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When is A Level results day 2024?
A Level results day is on Thursday 15 August 2024.
In Scotland, SQA results day is 6th August 2024.
You can pick your results up anytime from 8 am, or whenever your school or college opens on the day.
How to prepare for results day
First of all, make sure you've saved the date for your A Level results day. By doing so, you can ensure that you are available if you need to speak to universities or enter Clearing. Some schools make A Level results available online, while others require you to collect them in person. If, for any reason, you can’t collect your results in person, speak to your school in advance to make suitable alternative arrangements.
It’s crucial to be prepared for A Level results day. Everyone wants the best results, but sometimes it can be helpful to prepare a Plan B. Think about what you might do if you don’t get accepted into either of your choices. Are there any other universities or courses you might consider? It’s helpful to have a list of universities and alternative courses that you'd be willing to contact during Clearing if you miss your firm and insurance offers.
Perhaps you've decided that only your first-choice university is an option. If this is the case, you could consider taking a gap year and trying again next year. There are many things you can do during your gap year, including apprenticeships, work experience, travel, as well as retaking your A Levels. By thinking about your Plan B, you can feel more calm and focused on results day. Finally, make sure you get a good night's sleep to have energy for whatever comes on results day.
"Before the results day get a good night's sleep and know that you have done your best! You’ve got so many milestones ahead of you in life to succeed !!" ~ Save My Exams Member
As this can be a stressful day, here are a few things to have on-hand for results day:
Application login details and UCAS ID number.
UCAS Clearing number - this will be available in the UCAS hub if you become eligible for Clearing.
Clearing numbers for universities - it’s always worth checking numbers for universities you applied to or may be potentially interested in. Contact details can be found on universities’ websites.
Pen and notebook - you’ll receive a lot of information on the phone and it’s important to write them down and keep them safe in one place.
Fully charged phone and charger.
GCSE results.
Your personal statement - during clearing, universities may ask you some questions based on your personal statement, so it’s great to review it again before results day.
Laptop and charger - a laptop can be more comfortable for checking the UCAS Hub and accessing additional information such as GCSE results, or your personal statement while you’re on the phone with universities.
"I just keep that mindset that there's nothing that can change my result. It's already locked in." ~ Abdulrehman A., Save My Exams Member
What will UCAS Hub show?
When a decision has been made by the university, UCAS will be notified directly. These are the following changes to offers on UCAS Hub:
Unconditional - your place on the course has been confirmed. This may be your firm or insurance offer or both.
Unsuccessful - you've not been accepted by your choice(s). You're now eligible to enter Clearing.
Unconditional Changed Course (UCC) - your grades are not good enough to meet your firm choice, but the university would like to offer you a different course. You usually have 5 days to decide and you can discuss this opportunity with the university in detail.
What happens on A Level results day?
It’s time to pick up your results! Check your school's opening time, as it may vary. It’s totally up to you if you want to open your results among friends or parents; some students find it helpful to have emotional support.
After UCAS receives your grades, the system will update your hub - this can happen any time from around 8.15 am. Bear in mind that the system will be very busy, so sometimes it may take a while to find out if you got into your chosen university.
What if your grades are lower than you expected?
In case you missed your predicted grades, you can still get an offer from your firm choice. Keep checking your UCAS hub if your offer changed to ‘unconditional’. It’s not uncommon to get a place on a different course at the same university. This is a ‘changed course offer’, which you’ll need to accept or decline. If you decline your offer, you self-release into Clearing.
If, by mid-morning on a result day, your hub doesn’t show any updates, it’s time to call the university. This probably means that they are still going through applications and haven’t made their decision yet. You might have received a special phone number already, but if you didn’t, use the one on the university contact page. Remember to make it clear you are an existing offer holder, not a Clearing applicant.
If you barely missed your target grades, talk to your school advisor about asking your firm choice to reconsider your application.
What if you don’t get an offer from your first-choice university?
If you didn’t get into your firm-choice university, you have the following options:
Accepting your insurance place - make sure you are still happy with your insurance offer. If you changed your mind about it, you can ask the university to let you go into Clearing.
Entering university Clearing
Retaking your A Levels next summer and reapplying for universities next year
What if you’ve been accepted by an insurance choice university?
You got into university from your backup choice - if you are still happy about this choice and you accept it, you can start thinking about university accommodation and sorting out your student loan; you will need to change some details on your student finance application form.
What if you’ve been rejected from your firm and insurance choice?
We understand that finding out you haven’t been accepted by either of your choices can be very difficult, but there are still things you can do. Be kind to yourself; beating yourself up won’t change anything.
These are things you can do if neither your firm nor insurance choice has offered you a place:
Enter UCAS Clearing
If you haven’t been successful, in the UCAS hub you will find a button called ‘My matches’. This will take you to your top 50 course matches. If there are no courses that you would like to consider, you can use the UCAS search tool.
Alternatively, you may have some universities in mind already. If you do, grab your phone and give them a call. You will need your Clearing number (you can find this in your application), and Personal ID, so they can look it up. You can get an informal offer on the phone that it usually has to be confirmed within 24 hours, which is good news for you, as you don’t have to commit to the first place that accepts you.
Clearing can be a stressful and intense experience, but it’s not uncommon. Over 53,000 UK students applied to universities through Clearing in 2022. This makes it a very competitive process so it’s vital to have a backup plan ready. From the UCAS 2022 Clearing Report, we find out that it’s useful to research information about alternative universities in advance. Students also share their positive experiences, saying that “everyone is very helpful and explains things step by step”.
Retake your A Levels
If you didn’t manage to secure your place through Clearing or you simply are not happy about your uni offers you can make a decision to resit your A Levels and reapply next year. Avoid thinking that not getting into the university is the end of the world. This is your chance to plan effective revision and improve your A Level results. You can also consider undertaking a part-time job or apprenticeship.
Take a gap year
Taking a gap year is a good option for those who would like to rethink their choices regarding university or their degree. It’s also perfect if you would like to improve your grades and reapply next year. A gap year gives you the opportunity to explore alternatives, such as work experience, apprenticeships, or work and travel. A gap year can be a valuable time to grow and gain experiences that will help you succeed at uni in the future.
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Written by Astrid deRidder
VP of Content4 articlesAstrid is passionate about creating amazing learning experiences through high-quality resources. She earned her Master’s Degree in Literary & Cultural Studies from Carnegie Mellon University, and has worked in the publishing industry for 20 years, focusing on educational content for both page and screen. She knows how to craft the best content for learners to ace their exams.
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