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On results day, schools and colleges will support their students as they collect their A-level grades and prepare to transition into further study or employment.

Below is everything schools need to know to help their young people as they take their next steps:

When is A-level results day this year?

A-level results day 2026 is on Thursday 13 August. Both A-level and T-level results will be released to schools on Wednesday 12 August and will be made available to students the following day.

What time are A-level results released?

Students should be able to collect their results online or in person from their school or college from 8am. However, it is best to check the exact times and procedures in advance.

What should students do if they don’t get the A-level grades they need for university?

On A-level results day, many students will discover they have not obtained the grades they need to go on to study at their planned institution.

Schools may assist these students by advising them to contact the university from which they had accepted a firm offer and/or an insurance offer.

Read more about how to support students who have missed their grades.

When will A-level grade boundaries be revealed?

Every year, grade boundaries are set by individual exam boards in a process called “awarding”. The placing of the grade boundaries cannot be done until exams have been marked.

For more information on how grade boundaries are set, you can read our article on the process behind setting grade boundaries.

Exam boards will share grade boundaries on results day - follow the links below for more information:

What should students do if they want to appeal a grade?

If students believe there has been a mistake in the marking or administration process, they have the right to appeal against the grade they’ve received.

The first step in this process is to request to see the marked paper, then they can request the marking to be reviewed. A review of marking will involve the paper being re-marked by a second examiner.

There are three key dates for A-level grade appeals: the deadline to request a priority copy of the marked paper - one date for those with a university place pending (20 August) and the second for those who are deciding on next steps (27 August) - and then the deadline to request a review of marking (24 September).

Find out more about the appeals process here.

What if a student needs to resit an exam?

Students who are unhappy with their grades and either have been unsuccessful in their appeal or have chosen not to appeal will have the opportunity to sit an examination in the summer series 2027.

How do missed grades affect university offers?

Students who have applied to university courses through the will have usually already accepted one firm and one insurance offer.

Students who have failed to secure the grades they hoped for will need to first establish whether they will still be accepted on to their chosen course with their current grades or if moving to an alternative course at the same institution would be possible.

Sometimes the university may still be able to offer the student a place on the course. In some cases, it may be appropriate for the school to update the university with extenuating circumstances to explain the lower grade. It is also possible that they may require the student to appeal an A-level grade.

How does the university clearing process work?

In a situation where a student has their firm and insurance offers withdrawn owing to failure to secure the entry grades required, the school may assist the student in going through the .

This year, clearing opens on 2 July and closes on 19 October.

For questions on how clearing works, see our guide to clearing, which explains what students need to do in order to secure a place using the service.

Students who need help or advice about their exam results or next steps can call the helpline to chat with a careers adviser on 0800 100 900.

Will students receive their A-level certificates on results day?

Students won’t receive their A-level certificates on results day. Instead, they receive a Candidate Statement of Provisional Results.

It is only once re-marks and appeals have been processed that certificates are awarded. This will happen in the autumn, often once students have already taken up their university or further education course or employment.

The certificates will then either be sent out to students or the school or college may hold a presentation evening where A-level certificates and other awards are given to students.

Candidate Statements of Provisional Results are slips of paper that contain the A-level grades that have been awarded, and the individual mark per paper. Each exam board that a student has taken an exam with will provide one.

Students can use these statements as proof of qualifications in the interim period between results day and their certificates being awarded.

When are exam results released in Scotland?

Exam results day in Scotland for National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher qualifications is Tuesday 4 August 2026. Students finishing college in Scotland sit Highers, which are broadly considered to be equivalent to A levels.

In 2025 the A to C pass rate for Highers was 75.9 per cent, compared with 74.9 per cent the previous summer. Out of all the Higher entries across all subjects last year, 30.8 per cent achieved an A grade.

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