A-level Results Day 2025 Guide: Student Experiences and Next Steps
For aspiring university students, A-level results day 2025 is one of the most important dates in your calendar. This year, A-level results day is on Thursday, 14th August 2025. Results day can be an emotional experience, as some of your friends will be celebrating, while others will be disappointed. Many students will end up stressing about what to do next if they didn’t achieve the grades they were hoping for.
It’s important to understand the possible outcomes going into results day, and how to navigate the next steps calmly, whatever happens on the day. This comprehensive guide is here to walk you through what to do next once you’ve got your results, hopefully helping you to have a less stressful experience! We’ll cover what to do before the day, accessing UCAS on results day, the different possible UCAS offer scenarios, and what to do next in the UK university admissions process. When you’re informed and prepared, you’ll be less worried, less likely to make a panic-driven decision on the day, and more likely to make the right decision for you.
Before the day: Essential preparation and emotional well-being#
While you may have already thought about what to do on results day itself, you can also start preparing in advance. Make sure you’ve thought about your plan A, B and C, i.e. what you’ll do if you meet, exceed, or miss your expected grades.
Instead of scrambling on the day, check that you’ve got all of the following ready to go:
★ Your UCAS ID: You’ll need this to check your application status and Clearing eligibility
★ A copy of your personal statement: If you decide to apply to another university through Clearing, you may need a tailored personal statement
★ Your phone or laptop charger: The last thing you want is for your device to run out of battery while you’re trying to access UCAS or research alternative options
★ Pens and paper: You may need to take notes, such as when speaking with university admissions departments
★ University contact numbers: Having the relevant phone numbers to hand will allow you to be at the front of the queue should you need to make a call.
Emotional well-being on results day#
It’s natural to feel a bit nervous the night before, but that just means it’s even more important to focus on self-care. Here are some of the essential strategies for staying calm around results day:
★ Prioritise rest: Try to get a good night’s sleep, as this will help to manage anxiety levels.
★ Mindfulness: Breathing exercises, meditation, or walks in nature can help to keep you calm and clear mental fog.
★ Limit social media use: Stay off social media so you’re not tempted to compare yourself to others.
★ Seek support: Remember that your A-level results don’t define your worth. Your family, friends and teachers will be there if you need emotional support on results day. There are thousands of other students going through the same thing as you, and there’s plenty of advice out there.
Whatever happens, it’s not the end of the world!
How to get your A-level results#
On A-level results day 2025, students will typically get their results via their school or college, by email, or by post.
★ In person: Most schools and colleges open around 8am on results day to allow students to collect their results. This is a good option if you want moral support from friends, and staff will be available if you need to discuss your results for any reason.
★ By email: Some institutions will send your results to you by email, typically around 8am. If you prefer not to have your grades made public, this is a better option for you.
★ By post: You’ll also receive your grades by post, but bear in mind that this is dependent on the postal service in your area. You may wait longer compared to other methods.
Once you’ve got your grades, you’ll see a grade from A* to E for each of your A-levels. You should know what grades you need for your university offer, so now you can check whether you’ve met the requirements for your offer.
A-level grade boundaries explained#
A-level grade boundaries aren’t fixed – instead they’re flexible, with exam boards adjusting the boundaries based on student performance and exam difficulty. This means the boundaries are only established once an exam has been marked, so a given percentage won’t guarantee a specific grade. Exam boards do this to ensure consistency of standards.
What time does UCAS update on results day?#
UCAS Hub updates on A-level results day (14th August 2025), typically from around 8.15am, though high traffic may cause delays. After receiving your results, you can log in to UCAS Hub to check the status of your applications. Note that unis will actually be able to see your results the day before results day, allowing them to prepare. However, they aren’t able to act on them until A-level results day.
Checking your application status on results day#
Once you’ve logged in to UCAS Hub, you’ll see your updated status:
★ Congratulations - you've been placed: This status signifies that your place is secured either at your firm or insurance choice of university, based on meeting their offer conditions.
