UCAS Tariff · verified routes only
How to get more UCAS points
Staring at a gap between your predicted total and the offer you want? These are the routes that genuinely add tariff points, with the real value of each. And, just as important, a section on when extra points will not help at all.
Add an EPQ: up to 28 points
The Extended Project Qualification is the most popular way to top up a points total, and for good reason. It is a level 3 qualification carrying half the points of an A-level, so an A* is worth 28 points, an A is 24 and even a C adds 16. You research one question of your own choosing, produce a dissertation or an artefact with a report, keep a log and give a short presentation. There is no exam.
The appeal is workload. An EPQ is designed to run alongside A-levels rather than compete with them, and most schools timetable it that way. Twenty-eight points is exactly half an A-level A*, earned without taking on another full subject. We cover every grade, and how universities treat the qualification, in our EPQ UCAS points guide.
Take an extra AS-level: up to 20 points
An AS-level is half an A-level in size, and its points reflect that: an A earns 20, a B 16, a C 12, a D 10 and an E 6. If your school or college still runs standalone AS courses, one extra subject studied over a year can add up to 20 points to your total.
One rule to know before you commit. Points count once per subject, at your highest level only. An AS in a subject you are already taking to full A-level adds nothing, so the extra AS has to be a new subject.
Resit or add an A-level: up to 56 points
A full A-level is the biggest single unit here: A* 56, A 48, B 40, C 32, D 24, E 16. That gives you two options. Resitting improves a grade you already hold, and only the new, higher grade counts. Moving one subject from a C to an A adds 16 points. Adding a completely new A-level can add up to 56, but it means a full course of study, usually one intensive year at a sixth form or college.
Timing is the catch. Exam entries close months before the summer series, and the new result lands a full year after your original results day. Most universities accept resits without any fuss and treat the retaken grade like a first attempt. A small number of competitive courses, medicine and dentistry in particular, handle resit applicants differently or ask for an explanation. Read the admissions pages of the specific course before you spend a year on this route.
Graded music, drama and dance exams
If you already play an instrument, sing, act or dance to a good standard, you may be holding tariff points without knowing it. Graded exams from recognised boards such as ABRSM, Trinity and LAMDA carry UCAS points at grades 6, 7 and 8, with higher grades and stronger passes worth more.
We have deliberately left the exact figures out. They vary by board, by grade and by level of pass, and this site only prints numbers we maintain ourselves. Look your exact certificate up in the official UCAS tariff calculator and add the figure to your total by hand. The once-per-subject principle applies here too: only your highest grade on an instrument counts.
When chasing points is the wrong move
Before you sign up for anything, read your offers carefully. Extra points are not always worth the time they cost.
Many offers are written in grades, not points. AAB with an A in chemistry means exactly that, and no EPQ or Grade 8 piano result can stand in for a named grade in a named subject. If every offer on your list is grade-based, adding points changes nothing.
Clearing works on judgement, not arithmetic. If you end up ringing universities in August, admissions staff look at your whole profile. A course advertising 112 points will often take a strong candidate on 104 and pass on a weaker one with 120. A handful of extra points rarely decides it.
The right first step is usually a phone call. If you have missed an offer, or expect to, speak to the university before enrolling on anything new. Admissions teams would rather hear from you directly, and they will tell you honestly whether more points would change their answer. Sometimes the better route is a foundation year or a similar course, and no resit is needed at all.
And check your arithmetic first, because plenty of people undercount what they already hold. Two minutes with our UCAS points calculator settles it.
Questions about adding points
What is the fastest way to get more UCAS points?
For most students, an EPQ. It runs alongside your existing A-levels, most schools support it, and an A* adds 28 points. A standalone AS-level in a new subject is similar in effort per point, at up to 20. A whole new A-level adds the most (up to 56) but costs a further year of study.
Do universities accept A-level resits?
Most do, and they treat the new grade exactly like a first attempt. A minority of competitive courses, notably medicine, dentistry and veterinary science, restrict resits or ask for an explanation. Check the admissions page of the specific course before committing to a resit year.
Do music and drama exams really give UCAS points?
Yes. Graded exams from recognised boards such as ABRSM, Trinity and LAMDA carry tariff points at grades 6, 7 and 8. The values depend on the board, the grade and the level of pass, so look your exact certificate up in the official UCAS tariff calculator.
Can I get more points in time for this year’s results day?
Usually not. Resits, new AS-levels and most EPQs are awarded in the following summer, so they help a reapplication rather than an offer you already hold. If you have missed an offer this year, Clearing and a direct call to the university are the practical routes.
Do GCSE resits add UCAS points?
No. GCSEs sit below level 3, so they carry no tariff points at any grade. Resitting GCSE English or maths can still matter, because many courses require them at grade 4 or above as a separate condition alongside the points.