Is a grade D a pass at A-Level?

Yes. Grades A* to E are all passes. Grade D is the fourth-highest grade and is worth 24 UCAS points (compared to 56 for A*). While a D is a technically a pass, most universities require at least a C in relevant subjects. Some universities accept D grades for less competitive courses.

How many UCAS points is each A-Level grade worth?

A* = 56 points, A = 48, B = 40, C = 32, D = 24, E = 16, U = 0. Three A* grades = 168 points; three B grades = 120 points; three C grades = 96 points. Most university courses ask for 96-144 UCAS points depending on selectivity.

What A-Level grades do I need for Russell Group universities?

Most Russell Group universities ask for AAA to AAB for competitive courses, and ABB to BBB for less competitive ones. The most competitive courses (medicine, law, engineering, economics) typically require A*AA or AAA. Check individual university websites for specific course requirements.

What percentage is an A* at A-Level?

A* typically requires around 80%+ overall on A2 units, with 90%+ on the A2 units specifically. The exact percentage varies by exam board and subject — AQA, Edexcel, OCR, and WJEC all set their own grade boundaries after each exam series.

Is a grade E worth anything?

Yes — a grade E is a pass and is worth 16 UCAS points. It's the lowest A-Level pass grade. Some universities accept E grades for foundation year entry or less competitive courses. However, a grade E alone won't meet most standard university entry requirements.

What's the most common A-Level grade?

In 2025, the most common A-Level grades were B (26.4% of entries) and C (22.1%). About 27.5% of entries were awarded A* or A, and 76.4% of entries were awarded A* to C. The pass rate (A* to E) was 97.8%.

Do universities prefer A-Levels over BTECs?

Most Russell Group universities prefer A-Levels, especially for traditional academic subjects. However, many universities now accept BTEC qualifications alongside A-Levels, and some accept BTECs alone. T-Levels are also increasingly accepted. Check your specific university's entry requirements.

What Is a Good A-Level Grade? A* to E Explained

Q: What is a good A-Level grade?

A grade B or above is generally considered good at A-Level. A grade B puts you in the top 40% of candidates and is competitive for most university courses. A* is the top grade (top 10% nationally), A is the standard offer for Russell Group courses, and B is the benchmark for many university courses. Grade C is the minimum most universities accept.

A* to E — six letter grades, but what do they actually mean for university, UCAS points, and job prospects? Here's what each A-Level grade is worth, what counts as a good grade, and what universities actually look for.

Last updated: August 20, 2026 · Written by the Student Toolbox team

A-Level textbooks and grade certificates on a desk

The A-Level grade ladder: what each letter means

A-Levels are graded A*, A, B, C, D, E (pass) and U (ungraded/fail). Most students take 3-4 subjects over two years. Here's what each grade actually means, with UCAS points and real-world context:

Grade	UCAS points	What it means	% of 2025 entries
A*	56	Top 9.3% of candidates. Required for Oxbridge and competitive medicine/law.	9.3%
A	48	Top 27%. Standard Russell Group offer grade. Very strong.	18.2%
B	40	Top 53%. Good — competitive for most university courses.	26.4%
C	32	Top 76%. Pass — meets minimum for many university courses.	22.1%
D	24	Top 89%. Clear pass — accepted by some universities for less competitive courses.	12.8%
E	16	Top 98%. Lowest pass. Foundation year entry or alternative routes.	8.9%
U	0	Ungraded — fail. 2.2% of entries.	2.2%

2025 data from Ofqual/JCQ. 2026 figures will be published on results day (14 August 2026).

What counts as a "good" grade depends on your goal

"Good" is relative. Here's what counts as good for different goals:

Your goal	Good grade range	Why
Oxford / Cambridge	AAA to AAA	Typical offers for most subjects. Some courses require AAA*.
Russell Group (competitive)	AAA to A*AA	Medicine, law, engineering, economics, computer science.
Russell Group (standard)	AAB to ABB	Most humanities, social sciences, and science courses.
Other universities	BBB to BCC	Competitive for most non-Russell Group courses.
Degree apprenticeship	BBB and above	Many top schemes require strong A-Levels.
Foundation year	CDD to DDE	Lower entry requirements, leads to degree-level study.
Employment after A-Levels	CCC and above	Most employers look for at least three Cs.

UCAS points: how your grades add up

Each A-Level grade converts to UCAS Tariff points. Universities either specify grades (e.g. "ABB") or a total points requirement (e.g. "128 UCAS points"). Here's how common combinations add up:

Combination	Total UCAS points	Typical university level
AAA*	168	Oxbridge / medicine / law
AAA	144	Russell Group competitive
AAB	136	Russell Group standard
ABB	128	Russell Group / competitive non-Russell
BBB	120	Most universities
BBC	112	Most universities
BCC	104	Many universities
CCC	96	Minimum for many university courses

How A-Level grades are actually calculated

Your A-Level grade is based on your total marks across all exam papers and, for some subjects, coursework components. Each exam board (AQA, Edexcel, OCR, WJEC) sets its own grade boundaries after each exam series. The boundaries are set by senior examiners and statisticians who:

Compare the paper difficulty to previous years.
Analyse student performance across the entire cohort.
Set boundaries so that a grade A in 2026 represents the same standard as a grade A in 2025 — even if the raw mark percentage is different.

This means the raw mark percentage for an A might be 70% one year and 75% another — the standard is fixed, the percentage isn't. Grade boundaries are published on results day each August.

What if your grades are lower than you expected?

If your A-Level results are lower than predicted, you have several options. See our detailed guides:

Bad A-Level Results — What to Do— step-by-step plan for results day, Clearing, appeals, and resits.
Missed Your University Offer?— what to do when your firm or insurance choice falls through.

For the full picture on how A-Levels fit into the UK education system, see ourUK Grading System guide. To estimate your grade from marks, use ourA-Level grade calculator.