On this page

  1. The basic principle of equivalence
  2. UCAS tariff and the conversion arithmetic
  3. Oxbridge offer patterns
  4. Wider Russell Group offer patterns
  5. STEM degrees
  6. Humanities and social sciences
  7. Medicine
  8. Practical strategy by subject and target
  9. Which qualification suits which child
  10. Frequently asked questions

The basic principle of equivalence

Every UK university accepts both A Level and IB Diploma as equivalent qualifications for entry. There is no UK university where one qualification is preferred over the other in admissions policy. The acceptance is published on every course page on every university website, expressed in parallel offer levels: an A Level offer (A*AA, AAA, AAB) and an IB Diploma offer (the total points required out of 45, plus required subject grades at Higher Level). The two routes converge at sift; the candidate is read on the qualification they present.

The principle of equivalence sits on top of substantial differences in qualification structure. A Level is three or four subjects studied in depth across two years with external examinations at the end. The IB Diploma is six subjects (three at Higher Level, three at Standard Level) studied across two years, plus the Theory of Knowledge course, plus a 4,000 word Extended Essay, plus Creativity Activity Service (CAS) hours. The structural differences feed into the offer arithmetic but do not affect the basic acceptability of either qualification.

UCAS tariff and the conversion arithmetic

The UCAS tariff is the standard points system UK universities use for entry comparison. Under the current tariff each A Level grade earns a fixed number of points (A* 56, A 48, B 40, C 32). Each IB Higher Level grade earns points (HL 7 56 points, HL 6 48, HL 5 32). Each IB Standard Level grade earns points (SL 7 28, SL 6 24, SL 5 20). The IB Diploma core (Theory of Knowledge and Extended Essay) adds up to 12 additional UCAS points. The full IB Diploma at 45 points earns roughly 224 UCAS tariff points; three A Levels at A*A*A* earn 168 UCAS tariff points.

The naive arithmetic suggests the IB Diploma is worth more than three A Levels. In practice, UK universities rarely use the raw UCAS tariff for selective courses, where the offer is made in specific grades and subjects rather than total points. The tariff matters more for the wider Russell Group and the post 92 universities, where points based offers are more common. A pupil targeting Oxbridge or the strongest Russell Group courses cares about the specific subject grades rather than the tariff total. A pupil targeting a wider range of universities including some that use tariff offers benefits from the IB's higher total tariff.

Oxbridge offer patterns

Oxford and Cambridge make offers in both A Level and IB Diploma terms. The standard Oxbridge offer levels in 2026 are A*A*A or A*AA at A Level (depending on course) and 40 to 42 points out of 45 in the IB Diploma, with 7 7 6 or 7 7 7 at Higher Level. Specific course requirements often add a higher Level subject grade requirement (a 7 in HL Mathematics for Cambridge engineering, a 7 in HL Chemistry for Cambridge medicine).

The conversion is not exactly parallel. A 7 at IB Higher Level is broadly considered equivalent to an A* at A Level for offer purposes, although examiners would argue the comparison is subtle. A 6 at HL is between an A and an A*. The 40 to 42 IB offer is therefore roughly equivalent in difficulty to the A*A*A or A*AA A Level offer, although individual subject grades matter as much as the total.

One important Oxbridge specific consideration: the admissions tests (MAT, PAT, NSAA, ENGAA, HAT, TSA, LNAT) sit alongside the qualification regardless of whether the candidate is on A Level or IB. The interview process is identical. Oxbridge does not give either qualification an interview advantage at any college we are aware of. Our piece on A Level subject combinations for top universities covers the subject choice question; the corresponding decision for IB candidates is which subjects to take at HL.

Compare schools by university outcomes

Use the compare tool to put A Level and IB schools next to each other on grade distribution, Russell Group destinations, and fees. The school finder matches your family's preferences across budget, curriculum and city. Visit our British curriculum hub for the wider context.

Wider Russell Group offer patterns

The wider Russell Group (the 24 universities outside Oxford and Cambridge) makes offers that depend on the course and university. The typical offer levels for highly selective Russell Group courses are A*AA, AAA or AAB at A Level and 38 to 40 IB points (with 6 6 6 to 7 6 6 at HL) at IB. Less selective Russell Group courses make offers around AAB to ABB at A Level and 34 to 38 IB points at IB. The conversion is broadly parallel: AAB A Level lines up with 34 to 36 IB points, AAA lines up with 36 to 38 IB points, A*AA with 38 to 40 IB points.

The strongest Russell Group science courses (Imperial physics, UCL maths, Manchester engineering, Edinburgh chemistry) make offers in the A*A*A or A*AA range at A Level with specific subject grade requirements (A* in mathematics, A in physics) and the corresponding IB offer (38 to 40 points with 7 in HL mathematics). The wider arts and humanities courses at the Russell Group make offers in the AAB to AAA range, with corresponding IB offers in the 34 to 38 point range.

Two practical points about Russell Group offers. First, the offers are flexible at the margin. A pupil missing the headline by a small amount (one grade or two IB points) is often accepted on results day if the wider profile is strong. Second, the offers can be lower for contextual or widening participation applicants, which mostly does not apply to international school candidates but is worth knowing for borderline UK domestic applicants.

STEM degrees

STEM degrees at UK universities are well served by both qualifications but slightly differently. A Level mathematics with further mathematics is the most rigorous mathematical preparation available at school level for UK universities; the IB Diploma's Higher Level mathematics (Analysis and Approaches) is comparable but with slightly different content emphasis. Cambridge mathematics, Imperial mathematics and Oxford mathematics traditionally consider further mathematics A Level as the strongest preparation, although they accept IB HL maths candidates with the equivalent depth signal.

