UCAS Announces Tariff Points Roll-out for Apprenticeships
The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) has announced a new initiative that will see Tariff points awarded to apprenticeships. This move is designed to give apprenticeships greater recognition and parity with traditional academic qualifications.
What are Tariff points?
Tariff points are a system used by UCAS to measure the difficulty of a qualification. Higher Tariff point qualifications are considered to be more demanding. When universities consider applications, they will take into account the number of Tariff points that a student has achieved. This means that students who have completed apprenticeships with higher Tariff points will be more competitive in the university admissions process.
How many Tariff points will apprenticeships be awarded?
The number of Tariff points that will be awarded to an apprenticeship will depend on the level of the apprenticeship and the amount of time that a student is expected to spend on study and work. For example, a Level 3 apprenticeship that requires a student to spend 60% of their time in work and 40% of their time in study might be awarded 120 Tariff points. Meanwhile, a Level 3 apprenticeship that requires a student to spend 80% of their time in work and 20% of their time in study might be awarded 100 Tariff points.
Why is UCAS introducing Tariff points for apprenticeships?
UCAS is introducing Tariff points for apprenticeships in order to give them greater recognition and parity with traditional academic qualifications.
Apprenticeships offer a number of benefits, including:
the opportunity) to gain valuable work experience and to earn a qualification while you work
A higher starting salary than graduates in some cases
The chance to develop a strong network of contacts in your chosen industry
How was the new initiative received?
The new initiative to award Tariff points to apprenticeships has been met with positive feedback. A consultation was carried out by UCAS, and the majority of respondents were in favour of the proposal. In fact, 74% of respondents strongly supported or supported the model. Colleges showed the highest level of support with 89% in favour, followed by 85% of schools and advisers, and 77% of universities.
Find out more on the UCAS site here: