How to prepare for A Level results day

We can’t stop you from worrying about your A Level results, but we can offer some practical tips and help you get ready for the big day.

You’ve finished your exams and enjoyed your summer, but there’s still one big event on the horizon – A Level results day. Time can appear to stand still when you’re waiting for results and the whole thing can feel confusing and overwhelming.

One way of managing the stress and anxiety around exam results is to make sure you know how things work and what you can expect on the day. We’ve put together a handy guide to help you navigate A Level results day.

When is A Level results day?

This year, A Level results day in England, Northern Ireland and Wales is on Thursday 15 August.

How can I prepare for A Level results day?

One way to manage your stress ahead of results day is to focus on the things that you can control rather than the things you can’t. 

If you think you might have done better than expected or missed your grade offer, it’s definitely worth taking a look at the Clearing process and seeing if any courses appeal to you. Clearing is a system that allows universities to fill empty places on their courses and is open from 5 July to 21 October.

The night before results day, get yourself ready to roll with a checklist of practical actions. This will help your A Level results day go a little more smoothly.

• Get a good night’s sleep – Easier said than done but worth a shot!
• Have your UCAS login details handy – This will enable you to see what’s happening with your university applications
• Charge your phone – You may need to phone friends and family or call universities to discuss your offers.
• Get your contacts ready – Get ahead by making a list of important numbers that you might need on the day such as university admission departments.

Pack some healthy snacks – Chances are, you’ll be too nervous to eat much before you get your results so pack something to eat once the adrenalin has subsided. It’ll keep you going through the rest of the day.

What happens on A Level results day?

You can collect your results anytime from 8am at your school or college. Each school or college’s opening and closing times will vary so be sure to check them before you leave the house.

Capital City College Group (CCCG) A Level students will be able to collect their results from:

• Sixth Form College in Angel between 8am and 4:30pm (City and Islington College (CANDI) students)
• King’s Cross Centre between 8am and 11am (Westminster Kingsway College (WestKing) students)

For CCCG students, exam results can be accessed online from 8am by signing in to MyCollege. Exam results will also be emailed to all student’s college email addresses by 12pm on results day. If you’re a CCCG student, you can find more information about exam results day here.

If you can’t collect your results in person, make sure that you let your school or college know in advance. You can then arrange for someone to go in and get them on your behalf.

What to expect on A Level results day

Your school or college will be open from 8am. You’ll go into the designated exam results room or area and they’ll have an envelope waiting for you. It’s up to you whether you open it there or take it home. 

Some people like to celebrate with classmates and get support from teachers and staff while others prefer the privacy of their own space. Wherever you open your results, it’s a good idea to have someone with you who can help and support you whatever the news. Remember that you don’t have to share your results with anyone and it’s okay if you want to keep them to yourself.

What information will I see on UCAS Hub?

If you’ve applied to university through UCAS, your results will be sent to your firm and insurance choice universities. Any decisions relating to your results should appear on UCAS Hub on results day. It’s important to note that your actual A Level results and grades won’t appear in UCAS Hub.

You might see these changes to your offers on UCAS Hub:

• Unconditional – this means your place on the course has been confirmed by the university (this could be either your firm offer or insurance offer – or both).
• Unsuccessful – this means that you haven’t been accepted by your firm or insurance choice and can enter Clearing.
• Unconditional Changed Course (UCC) – this means that you missed the grades for your offer but the university has an alternative course that requires different grades. They may also be offering an alternative start date. If you see UCC on UCAS Hub, you’ve got 5 days to talk to the university before you make up your mind about the alternative they’ve offered.

What to do if I’ve met my offer?

If you have a conditional offer from a university and have achieved the grades you need, the offer will change to unconditional. Then, either UCAS or the university will let you know what you need to do next.

What do I do if I’ve missed my offer?

It can be devastating to open up your results and not find the grades you’d hoped for. It’s okay to feel the weight of that disappointment and be upset. Give yourself a moment to let it all sink in and get comfort from someone you trust. Young Minds has some great advice on dealing with disappointment on results day.

Once you’ve had a chance to process the news, remember that nothing ends here.

If you haven’t got the exact grades you need, there’s still a chance that your firm or insurance offer will accept you. Check UCAS Hub first to see whether a decision has been made.

If you’ve missed out on the grade you needed by a narrow margin or plan to appeal any grades, you should talk to the admissions department at your chosen university. They may still be able to offer you a place.

Appeals

If you don’t think your marks reflect your performance during the course or the exams, you can request a review of the marking or moderation. You should do this by asking your school or college to start the appeals process as soon as possible. Remember that if you appeal, your grade may stay the same, go up or go down.

Make sure you let your chosen university know if you’re planning to appeal as they may be able to keep your place until the appeals process is complete.

If the results have been reviewed and you’re still not happy with the decisions, you can make an appeal directly to the exam board. They’ll ask you to explain why you think the results were incorrect. After they’ve had time to review the results, they’ll send you a final report. If you’re unhappy with the exam board’s report, your final course of action is to make a complaint to Ofqual.

If your appeal is successful, you may be offered your original place or a place on a similar course.  The university may also give you the option to defer your place until the following year.

Clearing

If it’s clear that you’re unable to go with your firm or insurance choices, then it may be time to think about Clearing. Clearing allows you to search for courses across the UK that still have spaces and there’s usually a wide range of universities and courses on offer. You’ll also be able to view courses that match your profile on UCAS Hub through their Clearing matches facility.

Once you’ve seen a course you like, you’ll need to call the university before you add them as a choice in your application. UCAS has some great tips for calling universities during clearing.

Resits

If you’d like to have another go at your exams and improve your grades, you can look into taking A Level resits at a college. You’ll probably need to delay university entry for a year until you receive your new results.

If you’ve realised that you need a break from university applications and studying, then there’s also the option of taking a gap year where you’ll have time to think about your options.

What if I’ve done better than expected?

If you’ve surpassed your grade offer, you’ll undoubtedly be delighted. Many people stick with their firm choice, but if you’d like to apply for a different course with higher grade requirements, you can do this using the UCAS clearing service. This will mean declining your firm offer and going through the Clearing process. 

A Level results day is a momentous event for all A Level students. Whether you’re celebrating the next phase of your academic life or dealing with a change in plans – remember to be kind to yourself. You’ve made it through two years of study and some challenging exams, so congratulate yourself for getting to this point and try to enjoy it!

We wish all our A Level students the best of luck for A Level results day!

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