A Level Results Day is one of the most important dates in the academic calendar for students across the UK. Whether you're hoping to get into university, considering Clearing, or exploring gap year options, it's essential to be prepared.
A Level Results Day falls on Thursday 14th August 2025. Students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will be able to access their grades from 8:00 am onwards. Universities will receive the results a day earlier, on August 13th, 2025.
| Event | Date | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Start of Autumn Term | 2024-09-02 | Most schools and colleges begin early September (varies by region) |
| UCAS Undergraduate Deadline | 2025-01-29 | Deadline for equal consideration for most undergraduate courses |
| A Level Exam Period Starts | 2025-05-12 | Provisional start date for A Level written exams |
| A Level Exam Period Ends | 2025-06-20 | Provisional end date for A Level written exams |
| UCAS Extra Opens | 2025-02-28 | For students who used all 5 choices but have no offers |
| A Level Results Day | 2025-08-14 | Official release of A Level results |
| Clearing Opens | 2025-07-05 | Clearing opens before results day; more places added after 14 August |
| University Term Start | 2025-09-22 | Most universities begin term around late September |
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📆 When Is A-Level Results Day?
📌A Level Results Day
August 1, 2025 11:26 am
UCAS usually updates shortly after 8 AM on A Level results day.
📕 What Happens On Results Day?
Results day can be a whirlwind, so here’s a simple guide to how the day usually plays out:
6-8 AM:
Schools and colleges begin releasing exam results to students.
You’ll either collect them in person or access them online, depending on your institution.
From 8 AM:
UCAS updates your application status.
If you haven’t met the requirements for your chosen courses and don’t have an offer secured, you’ll be placed into Clearing automatically.
After 8 AM
Clearing officially opens.
This is when students who don’t have a confirmed place start contacting universities to check for available spots on alternative courses.
Throughout the day
You’ll speak to admissions teams, explore your choices, and decide which course and university to go for.
The day can be fast-paced and emotionally intense, but if you stay calm and have a clear plan, you’ll be able to make confident choices.
Consider having someone with you—like a parent, sibling, or friend—who can provide support, help with phone calls, and talk through your options. Having another perspective can make a big difference when decisions feel overwhelming.
On results day you'll be able to:
🎓 What If You Met Your Offers?
If your grades meet or exceed your firm offer:
❗ Missed Your Grades? Here’s What to Do
If you don’t get the grades you need:
💻 When Does UCAS Update on Results Day?
On Results Day (14 August 2025), UCAS releases university decisions based on your exam results. You won’t be able to see your offers before the results are published, but as soon as your results are processed, UCAS updates your status—usually from around 8 AM onwards.
- UCAS can experience high traffic on Results Day, which may cause delays or website slowdowns. If the site freezes, try refreshing or logging back in after a short wait.
- Many schools and colleges offer the option to collect your results in person. Check your school’s arrangements and collection times beforehand.
- For most students, confirming they’ve met university offers is the priority, even before checking detailed grades. Being aware of key times helps you plan what to do next if your results don’t meet expectations or if you need to use Clearing.
As many students access the UCAS website to learn their results early, the system may become overwhelmed and lock up.
For most students, learning they've landed their preferred university program is more important than the scores they earned on exams. Still, detail-oriented learners want to know these key dates and happenings. That way, they have enough time to plan their actions in case they don't get their desired results.
⏲ What Time Does Clearing Open on Results Day?
Clearing opens well ahead of Results Day. This gives students a chance to plot a path forward, should they not qualify for a place in their university degree plan of choice. However, this time window is only for planning.
UCAS Clearing for 2025 opens on 5 July 2025 and runs until 20 October 2025.
📌Clearing Deadline 2025
October 20, 2025 12:25 pm
Clearing officially opens from July 5th to October 20th.
If you're applying through Clearing on results day, you can add a Clearing choice in your UCAS Hub from: 13:00 (UK time) on 14 August 2025 for A-Level results Day.
To use Clearing, you'll need to have:
Although Clearing officially opens on August 14th, 2025, you should be prepared before that.
