UCAS has announced that for the first time ever, apprenticeships are now published in the UCAS Tariff provider tables.
The UCAS Tariff is a means of allocating points to post-16 qualifications, based on a simple mathematical model which uses a qualification size and grading scale to generate a total number of points.
This means university and college admissions teams can compare Level 3 and SCQF Level 6 apprenticeships directly with A levels, T Levels, and hundreds of other qualifications – giving them a clearer view when considering applicants for higher education entry in 2026.
The main purpose of the Tariff is to provide a broad metric for qualifications at Level 3/SCQF Level 6 to support university and college management information needs. All universities and colleges use the UCAS Tariff for submitting data returns to HESA.
Some universities and colleges will continue to use the Tariff as a tool to set their entry requirements and make offers.
Currently, nearly 70% of courses have a Tariff-point entry requirement, and over 80% of universities have a Tariff entry requirement on at least one course. Students should always check individual course requirements.
In addition, UCAS say that from September 2025, apprenticeships will also feature in the UCAS Tariff points calculator for students. UCAS hopes that this will empower even more people with a Level 3 apprenticeship to see higher education as a real and accessible next step.
Pete Milsom, Partnerships Manager at UCAS said in a LinkedIn post: “This is the result of months of hard work behind the scenes, and we’re incredibly proud that UCAS is helping to put apprenticeships on an equal footing with more traditional academic routes.”