A Level Results Are In: What's Next?

This year marks the first year, post Covid-19, that full A Level exams have taken place. Our guide explains the process to you if you receive the grades you need, your options if you do not get the grades you are hoping for - or indeed if you do better than you expected. 

For most students, a university offer is conditional upon their A Level results. If you are currently planning to go to university in the UK this September, exam results day carries significantly more meaning than if you plan, for example, to go to the US (where students will have already been accepted irrespective of results, or India, where it is the university entry exams that matter).

And what happens if you don’t get grades required? Whatever the outcome on Results Day, there are always options – so don't panic. You can request a remark, apply to retake any subject, or find a UK university place through the Clearing system.

In this guide we look what all A Level students and UK university hopefuls need to know, and what you can do if things do not go exactly to plan...

Results

Most A Level results will be published on Thursday, August 18. Teachers are not allowed to tell students’ their final grade before results day.

Whilst August 18th is the date on which most students will receive their results, results for students who took Cambridge International Exam Board International A Levels are officially available today.  It is up to schools in the UAE to decide whether they release the CIE IA Level results today, ahead of the other exam boards, or whether they wait to issue them on August 18th.  If you took CIE IA's and have applied to university through UCAS, keep any eye on Track - some students will see that their university offers have been updated, even without the results being issued to them.

In Scotland, the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) published its results online on Tuesday August 9, the same day students received their Scottish Qualifications Certificate by post.

What do I need on A Level Results Day?

Be organised, and make sure you have the following close at hand:

• your UCAS Track number, details of conditional offers, university contact numbers, and universities' UCAS and Clearing numbers
• notes from your researched universities and courses, with a list of questions to ask course tutors if needed
• your personal statement and GCSE results

What happens if my results meet the requirements for my university offer?

In most countries, your chosen university will be notified of your results automatically. In this case you don’t need to do anything. If you have at least one conditional place and you've met the requirements, then the offer will change to 'unconditional'.

Some universities will require further action on your part. The letter will explain any further instructions, such as providing evidence of your qualifications. 

What happens if I have applied to a UK university?

If you're going to university in the UK, UCAS receives your results directly and will update 'Track' – this is normally about 8am GMT.

If applying to a UK university, this firm acceptance will be confirmed in Track and by a confirmation letter from UCAS.

If you've used UCAS Extra to add another choice - and have been offered a place - you'll just need to accept it by the date displayed in Track. There's also the option of adding another choice, should you wish to decline the offer.

While Track will tell you whether your chosen university has accepted you, it won't detail your grades. You may well be accepted for your firm choice even if you haven't achieved the exact requirements of your offer.

The Track system will be very busy, so you will need to be patient to find out whether you’ve been successful. Try not to stress too much – although doing so is of course totally understandable. Universities may also take a while to make their decision and for this to show on Track. If Track is not updating, you can always contact them directly over the phone.

When Track updates to show your place is confirmed, UCAS will email an AS12 letter. Follow the instructions as to what your university requires you to do. Some don't need you to do anything else to confirm your place, but others do. Store the email. You'll need it as proof to open a student bank account and other official requirements.

What happens if I do not get the results I want?

University offers are often dependent different factors, so, it’s important to read your original offer requirements carefully so you know where you stand. Seek advice from your chosen university, and in many cases, they can decide to accept you anyway. Alternatively, the university may let you know that they will not be holding your place. If so, you need to speak to your second-choice university if you have met their requirements.

If you are not offered the university place you want, you can consider getting your exams remarked. However, remember that your results can go down as well as up. You may prefer to retake some of your exams or, if applying to a UK university, you can enter the Clearing process.

How do I request a remark?

Speak to your school or college first. They can appeal to an exam board on your behalf if they believe the exam board used the wrong data when calculating grades or incorrectly communicated the grades calculated. 

The deadline for any appeal is September 17, 2022.

You can also contact QFQUAL’s Exam Results Helpline at nationalcareers.service.gov.uk.

Can I retake A Levels?

You can’t appeal your grade because you thought you would have done better in your exams. But, if you feel that your grades don't accurately reflect your performance, you can choose to sit exams in the autumn series 2022 or in 2023.

You can choose to take as many subjects in the autumn as you want to. But if you want to take a particular subject, you will need to take all the exam papers in that subject.

OFQUAL says: “If you choose to take exams in the autumn or next summer and achieve a different grade from the grade you received this summer, you will be able to use the higher of the two grades to show to universities, colleges and employers in future.”

Exam dates for AS and A Levels are October 5th to 23rd.

How do I get a UK University place through Clearing?

If you do not get the grades you need for your original university course, and you still want to go to university in the UK, then you need to go through Clearing. UCAS Clearing is available to address a number of different scenarios:

• for anyone who didn't meet the conditions of their university offer,
• for anyone who did better than they expected and wants to see if they can find a 'better' course,
• for anyone who didn't receive any offers
• for anyone that accepted no offers.

You can apply for a place through Clearing until the end of October, providing you are not already holding an offer from a university or college, and the course you're applying to still has space. If you decide that the firm offer choice is perhaps not the right one after all, you will need to ask the university to withdraw the offer in order to enable you to go through Clearing.

Finally, please remember that your examination results do not define you or your future. Many people set off from their school years with plans and expectations that take turns in different directions, irrespective of how well they did academically. Examination results do not define the person you are; it is your personality and the way that you deal with results and other challenges - great, good, or not so good - that determines your future.