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The new UCAS Tariff –
for admissions cycle 2017 onwards
Teachers & Advisers Conference
February 2015
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Contents
1. Summary
2. Why is the Tariff changing
3. How are the new Tariff points
calculated
4. Positioning the AS
5. Impact on schools and colleges
6. Resources
7. The new Tariff calculator
8. The new Tariff video
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1. Summary
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In brief…
 UCAS is introducing a new Tariff for the 2017 admissions cycle i.e. for
courses starting in the 2017-18 academic year.
 The new Tariff addresses many of the shortcomings of the current model
and enables international qualifications to be included.
 The new Tariff is based on a significantly different method to the current
Tariff.
 The primary purpose of the new Tariff is to provide a broad metric for
higher education providers (HEPs) which will be used for management
information and reporting purposes to the Higher Education Statistics
Agency (HESA) for the 2017-18 Student Record onwards. Tariff using HEPs
can continue to use the new Tariff in setting entry requirements and
making offers.
 The information and guidance material you share with students will need
to be reviewed and revised as a result.
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2. Why is the Tariff changing?
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Rationale
In 2012, UCAS completed the Qualifications Information Review working with
higher education providers (HEPs), teachers and advisers, applicants and other
education specialists. A number of concerns were raised with the current Tariff:
 it is not suited to all qualifications,
especially international and vocational
qualifications
 it is not aligned with the UK qualification
regulatory process
 the process is expensive and led by
awarding organisations
 it is complex and unclear exactly how
points are allocated to qualifications. There
are also concerns with the points allocated
to some large qualifications.
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3. How the Tariff works
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Design principles
1. Transparency
Clear process for allocating Tariff points
2. Meets the needs of
the HE sector
Supports HEPs that use the Tariff for management
information purposes and admissions purposes
3. Cost effective
Lower cost than the current process and/or no charge to
awarding organisations
4. Comprehensive
Has the scope to accommodate all UK regulated Level 3/
SCQF Level 6 qualifications
5. Sustainable
Robust enough to cope with qualifications reforms across
the UK, and to last for a minimum of ten years
6. Flexible
Sufficiently flexible to cope with the widest range of
qualifications and accommodate future changes to them
7. Support fairness
Fair to the greatest number of applicants across the UK and
in support of the widening participation agenda
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New Tariff method
Tariff points = size band x grade band
Size bands - qualifications will be
allocated a size band of 1 to 4, based
on their guided learning
hours/notional learning hours
Grade bands – qualifications will also
be allocated a grade band. The new
Tariff has 12 grade bands across a
value range of 3-14. These grade
bands spread across the breadth of
Level 3 / SCQF Level 6
New Tariff points are determined by
multiplying size and grade bands
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Size bands
 Four size bands ensure that existing size relationships between
qualifications are maintained whilst not over-emphasising the importance
of size
 The AS remains half the size of an A level and is size band 2
 Scottish Highers are allocated to a size band in between AS and A level
 Scottish Advanced Higher, A levels, IBHL, Pre-U Principal Subjects are in
the same size band, size band 4
 Welsh Baccalaureate is being revised for programmes starting in 2015. The
new qualification is expected to be of equivalent size to an A level and
would therefore be allocated to size band 4
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Grade bands
A finite grade scale has been established for Level 3/SCQF Level 6
qualifications providing 12 grade bands that all qualifications can be mapped
to.
Grade
Points
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
A level
AS
(New
Tariff)
Scottish
Highers
Scottish
Adv
Highers
A*
A
A
B
A
B
A
C
B
C
B
D
C
D
C
D
D
 The new Tariff uses a 3-14 point scale with
12 grade bands
 Scale starts at 3 points as 1 point does
not provide a sufficient multiplier effect
 The scale ensures that key UK benchmark
qualifications such as Scottish Highers can
be precisely positioned in agreement
with UK qualification regulators
 The scale is finite – for example,
qualification grades operating significantly
above A* at A level are considered Level 4
E
E
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4. Positioning of the AS
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Positioning of the AS
 Under the new Tariff the AS qualification
has been adjusted to circa 40% of an A
level at each grade to reflect the Ofqual
statement –‘the material studied in AS is
less demanding than an A level’.
 The Welsh Government and Department
of Education in Northern Ireland has
confirmed the new AS qualification
which will remain coupled with the A
level, will be positioned at 40% of the A
level.
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5. Impact on schools
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Implementation and switchover date – key milestones
 The new Tariff points were published in September 2014 and have been
communicated to all UK secondary schools, colleges and HEPs
 Schools and colleges should update their information and advice for students
choosing their Level 3/SCQF Level 6 qualifications, who may go on to apply for
HE courses starting from September 2017
 Implementation from the 2017 admissions cycle involves a new Tariff
switchover date of September 2016 for Apply – HEP communication materials
such as prospectuses will be updated before this if references are made to the
Tariff
 The new Tariff will be implemented for the 2017 admissions cycle
 UCAS has produced a detailed implementation plan which is available on
UCAS.com.
 There is also a one page high level plan showing key milestones for the next four
years. This is at slide 27 in your toolkit.
