A Level Results Day – Thursday 13 August – can feel like the most important day of your life. Whether you’re hoping for a university place, exploring alternative pathways, or uncertain about next steps, it’s a huge moment for both students and parents.
To help you feel prepared, we’ve broken the process down into manageable steps: what to do before the day, how to handle the results when they arrive, and the wide range of options available if things don’t go quite to plan. From Clearing to retakes, foundation years to apprenticeships, this guide is here to support you through every outcome.
Make sure you are free on the day and you have your university application log in details to hand. Check all your details are correct. If you are going to be away without internet access, it is possible to nominate a family member or guardian to represent you but this needs to be done in advance.
Also check that you have made your student finance application to ensure that your funding will be in place before the start of the academic year – even if you are not sure if you are going as your application will be cancelled if you do not go to university.
Clearing opened on 2 July so it is worth searching through courses if you haven’t yet applied, have not received any offers or have since changed your mind about what to study. It is worth having the phone numbers of the universities you have offers from and your personal statement handy.
Exam boards release the results from 8 a.m. on Thursday 13 August. Your school or college should send them directly to the universities you have applied to or if you are a private student, you can send the results yourself.
If your grades match your offer, check your UCAS Hub to see whether you have been accepted onto your chosen course. Your offer should change to unconditional and you should receive a confirmation. You can then begin planning ahead for university, securing accommodation, setting up a student account (ideally with a 0% overdraft facility) and confirming the term dates as Freshers’ Weeks generally start a week ahead of the term. If you are having doubts, you also have the option to defer.
You may also have exceeded your predicted grades and you may like to explore courses at higher ranked universities. If you find a course through Clearing, you will need to decline your existing offer. If you cannot find a suitable course, you may consider reapplying with your actual grades and receiving a conditional offer for 2027.
However, if your Hub hasn’t updated because the university is still considering your offer (if you have only just missed your grades), you should contact the university in question, particularly if you plan to appeal your grades. The university may also offer you a place on a different course which you can choose whether to accept or decline.
Don’t panic if you have not got a degree offer from your first or insurance university as you can use Clearing to find alternative courses or universities. You will need your UCAS ID number. You could start with universities you have already visited and for those you haven’t considered, you could watch virtual tours.
You can get as many verbal offers as you like but do not rush your decision as you can only add one Clearing choice at a time. To find out more about a specific course, you can request to speak to an admissions tutor before accepting an offer.
If you do not secure any offers, you could consider other courses such as integrated foundation years. Foundation years, once completed, can be a stepping stone to help you progress on to a related undergraduate degree.
If you think your results have been graded unfairly, you can appeal. Your college can put in a request to the exam board on your behalf. If you are a private candidate, you can contact the exam board directly yourself. Each exam board’s website should outline their appeals process. Please note that appealing does not guarantee higher marks and may incur costs. You may also miss out on a university place for 2026.
If your grades are much lower than you expected and you cannot find a suitable course through Clearing, you could retake your A Levels next summer. Your coursework might be able to be carried forward. Your school or college will be available to offer support.
You can attend college or some schools full time with other students sitting resits. This should be free for students up to 19 years old but you may incur admin and exam fees (prices vary per exam board but up to £400 per subject). Specialist independent colleges are also an option, offering smaller classes and intensive academic support but these incur fees.
You can also study remotely with an online distance learning provider, working at your own pace, although your exams would have to be booked in advance at a local centre or school that accepts private candidates.
You can also study with a private tutor, whether for the full academic year, or whether just for part of it – depending on how much ground you need to cover before your resits and whether you wish to weave in travel or work into your year. As well as matching you with the right tutor, we can help with exam registration and finding a centre to sit your resits.
There are other options including exploring apprenticeships, getting a job or taking a gap year.
Results Day may feel daunting, but it’s just one part of your journey – not the whole story. Whether your get the grades you hoped for or need to consider alternatives, there are many routes to success. University, retakes, gap years, apprenticeships – there is no single ‘right’ path.
At OC Tuition, we’ve helped hundreds of students navigate results season and find the right support for their next step. Whether it’s academic tuition, retake advice, or simply someone to talk to about your options, we’re here to help.
Wishing you every success on Results Day and in the future. Please call us if we can help in any way.
For more information or advice about A Level results, contact us at lucy@octuition.co.uk
