A Level Results Day 2025: Key Dates & What To Do If Things Don’t Go To Plan

When is A Level results day 2025?

This year, A Level results day falls on Thursday 14th August 2025.

In Scotland, SQA results day is Tuesday 5th August 2025.

You can pick your results up anytime from 8am, or whenever your school or college opens on the day.

When do universities get A Level results?

Universities receive A Level results a few days before students, allowing them time to update your UCAS Hub. This ensures your university offers are updated in time for results day. 

What time do A Level results come out?

A Level results are usually available to collect from your school or college from 8am. Check your school’s opening time in advance, as it may vary. 

You may also be able to access your results online from this time. 

Some students prefer to check the UCAS Hub before collecting their A Level results, giving them a sneak peek at whether they’ve secured a place at their firm or insurance university.

The UCAS Hub will show the status of your offers from around 8:15am, but it won’t display your A Level results.

Good to know: The UCAS Hub will be very busy, so sometimes it may take a while to find out if you got into your chosen university. 

Do you have to open A Level results at school/college?

If your school requires you to collect your results in person, you may be wondering if you have to open them there. 

The decision is entirely up to you. While some students prefer to open their results immediately at school or college, others may choose to wait until they are in a more private setting. There’s no obligation to open them at school, and you can take them home if you’d rather review them in your own time. 

However, if you need support—whether it’s from teachers, career advisors or friends—it might be helpful to open them while at school. This way, you can get guidance straight away.

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.

How to reduce anxiety about A Level results

It’s natural to feel apprehensive about getting your A Level results. But if you’re starting to feel consumed by anxiety in the lead up to results day, you may want to take some steps to help manage this. 

For many A Level students, fear of failure can trigger anxiety. You may think you have no other options if you don’t achieve the results you wanted. But why not reframe how you’re thinking about this? To feel more in control, you can plan for the worst case scenario and explore other possibilities.

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.

You can also check out some of the techniques outlined in our exam anxiety relief kit. These tips can also be applied to general anxiety surrounding your A Levels or other studies.

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

What to take on A Level results day

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 - you might want to take some celebratory selfies with friends and family! .

• 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. Having a laptop can make it easier to check the UCAS Hub and access important information. You may need access to your GCSE results or personal statement while speaking with universities over the phone.

"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 grades do I need to pass A Levels?

To pass your A Levels, you’ll need to achieve a grade of E or higher. A* is the highest grade and E is the lowest passing grade. 

Remember, most universities will have specific A Level grade requirements that you must meet to get onto your chosen course. 

A Level grades are worth UCAS points. Many universities specify their course entry requirements in UCAS points rather than grades.

 For example, a course might require 120 UCAS points, which could be met in different ways (e.g. BBB in A Levels or DDM in a BTEC).

Here are the UCAS points gained for each A Level grade: 

A Level Results Trends 

If you’re wondering how previous A Level students have performed, A Level results trends paint an interesting picture. 

In 2024, top grades made a slight comeback. In the UK as a whole, the number of students achieving a grade A or above rose from 27.2% in 2023 to 27.8%. 

In England, the number of students achieving three A*s climbed from 3,820 to 4,135. This is nearly 50% higher than in 2019, despite only an 11% increase in overall entries. 

However, regional disparities persist. London (31.3%) and the South East (30.8%) saw significantly higher rates of A and above grades compared to the East Midlands (22.5%) and the North East (23.9%). 

STEM subjects continue to surge in popularity. There was a 20% increase in entries for Further Maths, followed closely by Physics, Computing and Maths which all had increases of over 10%. 

How to read A Level results

So, you’ve finally got your hands on your results–but how do you interpret them?

You’ll be pleased to hear that your A Level results slip will be relatively easy to understand. 

First, you’ll see your personal details including your name, date of birth, candidate number and the season (in this case, summer 2025). 

Below this, you’ll see each of your A Level subjects listed alongside their course code, exam board and level. 

On the right-hand side of the slip, you’ll see your overall grade for each subject (from A*-E). You may also see some other details here, including individual unit or module results. This depends on the exam board and the type of course. 

For more help understanding your A Level results, check out our detailed guide. 

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. 

The key thing to remember is that there are always options available to you, even if it’s not what you originally had planned.

What if you don’t get an offer from your first-choice university?

If you didn’t get into your firm-choice university, don’t panic– 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. 

If you’ve been accepted by your insurance choice university, congratulations! While you may not have met the conditions of your firm choice, you’ve officially secured a place at university through your backup choice. 

If you’re happy about this choice and want to accept it, here’s what you should do next:

1. Review your offer details - Double-check the course details and start date, and if you’re unsure about anything, contact the university’s admissions office.

2. Arrange accommodation - If you haven’t already applied for university accommodation, contact your insurance university as soon as possible to secure a place in halls or explore private housing options.

3. Sort out student finance - If your student finance was linked to your firm choice, you need to update it with your new university details on the Student Finance website.