For physics, engineering and chemistry the picture is similar. A Level physics is widely considered strong preparation for university physics; IB HL physics covers slightly less content depth but more breadth. For computer science the IB HL computer science option is reasonable but not as strong as the combination of A Level mathematics plus computer science or further mathematics. Pupils targeting top STEM courses on the IB route should usually take HL mathematics plus two STEM subjects at HL; pupils on the A Level route should usually take mathematics, further mathematics and a third STEM subject. Our piece on which curriculum is best for STEM covers the STEM pathway question in detail.

Humanities and social sciences

Humanities and social sciences degrees at UK universities are particularly well served by the IB Diploma. The Diploma's structure of six subjects across two languages, humanities, sciences, mathematics, the arts, plus the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge, produces a candidate profile that humanities admissions tutors widely consider attractive. The Extended Essay in particular is a 4,000 word piece of independent research that closely resembles a first year undergraduate essay and is often referenced in interview at Oxford or Cambridge.

A Level humanities candidates can match the IB profile through three strong essay subjects (English, history, languages) and the wider EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) where available. The EPQ is broadly comparable to the IB Extended Essay in length and depth, and is recognised by every Russell Group university for offer reductions where the policy applies. Our piece on IB versus British curriculum covers the wider comparison.

Medicine

UK medicine admissions accepts both A Level and IB candidates on equal terms, although the offer arithmetic differs. The standard offer at the strongest UK medical schools (Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, UCL, King's, Edinburgh) is A*AA at A Level (with required subjects chemistry and biology) or 38 to 40 IB points (with 7 6 6 at HL including chemistry and biology). The required subjects (chemistry and biology) are the same at both qualifications. The interview, UCAT and BMAT tests are the same regardless of qualification.

One small operational point: IB candidates can spread their science load across three Higher Level subjects (chemistry, biology, plus a third), which gives more room for breadth than the typical A Level science medical candidate who takes chemistry, biology and one other. A Level medical candidates often add mathematics, physics or a humanities as the third subject. The IB candidate can fit the third science in alongside the chemistry and biology cores, which can be useful for biomedical sciences and medical research applications later. Our piece on IB curriculum explained covers the full diploma structure.

Practical strategy by subject and target

For Oxbridge applicants the strategy is qualification neutral, with one nuance. A candidate already at a strong A Level school targeting Oxbridge in mathematics or theoretical physics is usually best served by A Level mathematics plus further mathematics plus a third subject (potentially four total with the fourth being further mathematics modules). A candidate already at a strong IB school targeting Oxbridge in humanities is usually best served by the IB Diploma with three strong HL subjects and the Extended Essay used to demonstrate research depth in the target subject area. Switching qualifications to chase Oxbridge specifically is rarely worth the disruption.

For wider Russell Group applicants the qualification choice is largely fungible. The strongest predictor of admissions success at the wider Russell Group is the predicted grades and the personal statement quality, not the qualification format. Either qualification at the predicted high level produces strong outcomes. The candidate should focus on the school they are at and the qualification that school delivers best, rather than switching for the qualification label.

For non Russell Group UK universities the qualification choice is even less material. Most non Russell Group universities make offers around AAB to BBC at A Level and 30 to 36 IB points, accept either, and the tariff arithmetic slightly favours IB on points. Either qualification produces multiple offers at this level easily, provided the predicted grades hit the offer band.

Which qualification suits which child

The deeper question is which qualification suits which child, not which produces better offers. A Level suits children who prefer depth over breadth, are confident in three or four chosen subjects and want to specialise toward a clear university subject. The IB Diploma suits children who prefer breadth over depth, work well across two languages and a wide subject portfolio, and want to keep options open until later in school. A Level produces stronger depth in chosen subjects; IB produces stronger breadth across the portfolio plus the research and reflection components (Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge).

Workload matters in the choice. The IB Diploma is widely considered the heavier workload of the two: six subjects plus CAS plus Extended Essay plus Theory of Knowledge produces a sustained two year load that some pupils find too heavy. Three or four A Levels with the EPQ is lighter on paper but the depth in each subject is greater. Pupils with strong but uneven academic profiles often prefer A Level (where they can drop weaker subjects); pupils with consistent academic profiles often prefer IB (where the breadth fits naturally). Our piece on switching from British to IB curriculum covers the cross over decision.

Frequently asked questions

Do UK universities prefer A Level or IB?

Neither. Every UK university accepts both qualifications on equal terms with parallel offer levels published on every course page. There is no published university preference for one qualification over the other. The choice is downstream of the school and the child's preference, not the UK university preference.

Is the IB harder than A Level?

Harder is the wrong frame. The IB is broader and includes more compulsory components (Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay, CAS, two languages, mathematics, a science, a humanities and the arts). A Level is deeper in three or four chosen subjects with no compulsory wider components. The IB workload is widely considered heavier in total hours; A Level depth is widely considered greater in chosen subjects.

Does the IB count toward the UCAS tariff at higher points than A Level?

Yes in points terms. The full IB Diploma at 45 points scores roughly 224 UCAS tariff points; three A Levels at A*A*A* scores 168 UCAS tariff points. Most selective UK university offers do not use the tariff directly, so the difference matters at the wider Russell Group and post 92 level more than at Oxbridge or top Russell Group.

Can my child apply with mixed qualifications?

Yes. UK universities accept applications with mixed profiles (some A Levels plus AP subjects, partial IB plus A Levels, IB Diploma plus EPQ). Mixed profiles are read against the published offer levels with a sensible conversion at the admissions tutor's discretion. Pupils sitting both A Level and IB simultaneously is rare and not recommended; the workload is too high.