★ Waiting for confirmation: This status means your chosen university hasn’t yet updated UCAS with their decision. Don’t panic – some unis take a bit longer to process results and update UCAS.
★ You've not been placed: You are now in Clearing: This status indicates that you didn’t meet the offer conditions for your firm or insurance choices, but you’ll now be able to find an alternative university place through the Clearing process.
★ You've been offered a place for a different course: This occurs when a university offers an alternative course at the same institution if you didn’t meet your original offer, providing a direct, revised pathway. This is also called ‘Unconditional Change at Confirmation’.
Let’s explore what each scenario means for your next steps.
Scenario 1: You met your firm offer (congratulations!)#
This one is nice and straightforward: if you meet your firm offer (i.e. you achieve the results required for the offer), then your place at university is confirmed – great job! Take a moment to appreciate your achievement and celebrate this important milestone.
While you can relax a bit now, you’ve still got things to sort out before your course starts. Over the rest of the summer, you’ll need to:
★ Find student accommodation at your uni and reserve a room
★ Prepare for moving in and Freshers’ week
Don’t get your foot off the pedal just yet! Be proactive and organised to get these things sorted to make sure your start to university life is stress-free.
Scenario 2: You just missed your firm offer (the 'near miss')#
If you just barely miss your firm offer, don’t panic! Your firm choice of university may still have accepted you, so your first step should be to check on the UCAS Hub. If your firm choice is confirmed, great news – see scenario 1!
When students miss their offer by a grade or two, the university may still accept your offer. If they think you’re a strong candidate because of your potential, your commitment, or your passion, university admissions departments can show flexibility for ‘near-miss’ applicants. In this case, follow these steps to see if they’ll accept you:
1. Verify your UCAS status to check that they haven’t accepted you with your current grades.
2. Make sure you’ve got your UCAS ID and A-level grades to hand,
3. Call the university’s admissions hotline.
Explain that you narrowly missed the required grades, and reiterate your strong interest in the course, explaining why you still want to take the course.
There’s a chance the university will confirm your place, so it’s worth trying!
Here’s what one of our members had to say about their experience:
I missed out by two grades but the University of Chester still accepted me as I contacted them in the weeks leading up to results day explaining I was worried about my results. They replied saying they put a plan in place for me. Results day arrived and before opening my results I knew I had got into Chester with a foundation year. It has been the best experience and I knew it was the place for me! - Eloise Weatherby, University Of Chester
If your firm choice doesn’t accept you, consider your insurance choice. While it’s natural to be disappointed, your insurance choice will enable you to start university in 2025 without needing to go through Clearing.
Scenario 3: You didn't meet any offers (entering Clearing)#
If you didn’t get the grades you required, you will be entered into Clearing automatically. Clearing is the process universities use to fill open places on their courses, while students can find an alternative course when they don’t have a confirmed offer.
Your unique Clearing number will become visible on UCAS Hub if you’re eligible – this is essential for contacting universities about available courses through the Clearing process. You’ll also need your UCAS ID, so make sure you’ve noted both of these numbers down.
It’s understandable to be disappointed, but Clearing actually offers a great opportunity to find course places at universities you may not have considered previously. Thousands of students find places through Clearing every year, so be open-minded and positive when looking at your options. You can use the UCAS Clearing search tool to find courses with open places that might be right for you.
Check out our ultimate guide to Clearing 2025 for a full walkthrough of how to find an alternative university place through the Clearing process.
Here's what one of our members had to say about their Clearing experience:
I had my sights set on the University of Greenwich, but due to a mix-up with my educational consultancy, I ended up needing to go through clearing. I landed at Ulster University, which wasn't on my radar at all. At first, I was a bit bummed because the campus in London is just one building, not the traditional campus vibe I was expecting. But honestly, it's been a positive experience. The environment is so friendly, and the staff are really supportive. Plus,the area around the university is great, with lots of nice restaurants and cafes. So, yeah, it led me to a place I hadn't considered, and it's been a really good fit for me! - Nafisa Chowdhury Promy, Ulster University
Scenario 4: You exceeded your expectations (adjustment and re-evaluation)#
One possibility is that you achieve higher results than you expected, and want to re-examine your options. UCAS used to offer a service called UCAS Adjustment, which allowed students to explore alternative options without forfeiting their original place, but unfortunately, this service was discontinued in 2021.
