A levels are graded A*, A, B, C, D and E. A* is the top grade and E is the lowest pass; anything below E is a U (unclassified). There is no fixed percentage for each grade. Exam boards set the grade boundaries after marking each paper, so the marks needed for an A change from year to year, as Ofqual explains.
A-levels are the primary gateway to UK university. Whether you're in Year 12 planning ahead, approaching your final exams in Year 13, or reviewing your options after results day, understanding exactly how the grading system works, and what your grades mean in terms of UK degree classification international equivalents, helps you set realistic targets and revise more effectively.
This guide covers everything: the A* to E grade scale, how grade boundaries are set each year, UCAS points, university grade boundaries by subject, and how to revise to reach your target grade (and for those still at a lower level, our ultimate AI guide for GCSEs is also available).
A-levels in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland are graded on a scale from A* (highest) to E (minimum pass), with U (ungraded) for marks below the pass threshold. The A* grade was introduced in 2010 to differentiate the very top performers from those achieving a standard A. In 2026, 9.6% of UK A level grades were an A* and 28.5% were A* or A; our A level results statistics have the full breakdown by subject and year.
| Grade | Description | Pass? | UCAS points |
|---|---|---|---|
| A* | Outstanding | Yes | 56 |
| A | Excellent | Yes | 48 |
| B | Very good | Yes | 40 |
| C | Good | Yes | 32 |
| D | Satisfactory | Yes | 24 |
| E | Pass | Yes | 16 |
| U | Unclassified (fail) | No | 0 |
UCAS points are fixed, as shown in the UCAS Tariff table. Grade boundaries are not. AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR and WJEC Eduqas set them after each paper is marked and publish them on results day, so any fixed "80% is an A" rule is a guess.
Grade boundaries aren't fixed in advance. After every exam sitting, senior examiners review a sample of student scripts and make a judgement about where the grade boundaries should sit, taking into account the difficulty of the paper, whether questions performed as intended, and the expected distribution of results.
This means the same raw score can earn different grades in different years: if a paper is harder, the boundaries are lower. All four major exam boards (AQA, Edexcel, OCR and WJEC) publish their grade boundaries after results day. You can look up past boundaries on their websites to get a sense of typical ranges for your subject.
The practical implication: don't target a specific raw percentage as your revision goal. Target the material. Comprehensive command of the syllabus is what moves you across grade boundaries, whatever number they land at.
UCAS Tariff points convert A-level grades (and other qualifications) into a single number that some universities use for entry decisions. Three A-levels at A*AA, for example, gives you 56 + 48 + 48 = 152 UCAS points.
Not all universities use UCAS points directly. Many selective courses specify grade combinations (e.g., "AAA") rather than a points total. UCAS points are more commonly the primary requirement at post-92 universities and for foundation year entry. Always check the specific entry requirements for your chosen course, since the same points total can come from very different grade combinations.
Entry requirements vary significantly by university and course. The table below gives a general sense of the grade ranges by university tier, but always check the specific course requirements on UCAS or the university's website, as subject requirements and contextual admissions can shift these considerably.
| University Type | Typical Entry Requirements | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Oxbridge / Medicine | A*AA to A*A*A + admissions tests | Oxford, Cambridge, most medical schools |
| Russell Group | AAA to AAB | LSE, Durham, Bristol, Edinburgh |
| Strong regional universities | ABB to BBB | Loughborough, Surrey, Bath (some courses) |
| Modern / post-92 universities | BCC to CCC | Wide range across England |
| Foundation year entry | Typically 48 to 72 UCAS points | Often DDE or equivalent |
Your school or college will submit predicted grades to UCAS in the autumn of Year 13, before your actual exams. These are your teacher's estimate of the grade you're likely to achieve, and universities use them to make conditional offers.
Predicted grades are an estimate, and exam conditions are harder than classwork: timed papers, recall under stress, and the whole specification at once. Closing that gap is about revision methods that improve recall, not just longer hours.
Active recall revision, testing yourself on material rather than re-reading it, is the most effective approach for closing the gap between predicted and actual grades. Flashcards, practice questions, and past papers all force retrieval, which builds much stronger memory than passive review.
A-level content is dense. Biology, chemistry, history, and economics all involve large volumes of terminology, concepts, case studies, and processes that need to be recalled accurately under timed exam conditions. The students who hit their target grades aren't necessarily the ones who revised longest. They're the ones who used their revision time most effectively.
If your results weren't what you needed, you have several options. You can retake A level exams in a later exam series. Check with your school, college or exam board which series your subject is available in.
You can retake as a private candidate through a registered exam centre if your school won't enter you. Tell universities about all your results when they ask, including earlier attempts.
If you missed your university offer, Clearing opens on results day and runs through September. Many universities accept students through Clearing with grades slightly below their standard offer, so it's worth calling directly rather than relying solely on the UCAS Clearing tool.
A-level content is broad and detailed. The students who hit their target grades are the ones who cover all of it systematically, not the ones who know some topics perfectly and have gaps in others.
Upload your revision guides, textbook chapters, and notes to StudyCards AI. Get complete active recall flashcard decks for every subject in minutes, then spend your revision time actually learning, not making study materials.
Free to get started. Export to Anki included.
A levels in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are graded A*, A, B, C, D and E, where A* is the highest grade and E is the lowest pass. A result below E is a U, meaning unclassified, and does not earn a certificate.
Any grade from A* to E is a pass. E is the lowest pass grade and is worth 16 UCAS Tariff points. A U grade is a fail.
There is no fixed percentage. Exam boards set grade boundaries after each exam is marked, so the raw mark needed for an A changes by subject, board and year. Check your board's published boundaries for your paper.
A* is 56 points, A is 48, B is 40, C is 32, D is 24 and E is 16. Three A levels at AAA give 144 points, and AAB gives 136. Many selective courses ask for grades such as AAA rather than a points total.
A C is a solid pass worth 32 UCAS points and meets the entry requirements for many degree courses. Selective courses usually ask for A and B grades, so whether a C is good enough depends on the course you want.
Yes. You can retake A level exams in a later exam series through your school, a college, or as a private candidate at an exam centre. Ask your exam board which series your subject is available in.
Generate Anki flashcards from PDFs