Students wanting to keep their options open often leave their university selections blank when they register with UCAS. This might be a risky move, as it could leave you with unappealing selections once everyone has their course assignments.
On the other hand, you might not be sure which direction you want your uni studies to take. In that case, waiting for Clearing is a sound strategy.
Just remember that some schools don't list any courses in Clearing. Top-name universities like Cambridge and Oxford typically don't list any Clearing places. Furthermore, you might miss out on high-value degree programs like medicine, law, and engineering.
This guide to your A-Levels results doesn't mean to influence you in any way. After all, higher education is not for everyone. Indeed, many students report feeling pressured into moving in that direction.
If you've no firm learning goals set, you might decide to take a gap year. You may spend this time volunteering on a project you're passionate about, or trying out different jobs.
The months between the end of your college studies and your university start is the perfect time to learn more about yourself. You can build life experiences before settling back into your academic routine.
📝 How to prepare for A Level Results Day
Preparing ahead of A-Level Results Day can make a big difference. Start by researching your university options and understanding the Clearing process, which helps you find a course if your results are better, worse, or just different from what you expected.
Checking Clearing courses in advance means you’ll be ready to act quickly if you want to change your plans. Also, know when and how to access your results—whether online via UCAS or by collecting them in person—to avoid stress on the day. Being informed and prepared ensures you can confidently handle any outcome and make the best decisions for your future.
You might also want to consider another year at college and retaking your A-Levels. This strategy benefits many students, especially those who aren't sure which university degree course to pursue. These re-sits give you a chance to raise your grade while giving you time to explore your options.
🔍 Understanding Your Results: A-Level Grade Boundaries
When you get your A-Level results, two things matter:
- UCAS Grades: These are letter grades like AAB or BBB — the ones universities care about.
- Exam Scores: These are your actual marks (raw scores) from the exams.
To connect the two, exam boards use grade boundaries.
What Are Grade Boundaries for A Level?
Grade boundaries convert your raw score into a letter grade. For example:
Grade A
Score Range: 150-180 marks
Grade B
Score Range: 120-149 marks
Grade C
Score Range: 90-119 Marks
📌 Exact score ranges change each year and by subject.
Why Do Grade Boundaries Change?
They’re adjusted each year based on:
- Difficulty of the exam
- Student performance overall
- Subject differences (e.g. Maths vs English)
This keeps results fair across years and subjects.
Why This Matters For Your Results?
Grade boundaries affect:
- Whether you meet a university offer (e.g. did your B almost become an A?)
- Whether a resit is worth it
Example Situation:
| Situation | Resit Recommended? |
|---|---|
| Scored at top of B boundary (e.g. 147 points) | ✅ Might push into A |
| Scored at bottom of B boundary (e.g. 121) | ❌ Likely still a B even if improved |
📈 What Are The A Level Grade Boundaries 2025?
There are no official A-Level grade boundaries published yet for the 2025 exams. Exam boards across the UK—including AQA, Edexcel (Pearson), OCR, and Cambridge—release full grade boundaries on A-Level Results Day, which for 2025 is scheduled on Thursday 14 August 2025.
When and Where Grade Boundaries Will Be Released:
- Release Date: 14 August 2025
- Time: Typically published around 8:00 AM UK time
- Where: On official websites of AQA, Edexcel (Pearson), OCR, Cambridge International, etc.
Official tables will include:
- Raw‑mark thresholds for each grade (A*, A, B, C, D, E)
- Notional component‑level details (for linear subjects, these are illustrative only)
For context, here's a sample of notional grade boundaries from 2024:
📘 A Level Grade Boundaries 2024 Example
Edexcel publishes grade boundaries for modular AS and A-Level qualifications. For instance, in Economics A, the grade boundaries for Paper 1 were:
- A: 74 marks
- B: 66 marks
- C: 58 marks
- D: 50 marks
- E: 42 marks
These boundaries are based on raw marks and may vary by paper and subject.
Of course, you're close to a higher boundary, you might petition your teacher to revise your grade. You will have to give reasons why your marks deserve review, and you may have to pay a fee if the school doesn't cover it.
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