In 2025, the only way to apply for courses with higher requirements after receiving a confirmed university place is to ‘self-release’ into Clearing. This means withdrawing from your confirmed university to explore other courses with available places. If you want to look at other options that align with your improved grades, you can do so by following these steps:
1. Research higher Tariff courses: As a first step, take a look at courses with higher UCAS Tariff requirements that you didn’t consider previously. Even if you’re not sure, there’s no reason not to take a quick look at the new options available to you.
2. Contact universities: Speak with the admissions teams at the universities you’re interested in to find out more about available places.
3. Secure a verbal offer: Get a provisional, verbal offer from a university for a place on a course.
4. Initiate self-release: Once you have a verbal offer, log in to UCAS Hub and decline your current offer to self-release and enter Clearing.
It’s incredibly important to understand that as soon as you self-release into Clearing, your firm and insurance offers are officially cancelled. Do not self-release unless you’ve spoken to another university and confirmed your place, as otherwise you may be left without a place on a course for 2025. If you decide to self-release, our university Clearing 2025 guide can help you find alternative courses and universities.
Can I appeal my A-level results?#
Yes, there are processes in place to enquire about results (EAR) and even appeal your results if you think there’s something wrong with your grades.
Enquiring about your results
The first step is to make an enquiry if you think something has gone wrong. You may want to enquire about your results if:
★ There's a significant discrepancy between expected and actual grades (e.g. you were predicted AAA but got AAU in your results)
★ A grade is missing from your results
★ You suspect a procedural error, such as incorrect marking or admin mistakes
You can’t submit a request for review by yourself – your school or college will need to do it on your behalf. The exam board will review your result, and if they agree that there was an error or mistake, they will update your grade (note that grades can go down as well as up!).
Appeal your results
If you’re not happy with the outcome of the review, you typically have 15 days to submit an appeal. Again, your school or college will need to submit the appeal to the exam board on your behalf.
Exam boards do try to process appeals quickly, but the A-level appeals process can take up to four weeks (or longer in rare circumstances). This means that even if you do get results overturned, it may not happen in time to start university at the start of the 2025 academic year. Make sure you let the university know that you’re in the process of appealing a result, and notify them about any updates, as they may agree to hold your place until the review and appeal are complete.
What should I do after securing my university place?#
Once you’ve secured a place at university, whether that’s your firm or insurance choice, or through Clearing, there’s still a lot to do. Here are the main steps to think about now that you know you’re definitely heading to uni:
★ Update your student finance account: Log in to your student finance account to update your details, including your university, course, and bank details. This is essential for ensuring you receive the correct payments, as your tuition loan and maintenance loan will need to be adjusted accordingly. Check the guidance for your country:
★ Student Finance Northern Ireland
★ Secure your accommodation: Popular choices for student accommodation fill up fast, so you must act quickly (especially if you’re applying through Clearing). Make sure you know what type of accommodation you’re looking for in advance, then research the options available in your university city on StudentCrowd. If you are applying through Clearing, private halls may be a good option for you, as they often have more availability than university-managed halls. Once you know where you want to live, you can easily reserve your place for free through StudentCrowd’s Reserve Your Room feature.
★ Prepare for move-in day: For a stress-free start to university, there are a few things to do in advance:
1. Travel plans: Make sure you sort out your travel arrangements in advance (bearing in mind you’ll have a lot of luggage).
2. Work out your budget: It’s important to set (and stick to) a budget, otherwise you might run out of money mid-term.
3. Packing for uni: You need to pack your bags so you’re ready to make your student accommodation home for the next year – check our university packing guide for items you may not have thought about.
