A-Level Results Day 2017: What time can you get A-Level results today, plus how to track grades online
A-Level Results Day 2017: What time do A-Level results come out? And on what day? More importantly, how do you track your results online? We’ve got all the answers, so read on for the ultimate guide on getting your A-Level results this year.
It’s that time again of year again, when teenage tension reaches fever pitch as the dreaded A-Level results day approaches. Some students will pass, others will fail – but the process of collecting your results remains the same for everyone, which we’ll detail below.
We should also mention that if your results aren’t what you expected, don’t fret. There are still plenty of options for anyone who feels disappointed on A-Level results day. If you didn’t get the grades for university, you can try your luck with clearing, re-sit some exams, or simply try another route to your chosen career – vocational courses, apprenticeships, or something else entirely.
So without further ado, here’s what you need to know.
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A-Level Results Day 2017 Date: When are A-Level results out?
This year, A-Level results day falls on Thursday, August 17. That means you won’t be able to find out your grades or whether you get into uni before then – although people who received unconditional offers will already know the latter.
You’ll be able to check whether you got into university from 8am on Thursday morning using UCAS Track, which we’ll explain further down in this article.
To find out your exact grades, you’ll need to go to your school, college, or sixth form on Thursday to find out how you performed.
What do I need to bring to collect A-Level results?
You don’t need to bring anything with you on A-Level results day, technically. But there are plenty of items we’d advise carrying in any case.
- Phone – you may need to phone universities (or your loved ones), so a phone is a must-have.
- UCAS e-mail – this is a great reference for double-checking your offers.
- Calculator – this will be useful to tally up your UCAS points, as mistakes can be made.
- Contact details – make sure you have contact details for the universities you’ve applied for, as you may need to call them on results day.
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UCAS Track: How to check A-Level results online and accept University offer
If you’ve applied for a university then you’ll probably already be familiar with the UCAS website. That’s good, because it’s seriously useful on results day.
From 8am on Thursday, you’ll be able to log in and check whether your place has been confirmed at a university. It will show which universities – if any – have accepted you based on your grades, and may give you the opportunity to accept your place.
Once the tracker updates, you should also receive an AS12 letter from UCAS over e-mail confirming your place. Read this carefully, as some universities may require action on your part to confirm your place as a student.
It’s worth noting that the UCAS Track website is expected to receive an enormous amount of web traffic on Thursday, so don’t be surprised if the website is very slow – and occasionally offline.
We should also mention that your place may not update immediately at 8am. However, if you haven’t seen a change by around noon then you should definitely get in touch with your chosen university and contact them – this means it’s possible you haven’t been offered a place.
Finally, you can’t check your grades using UCAS Track so don’t be disappointed when nothing shows up. You’ll need to collect your grades manually, so make sure to do this as soon as possible, especially if you haven’t been accepted into a university. You’ll need to know your grades to begin the process of trying to get into a different university or onto a different course.
Related: Best laptop for students
Credit: Muhammad Rizwan / Unsplash
What to do if you didn’t get the grades you expected
If you do better than expected:
You may have met, and then exceeded, a conditional offer made to you. This means you might want to try your luck on a course with higher entry requirements.
To do this, check what’s available using the UCAS Adjustment service, which you’ll find here:
Also, well done!
If you do worse than expected:
If you didn’t get the grades you needed for your conditional offer, it’s unfortunate – but it’s not the end of the road. Firstly, you can find out information about exam reviews and appeals – although you’ll need to arrange the former as quickly as possible if you’ve got your hopes pinned on a re-think.
Alternatively, you can look for course vacancies using the UCAS Clearing service, which you’ll find below. Note that clearing isn’t always successful, but it can be a saving grace for many students:
Finally, don’t forget that university isn’t the only path to a happy and/or successful life. Apprenticeships, vocational courses, getting a job, or taking a gap year are all perfectly viable options if you didn’t get into a university – or even if you’ve simply changed your mind about going.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
