How to Find Your GCSE Results (Online & In Person)

Written by: Naomi C

Reviewed by: Dan Finlay

Published

17 December 2024

Read time

9 minutes

Illustration of hands holding an envelope labelled "Exam Results" on a blue background. Text reads "How to Find Your GCSE Results (Online & In-Person)".

Contents

After months of intense revision and the stress of completing exams, you may then find yourself left in an endless waiting game for results day. Often, this period of time can make you feel anxious, but making plans for results day itself can help you to feel more prepared and reduce any worries that you may have.

In this article, you’ll learn how to find your GCSE results. We’ll cover how to collect them in person, online, and by post, so you know exactly what to do on the day.

Or perhaps your results day has already been and gone, and you didn’t manage to pick up your results. Don’t panic, there are still ways to get your results and certificates. It may differ depending on how long ago you sat your exams, but we will cover the process that you need to go through to get a hold of them.

Collecting Your Results In Person

Your school or exam centre will most likely deliver your results to you in person. Schools like to encourage you to come in on the day as a lot of teachers will be there who will be keen to celebrate your successes. They can also offer advice if you haven’t achieved the results that you were hoping for. Make sure that you know what time your school will be open for the collection of results on results day.

When you arrive, you’ll be handed an envelope containing your results. Usually, this will be by a teacher or other staff member who knows you well, but in some situations it may not be. For this reason, it is a good idea to take some photo ID with you, just in case you need to confirm your identity.

You can choose whether you open your results at the centre or take them elsewhere to open them in private. You will likely find that the earlier you arrive, the fewer people there will be around.

As the day progresses, students receiving their results often stick around for a while after opening their own results, in order to share the day with their friends. Do what makes you feel most comfortable, but keep in mind that it is often a good idea to have someone that you trust with you when you open that envelope.

When you decide to open your result, inside the envelope will be one or more exam slips. If you have sat GCSEs from more than one exam board, there will be an individual slip for each of the relevant exam boards. Your exam results should be clear to read, but the teachers at the school should be able to help you to interpret the slips if you have any difficulty in understanding them.

How to Find Your GCSE Results Online

You may have a good reason for wanting to receive your results online rather than in person. Unfortunately, the majority of exam boards do not distribute GCSE results to candidates directly online.

Instead, all candidates’ results are sent directly to the school or exam centre. Edexcel (Pearson) is the exception to this, as they offer direct student access through ResultsPlus Direct. However, this service is only available to students if their school has registered for it.

Many schools have their own student portal system where you can access your results. If your school offers this, then you are likely to have been made aware of it already.

It's best to check with your school ahead of results day to confirm exactly how they'll distribute results and what online access options are available to you. If an online student portal is available, make sure you have the relevant log in details and instructions on how to access it in advance.

Receiving Results by Post

If you are not around for results day, then another option is to receive your results by post. Exam boards will not post results directly to candidates, but it’s possible that your school will, depending on the individual circumstances.

Make sure that you have this conversation in advance with your school so that you understand their policy on this. You can then arrange to have your results posted if it is appropriate for you. If your school or exam centre agrees to post your GCSE results to you, then you may be asked to provide a stamped addressed envelope.

What to Do If You Can’t Find Your Results

In the aftermath of results day you may well be busy organising the next stage of your life, be that in further education, training or work. For this, you will often be asked to show proof of your GCSE results.

If you can’t find your results slips or certificates, the first thing is to stay calm, even if you feel stressed. Start by contacting your school, or the exam centre where you took your exams, as they will be keen to support you.

Your school will typically keep records of your results for at least a year, so if quick confirmation of your results is required, then they should be able to help you directly with this. If you need copies of certificates, then your school will be able to guide you towards contacting the correct exam boards to request these.

How to Find Your GCSE Results from Years Ago

It may well be that you took your exams some time ago, but you need your GCSE certificates for a new job or further qualification. Unfortunately, with the best will in the world, important documents like these can sometimes get lost. I unfortunately have direct experience of this myself when I lost all my education certificates during a house move.

The good news is that your results are not gone forever. Although your school may only keep results for a short period of time, exam boards typically keep records for a much greater time period. You will not receive a replacement exam certificate for a GCSE, but your exam board will be able to send you an equivalent certified statement of results for a fee. This can be used instead as proof of your qualifications.

If you can’t remember the exam board for your particular GCSE course(s), try contacting the school or exam centre where you sat your GCSEs. When you know the relevant exam board, you can contact them directly. Links to information on how to do this for each of the main GCSE exam boards are below:

Frequently Asked Questions

What Happens If I Lose My GCSE Results?

If you lose your GCSE results, you can contact your school or the exam centre where you sat your GCSEs.

If it has been some time since you lost your results and the school no longer has them, then they will be able to inform you which exam boards were used for the different exams that you took. You can then contact the relevant exam boards directly.

Can GCSE Results Be Emailed to Students?

This depends on your individual school. In some schools they will email out GCSE results, but there may be a policy against this in other schools.

It is best to check directly with your school or exam centre to understand their policy regarding emailing exam results. You’ll also be able to find out what other options there are for receiving your results if you’re not able to be there in person.

Can Someone Else Collect My Results For Me?

Yes, most schools or exam centres will allow a family member or other approved person to collect your GCSE results on your behalf, provided that you have given appropriate authorisation.

This may be in the form of a letter of permission signed by you, or a school specific form that you sign to authorise. The nominated person collecting results must make sure they have photo ID with them as well as the letter of authorisation.

Can I Receive my GCSE Results Over the Telephone?

It is unlikely that your school or exam centre will give out your GCSE results over the telephone. This is due to data protection legislation.

When Do GCSE Results Become Available?

GCSE results day is in mid- to late August, usually on the Thursday before the August bank holiday. For example, for summer 2025 this is Thursday 21st August 2025.

When Will I Receive My GCSE Certificates?

On GCSE results day, you will receive your results slips. These are not the same as your exam certificates. GCSE certificates are sent directly to schools and exam centres from the different exam boards a few weeks after results days. Your school will either ask you to come in to collect your certificates after they have arrived, or they will arrange for them to be posted on to you. For more on GCSE certificates, see our article: GCSE Certificates: Everything You Need to Know.

Ace Your GCSEs with Save My Exams

Now that you know how you can receive your GCSE results, you can completely focus on getting ready for your exams if you haven’t taken them yet. We are here to support you.

We have everything you need, from detailed revision notes and concise flashcards to exam questions organised by topic and past papers.

Explore our exam-board specific GCSE Revision Resources to ace your exams.