4. Make connections: Join your university’s official social media groups, as well as any community-run groups, such as those for your course, your accommodation, or clubs and societies. Making connections with coursemates and flatmates in advance will mean you’ll recognise a few friendly faces during Freshers’ Week.
Alternative pathways if university isn’t right (yet)#
Depending on what happens on A-level results day, you may decide that university isn’t the right choice for you at this moment in time. For example, if you’re not happy with your insurance choice or the options available via Clearing, it may be better to postpone university until a later academic year.
If you decide not to go to university in 2025, here are a few of your main options (but this list isn’t exhaustive!):
★ Resitting A-levels: If you were close to your desired grades but weren’t accepted by your first choice of university, it may be worth retaking some of your A-level exams. This allows you to focus your efforts on the grades you need to improve rather than spreading your effort across all of your subjects. Deciding to resit exams requires a high level of motivation and diligence – you’ll need to study hard to ensure that it’s worthwhile.
★ Taking a gap year: If you don’t want to resit any exams, you can instead take a year out to decide what you want to do. Applying to university the following year, once you have your results, can help you find suitable options without the guesswork. You can spend a gap year gaining relevant work experience, travelling the world, and exploring which academic path is right for you.
★ Foundation years: Foundation years are courses that offer an alternative path into university, as these normally have lower entry requirements. These serve to prepare you for university and show universities that you’re ready for your chosen course.
★ Apprenticeships: Apprenticeships can also provide a vocational path to earning a degree. In an apprenticeship degree, you’ll spend around 20% of your time at university, and the other 80% working to gain practical skills and experience. These courses typically take a little longer, but you’ll still attain a full undergraduate or master’s degree by the end of the course.
★ Employment: Many people have successful careers without attending university, so consider whether you want to start looking for work immediately. This option also has its advantages, as you can start earning money and gaining experience without taking on student loans.
Your future is still bright#
The important takeaway from this article is that your A-level results day doesn’t cement your destiny. Getting your A-level results feels like a big deal, and it’s understandable to feel a range of emotions in the run-up to results day and immediately after. Regardless of your results, you’ve got so many options open to you. Be flexible, open-minded and proactive, and you’ll be able to find a great option for you, whether that’s at another university or one of the alternative paths we discussed.
Make sure you think carefully about the different options before results day, so that you’re prepared to take action once you know your A-level results. If you’re prepared and organised, you’ll be able to find a good outcome without too much stress.
Whatever path lies ahead for you, the next chapter is bound to be an exciting one. For everyone getting your results on A-level results day 2025, we wish you the best of luck!
Real student experiences of A-level results:#
After results day, I took a gap year to work and volunteer. That year changed everything for me. I gained life experience, saved money, and realised what I truly wanted to study. When I finally started uni, I felt way more prepared and excited. Don’t be scared to take time out to figure things out!”
Jannah Begum Chowdhury, University for the Creative Arts
I got my offer but on results day I changed my course as I no longer wanted to do medicine. I called the Kent uni admissions team straight away, explained my situation, and highlighted some strong coursework grades and relevant experience. They confirmed my place. My advice: don’t panic, just go and call them, be polite, and be ready to explain why you're still a good fit. At first I was worried, but honestly it was the best decision I didn’t plan. I gained confidence, had time to adjust to uni life, and ended up switching to a course that suited me better in the long run.
Results Day was tense but yeah my advice is: no matter what happens, there’s a path forward. Whether it’s your firm, insurance, clearing, or something else you will find your footing.
Brian Njoku, University of Kent
My university journey started with a major disappointment. I had my sights set on Greenwich University and was really bummed when I didn't get in. It felt like all my plans had just fallen apart, and I was pretty upset about it. I explored my options through clearing, and while I got offers from other universities like Goldsmiths, none of them felt quite right. Eventually, I decided to go with my second choice, London South Bank University. It wasn't what I had initially envisioned, but now that I'm here, I'm genuinely happy with my decision. It's funny how things can work out in unexpected ways, and sometimes the path you end up on is even better than the one you originally wanted
Suha Ferdous, London Southbank University
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