The strong support for our proposed model from all four UK nations demonstrates the value of a shared national admissions service, which can help level the playing field and ensure more students can benefit from the transformational experience of higher education.”
Find out more about the UCAS Tariff points rollout for apprenticeships here.