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Implementation and switchover date – high level one page plan
June – Aug 2014
Jun 2014
Jul 2014
Aug
2014
Sep 14 – Aug 15
Sep–Nov
2014
Dec–Feb
2014/15
Mar–
May
2015
Sep 15 – Aug 16
Jun–Aug
2015
Sep–Nov
2015
Dec–Feb
2015/16
Mar–
May
2016
Sep 16 – Aug 17
Jun–Aug
2016
Sep–Nov
2016
Dec–Feb
2016/17
Mar–
May
2017
Sep 17 – Aug 18
Jun–Aug
2017
Sep–Nov
2017
Dec–Feb
2017/18
Mar–
May
2018
Jun–Aug
2018
IT Changes
Engagement
Operational
Milestones
Key Decision
Milestones
Admission
Cycles
2014 entry cycle
2015 entry cycle
2016 entry cycle
2017 entry cycle
UCAS Board
approved
new Tariff & plan
Jun 14
Feedback Survey
published Jul 14
Initial support and
communications on
the new Tariff from
August 2014
Schools and colleges
advise level 3/SCQF
level 6 students from
Sep 2014
UCAS Board
preparedness review
April 2016
New Tariff
Calculator
rolled out
New Tariff Dec 2014
published
Sep 2014
UCAS
Course
search
Collect
tool opens
(entry 2017)
(entry
opens
HEPs publish 2017)
Oct 2015
prospectuses
Apply
for 2017
Opens
Jan-Feb 2016
(entry
2017)
UCAS begins to
process 2017
applications
HEPs make decisions
/offers using new
Tariff from Sep 2016
C&C reporting
(new Tariff)
Jul/Aug 2017
End of Cycle Report
published with new
Tariff Jan 2018
HESA publish
Performance Indicators
(new Tariff) Dec 2018Mar 2019
UCAS HE
conventions
for applicants
Mar 2016
Regional Training for schools and
colleges commences Oct 2014
Tariff switchover
Regional training for HEPs
commences Jan 2015
UCAS IT development
Jul 2015– Mar 2016
IT test environment opens
IT suppliers commence
development and testing
Nov 2015
IT sign-off for
implementation
Mar 2016
Link products rolled out
Oct 2016
Continual communications and engagement
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6. Resources
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Resources
Resources currently available to support the transition, referred to in this deck, are available on
the UCAS website: https://www.ucas.com/advisers/guides-and-resources/tariff-2017
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7. The new Tariff calculator
At the heart of connecting
people to higher education
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The new Tariff calculator
 Designed to provide an indication of
overall Tariff score.
 Recognise that numbers are not as
easy to add together.
 Strong demand from schools and
colleges for a calculator.
The Tariff is an indicative score only.
Not all universities or colleges use the
Tariff, or accept all of the
qualifications contained within it…
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Simply type in the name of your qualification…
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A wide range of qualifications are included within
the Tariff…
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Select your qualification, click Add and then
enter your grade…
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Click ‘Calculate my points total’ to finalise and
total…
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Calculator does not discount due to HE autonomy
and complexities in this area. However, AS has a
warning…
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You can also email yourself a record of your
Tariff score…
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8. The new Tariff video
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The new Tariff video
UCAS has designed a video, which
explains the new Tariff and is
accessible via ucas.com
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Top 5 questions about the
new Tariff
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Will HEPs count both my AS and A level grade?
No – HEPs generally only count the highest level of
achievement, therefore if a learner has completed
the AS and A level in the same subject, they will only
count the A level.
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Will all HEPs use the new Tariff?
No – around one third of courses on UCAS search list
a Tariff entry requirement. We do not expect to see a
sudden increase or decrease in the use of the Tariff.
We expect it to remain broadly the same. However,
some HEPs are intending to move to qualifications
and grade based entry requirements.
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Has anything been lowered?
The principle in moving qualifications from the current
Tariff to the new Tariff has been to minimise change as
much as is possible.
The AS has been deliberately repositioned as 40% of an A
level, as opposed to 50%. This is in line with qualification
regulators’ statements.
We have produced a full list of qualifications on the Tariff
with an impact assessment that indicates any movement.
For example small qualifications in a small size band may
now have a lower Tariff point score.
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When is this change happening?
The new Tariff will first be used in the 2017
admissions cycle.
This means applicants applying for courses from
September 2016 may see entry requirements and
offers expressed using the new Tariff.
The new Tariff will apply to ‘old’ and new AS and A
level qualifications from the 2017 admissions cycle.
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Are there any other issues to be aware of with
the new UCAS Tariff?
The new Tariff is based on a finite grading scale. This means
that some qualification grades may get the same points. For
example, Pre U D1 and D2.
Not all BTECs have a D* grade, such as BTEC (NQF)
qualifications.
Some qualifications have been prioritised on the drop down
on the new calculator because there are lots of different
versions of similar title. For example, BTEC and CACHE
qualifications.
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Preparation
What questions do you think your applicants and their parents will have regarding the new
Tariff? Read our factsheets to prepare your responses.
Keep in touch with your school or college’s UCAS correspondent. We will be contacting them
throughout the cycle seeking feedback on any issues or problems you may have with the
switchover.
Look out for updates on the new Tariff at future UCAS events and conferences.
If you or your colleagues need further information, book on to UCAS regional training events
taking place in 2014-15.
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Feedback
Please feedback on this pack if you require additional
content, or get in touch to discuss any queries you may
have on the new Tariff via [email protected]. Alternatively contact the UCAS
Policy Team directly:
Margaret Farragher
Head of Policy and
Qualifications
 01242 223765
 [email protected]
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