When is A-level results day 2024, and how does it work?

Exam season may be over but for some the summer is something of a waiting game as they countdown to the next big date on the academic calendar – results day.

A-level students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have just over a month to go to find out their grades and what the future holds for them.

While some will be busy trying to forget about them altogether, others may be anxiously awaiting the printed sheet of results which are the gateway to university, college or apprenticeship places.

Here’s everything you need to know about A-level results day 2024.

When is A-level results day 2024?

AS and A-level results day this year is Thursday 15 August, 2024.

Grades have previously been released by exam boards under embargo at 6am UK time, with results normally available for collection from schools and colleges from around 8am.

Times can vary from place to place, so it is important to check in advance.

Students who took GCSE exams this summer will have to wait a little longer, with GCSE results day 2024 falling on Thursday 22 August.

In Scotland, students take Highers which are similar to A-levels and results day for them is Tuesday 6 August.

These will be posted to students or they can sign up to receive them by text or email.

A young black woman sitting on some stairs. She has a phone in her hand which she???s looking at and reading intensely, she???s very happy and surprised with what she sees. — Students can collect their A-level results in person or have them sent via email (Photo: Laurence Dutton/Getty)

How can students receive their A-level results?

Students can usually collect their A-level exam results from their school in-person anytime from 8am onwards.

Each school and college will have its own system, so it is important to check in advance as release arrangements can vary.

Students can also organise with their school or college to have their results sent to them by email, if they are likely to be away for results day.

Results for the Scottish Highers are normally sent to students by post.

But it is possible to sign up and receive them by text or email.

When does Ucas Clearing open and how does it work?

Clearing is a system used by universities and colleges to fill vacant places on their courses.

Students who have decided to go to university after the application deadline, who did better than their predicted grades or who did not get the results they needed can use this system to gain a place on a course.

More than 50,000 students find their places through the Clearing system every year.

This year it opened on Friday 5 July and will close on 21 October, 2024.

Those who have received their A-level or Highers grades and are not holding an offer from a university or college can use the system if:

they are applying after 30 June
they did not receive any offers (or none they wanted to accept)
they did not meet the conditions of their offers
they have declined their firm place in their application

To join and use Clearing, students will need to apply on the UCAS website here.

Once you have your personal ID number, Clearing number and results you can call universities or colleges which have vacancies to apply for a specific course.

Or you can use Clearing Plus, where you enter all your details and it will come up with possible matches of available courses.

You are then free to decline or accept these matches.

If you are still unable to get onto a course you want to do, don’t panic you can always take a year out and re-apply the following year.