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

Wondering how to navigate O Level results day and what comes next?

This article will guide you through everything you need to know, including key dates, what to do before getting your O Level results, and next steps.

When is O Level results day 2025?

Your O Level results day depends on when you sit your exams. 

For the summer Cambridge International (CIE) exam series (April to June 2025), your results day will fall on Tuesday 19th August 2025. 

What time do O Level results come out? 

Results are typically released at 6.00am BST on results day through the CIE website or your school’s online portal.

How to get O Level results 

Getting your O Levels is a super straightforward process. Usually, you’ll either collect your results from your school or access them online. 

If you’re a private candidate, you’ll receive login details to get your results through the CIE Candidate Results website. 

Make sure to check with your school or exam centre in advance to confirm how you’ll receive your results.

Do you have to open O Level results at school?

If your school prefers for you to collect your results in person, this doesn’t mean you have to open them there. It’s entirely up to you when and where you want to open your results. 

Some students prefer to open them privately, while others feel more comfortable doing it surrounded by friends or teachers who can offer advice and support. If you think you may need help understanding your results or deciding what to do next, having a teacher or advisor nearby might be useful.

How to prepare for O Level results day

Reducing anxiety about results day 

It’s natural to feel anxious as O Level results day approaches. You might feel like your future depends on these grades — whether it’s moving on to A Levels, the IB Diploma, a foundation course or another pathway.

But it’s important to remember that no matter what your results are, you still have options.

It’s easy to get caught up in ‘what if’ thoughts — What if I don’t get the grades I need? What if my plans change? 

These worries are normal, but rather than letting them take over, try shifting your mindset. Think about a solid Plan B that makes you feel confident and in control. That way, if things don’t go quite as planned, you’ll already know your next steps.

This could mean resitting your O Levels, exploring a different qualification route, or looking into vocational programmes. 

We’ll explore these options in more detail later in this guide.

In the meantime, here are a few tips to help reduce anxiety in the lead up to results day:

• Take a look at our exam anxiety relief kit – the techniques inside can help with general stress and nerves, not just during exams

• Plan something enjoyable with friends or family to help take your mind off the wait

• The night before results day, aim to get an early night so you feel rested and ready to face the day ahead

What do I need on O Level results day

Here’s a quick checklist of everything you’ll need:

• Photo ID – Some schools/centres require this to verify your identity if you’re collecting your results in person

• Login details – For your school’s online portal or the CIE Candidate Results website

• Reliable WiFi connection – To access your results and find contact details if necessary

• Fully charged phone – For checking results, contacting schools/colleges or sharing updates

• Pen and notebook – Useful if you need to make a note of advice or phone numbers

• List of course/college requirements – So you can act quickly if you need to check eligibility

What grades do I need to pass O Levels?

To pass your O Level subjects, you’ll need to achieve a grade C or above. 

Here’s an easy guide to show what each grade is worth: 

Many colleges and sixth forms require at least five O Level passes at grade C or above for entry into A Levels or other further study. 

For competitive courses (like Medicine or Engineering), higher grades (A/A*) in key subjects like Maths and Sciences may be expected.

How to read O Level results

Now for the moment you’ve been waiting for – reading your results! Once you log in to the results portal or receive your statement of results, you’ll see your personal details followed by a list of your subjects. Alongside the subject name, you’ll see the overall grade you achieved in each one.

O Level grades range from A* (the highest) to G, with A* to C considered passing grades. If you receive a U (Ungraded), it means you didn’t meet the minimum standard required for a grade.

Unlike some qualifications, O Level results don’t show the exact marks you got on individual papers or coursework components. However, you may be able to request a detailed breakdown or remark through your school or exam centre, depending on your exam board’s policy.

Whether you’ve smashed your goals or things didn’t go quite as planned, take a moment to be proud of yourself. This is a big milestone!

O Level results trends

Interested in how previous students have performed in their O Levels? 

In 2024, a record number of students sat both the CIE O Level and IGCSE exams, with a total of 956,100 exam entries, marking a 7% increase from the previous year.

There was a significant increase in entries for subjects addressing contemporary global issues. Environmental Management experienced a 36% rise in entries at CIE O Level and IGCSE, while Global Perspectives saw an increase of 15%. 

Comparing last year with CIE’s O Level results data from 2023, the subjects with the biggest increases in A* grades were: 

1. Tamil: Increased from 37.9% A* (2023) to 48.2% A* (2024)

2. Arabic: Increased from 46.8% A* (2023) to 52.7% A* (2024)

3. Art and Design: Increased from 3.4% A* (2023) to 8.7% A* (2024)

4. English Language: Increased from 12.6% A* (2023) to 17.3% A* (2024)

5. Literature in English: Increased from 19.8% A* (2023) to 24.1% A* (2024)

Caption: Bar chart showing the O Level subjects with the highest percentage increases in A* grades from 2023 to 2024
Alt-text: O Level results trends

“Bad” O Level grades: What should I do if I’m disappointed with my results?

If your O Level results aren’t what you hoped for, don’t worry—there are still lots of options available to you. 

What if I didn’t get the grades I need for sixth form or college?