4. Prepare for your new university - Look out for emails from your new university about induction days, registration, and student portals.

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. 

If you didn’t manage to get a place through Clearing, or you’re simply not happy with your uni offers, you can make the decision to resit your A Levels and reapply next year. We know this can be disheartening, but try to see it as a chance to approach things differently. 

If you want to change your revision strategy and make it as effective as possible, check out our A Level revision resources.

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. 

How to appeal A Level results and what support is available?

If you believe your A Level results could be incorrect, you have the option to appeal. Here’s how the process works and what support is available to you:

1. Check your results and speak to your teachers

Compare your grades with expected outcomes based on mock exams and predicted grades.

Have a chat with your subject teachers or the exams officer at school to understand whether an appeal is appropriate.

2. Request a review of marking 

If you think there could have been an administrative error, your school can request a review of marking.

This must be done through your school or college, and they will submit the request on your behalf.

3. Appeal to the exam board

If you’re still unhappy after the review of marking, your school can escalate the appeal to the exam board. The exam board will check for marking inconsistencies but won’t reassess your work entirely unless an error is found.

Keep in mind that your grades can go up, stay the same, or go down following an appeal.

4. Consider a Priority Appeal 

If your university place is at risk, you can request a priority appeal through your school. You need to notify the university as soon as possible that you’re appealing.

We know that appealing your A Level results might seem like a daunting task, but there is plenty of support out there. 

Your teachers and advisors can support you throughout the entire appeals process, and you can get in touch with UCAS and university admissions teams to explain what’s going on. 

Remember, you can also reach out to a support service if you’re feeling overwhelmed and stressed. Check out this list of helpful resources. 

Can I resit A Levels?

If your A Level results didn’t meet your expectations, one option is to resit your exams. You can either retake them at your current school or college, if they allow it, or register as a private candidate at another institution or exam centre. 

Be aware that resitting may involve additional exam fees, so check the costs in advance. 

Check out our detailed guide to retaking your A Level exams. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Are A Level Results Important For University?

Absolutely–your A Levels are some of the most important qualifications when it comes to applying for university. 

Many universities have set entry requirements for specific courses. This usually means you’ll have to achieve certain grades in your A Levels to get a place on the course you’ve chosen. 

Universities typically make conditional offers based on you achieving specific grades or UCAS points, meaning your results will directly impact whether you secure your place.

If you meet or exceed your offer, your place is confirmed. If not, you may have to go to a different university, choose a different course, or go through Clearing. 

What Happens If I’m On Holiday On A Level Results Day?

If you know you’ll be away for results day, try not to panic–you may be able to access your results online. 

Inform your school in advance and see what they can do to help. 

You’ll typically have a few options: 

1. Check If You Can Access Results Online - Many schools and colleges upload results online via their own portals or can email them directly to students.

2. Nominate Someone to Collect Them - If your school only provides results in person, you can authorise a trusted person (e.g. a parent or guardian) to collect them on your behalf. Schools usually require written permission, and the person collecting your results should take photo ID. 

3. Check UCAS Hub for University Decisions - UCAS Hub updates in the morning, so you can see if your university place is confirmed even before receiving your grades.

If you didn’t meet your firm or insurance choice conditions, you might need to enter Clearing to find a new course. Make sure you have internet access and a phone to contact universities if needed.

How Do I Get A Level Certificates?

On results day, you’ll receive your statement of results–also known as your results slip–but this isn’t the same as your A Level certificates. 

The results slip gives you your provisional results to allow time for potential appeals. If you don’t appeal your results, these will remain as your final grades and will be reflected on your A Level certificates. 

Schools and colleges typically receive certificates a few months after results day, usually by October or November.

You’ll need to collect them in person from your school or arrange for them to be sent to you.

Some schools may require ID or proof of identity when collecting them. 

Schools typically keep your certificates for up to a year, so you don’t need to collect them right away. 

If you lose them, you’ll need to request a replacement from the exam board. They’ll provide you with a certifying statement of results, which serves the same purpose as the certificates. This usually comes with a fee. 

What Happens If You Do Worse In An A Level Resit?

If you do worse in your A Level resit, don’t panic—you won’t lose your original grade automatically. Your best grade stands, and you can choose to include this grade on applications. Universities and employers will consider your highest grade, whether it’s from your first attempt or your resit.

If you were hoping to improve your original grade and feel disappointed with your resit result, you can retake it again the following year. 

You may want to consider different revision strategies or additional support if you plan to try again.

Improve Your Grades with Save My Exams

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All of our resources are tailored to your exam board, ensuring you focus only on what’s relevant to your course. With expert feedback on practice questions and engaging video content, Save My Exams equips you with everything you need to excel. 

Explore our A Level Revision Resources. 

References

Student Finance

Record acceptances for UK 18-year-olds as international growth flattens out | UCAS 

Student support | Shout