We know it can be incredibly stressful and disappointing if you didn’t get the grades you were expecting. If you needed specific grades for your chosen A Level or IB courses and have fallen short, here’s what you can do next: 

1. Talk to a teacher, advisor or the admissions team at your chosen college – Your teachers are there to support you, no matter what results you get. Sometimes, you’ll find that your school or college may still accept you onto your chosen courses if you were close to the required grades

2. Switch to a different course or consider other colleges – If your first choice school or college won’t accept you, another college may be more flexible

3. Resit specific O Level subjects – You always have the option to resit your exams if you’d like to improve your grades 

4. Explore alternative qualifications – A Levels and the IB diploma aren’t your only options. You could consider vocational alternatives, such as an apprenticeship or a BTEC

5. Take a foundation year or bridging course – Some universities offer pre-university foundation programmes that help students bridge the gap if they don’t meet A Level/IB entry requirements

Can I resit O Levels?

Yes! If you’re hoping to improve your grades, retaking your O Level exams is always an option. You’ll typically resit the exams in the November or following June exam session. 

Talk to your school or exam centre about resit options, entry deadlines and fees. Coursework and practical marks may be carried forward in some cases.

If you haven’t managed to achieve a pass (grade C or above) in core subjects like English and Maths, it’s highly advisable to resit these O Levels.

Check out Save My Exams’ O Level revision resources to boost your chances of improving your grades. We also offer our top tips and advice on resitting your GCSEs here, which can also be applied to O Levels.

How to appeal O Level results 

In some rare cases, administrative mistakes or errors in marking may mean that your results are incorrect. If you’ve taken some time to reflect on your results and feel that they could be wrong, you can request:

• A review of marking

• Access to your marked script

Here’s what you should do next: 

1. Contact Your School or Exam Centre
   Begin by speaking with your teachers/advisors at school or the exam centre where you sat your O Levels. They can review your results, compare them to your predicted grades and guide you on the appeal process. They’ll also help submit a request on your behalf.

2. Choose the Type of Appeal
   Depending on your concerns, you can request either a clerical check (to verify marks were added correctly) or a review of marking (where an examiner re-checks the paper).

3. Submit the Appeal Form
   Complete the relevant appeal form provided by your school or exam board. Again, you can get help with this from teachers and advisors at your school or exam centre. Usually, your school will submit this on your behalf. 

4. Pay the Fee
   There is typically a fee per subject reviewed. This may be refunded if the appeal leads to a grade change.

It's important to act quickly, as appeals must be submitted within a set timeframe after results day.

What support is available?

We know appealing your O Level results can be a stressful and overwhelming process. Thankfully, there’s plenty of support available to help you through it. The key thing to remember is that you’re not alone – many past and present students have had to submit appeals. Your teachers, advisors, friends and family are there to help you throughout. 

Staff at your school or exam centre can: 

• Help you understand your results

• Advise whether an appeal is worth pursuing

• Assist with filling out forms and meeting deadlines

Exam boards including CIE provide detailed information on their websites, including:

• Their appeal procedures and timelines

• Fees and refund policies

• FAQs and contact details for further help

Many schools offer counselling to help manage stress or disappointment, as well as academic advice for next steps, such as resits or alternative qualifications. Take advantage of the support on offer to you. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Are O Level results important for university?

Many students and parents wonder how much impact O Level results have on university admissions. While O Levels are not the final qualification used for entry, they do play an important role.

Top universities, particularly in the UK and US, consider your A Level or IB results alongside your O Level grades. Strong O Level performance can give you a competitive advantage, especially when applying to prestigious or competitive unis.

Most universities expect at least a grade C (or equivalent) in core subjects such as English and Maths. For certain courses like Medicine, Engineering or Computer Science, higher grades in Science and Maths at O Level may also be required.

If you already have a course or university in mind, it’s a good idea to check their specific O Level requirements directly on the university’s website.

What if I’m on holiday on results day?

With O Levels, most schools and exam centres allow students to access their results online, so being away on results day usually isn’t too much of a problem. 

That said, it’s a good idea to let your school or centre know in advance if you’ll be away. Some schools may still require students to collect their results in person.

If that’s the case, you might be able to nominate someone you trust – like a friend, family member or guardian – to collect your results for you. This usually involves writing and signing a letter in advance to give your permission, and the person collecting will need to bring photo ID.

You may also be able to arrange to have your results emailed or posted to you, so there are plenty of flexible options available.

If a last-minute issue comes up, and you can’t collect your results, get in touch with your school – they’ll usually be able to send your results by post or email.

Keep in mind that if you’ve applied for sixth form or college, they may hold an enrolment day on O Level results day. If you’ll be away, contact them ahead of time to see if an alternative arrangement can be made.

What happens if I do worse in an O Level resit?

If you take an O Level resit and end up with a lower grade than your original result, don't worry — your higher grade will usually stand.

Most exam boards will use the highest grade you've achieved when issuing your final certificate. So even if your resit result is lower, your original (higher) grade won’t be replaced unless you specifically ask for it to be.

If you’re applying for further study, colleges and universities usually consider your best grade in each subject, regardless of how many times you’ve taken the exam.

Improve Your Grades with Save My Exams

Save My Exams helps over 1.5 million students each month to prepare for their exams. Get instant access to past papers, exam-style questions, concise revision notes and more to boost both your confidence and grades. 

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

Explore our O Level Revision Resources. 

References

Record number of students receives June 2024 exam results 

Cambridge O Level candidate grades June 2024

Cambridge O Level candidate grades June 2023