When do GCSEs and A-level results come out? (Updated for 2025)

GCSE results come out on Thursday 21st August 2025, a week after A-level results on Thursday 14th August 2025.

Here, we list when GCSE and A-level results come out in 2025 and 2026 – and talk you through what you can expect on results day.

When do GCSE results come out?

GCSE results are published around the same time every year. They’re usually released on a Thursday in late August, a week after A-level results are published. Here are dates for 2025 and 2026:

2025	Thursday 21st August
2026	Thursday 20th August

When do A-level results come out?

If you’re finishing your A-levels this year, it’s your turn to go first! But if you have brothers, sisters or friends who have just finished their GCSEs, don’t forget that they’ll be waiting anxiously for their own results – so be gentle with them!

Here are the release dates for the next two years:

2025	Thursday 14th August
2026	Thursday 13th August

Need to know more? Check out our guide to everything you need to know about exam results day.

What happens on exam results day?

Results are released early by the exam boards, the organisations that set your exams – some as early as 6am.
Pick up your results around 10am, depending on your school (so unless you’ve been up all night worrying, the wait shouldn’t be too painful. Check out our guide to coping with results day if you're a bag of nerves).
When you get to school, you’ll be directed to where you can pick up your exam results, which is often in the school hall.
Your results will be handed to you in an envelope.

Your results are yours to do with what you will! That could include heading for the nearest shredder, or stuffing them down the back of the sofa – but we recommend getting the stress over with and opening them as soon as you can.

You can learn in detail about what to expect on exam results day in our "all you need to know" post.

What happens if I don’t get the results I wanted?

Whether it’s GCSEs or A-levels, our most important piece of advice is don’t panic!

The first thing to do is to talk to your sixth form or university. They’ll be able to tell you whether the requirements were hard and fast, or whether they can let you in even though you didn’t quite meet your offer. If you're planning to go to university, make sure you know how to apply for another place through UCAS Clearing.

If you really needed those grades and you’re determined to stick with your plans, you can always resit. You don’t have to redo the whole lot, you’ll just study for the exams where things didn’t go so well and sit them again so you can meet the requirement for your A-levels or university place.

Before you make any rash decisions, take a deep breath and have a look at our post on what to do if you don't get the grades you need.

Consider an apprenticeship or school/college leaver programme

It might seem like it, but doing A-levels then going to university isn’t the inevitable path that everyone has to take. You could do an apprenticeship instead - this way you could train for a high-skilled job while doing it, and getting paid at the same time. Some apprenticeships even let you work towards a degree.

After GCSEs: You can start an intermediate or advanced apprenticeship at 16, and many of them let you qualify for vocational qualifications equivalent to GCSEs, and you can often go on to get higher qualifications or even a degree by doing another apprenticeship at the end of it.

After A-levels: If you can’t face retaking your A-levels, maybe another three years of studying isn’t for you. Apprenticeships rarely ask for the grades required by the top universities, and as well as getting paid to train for a particular job, you could study for extra qualifications or even a degree with a higher or degree apprenticeship.

Opportunities on Success at School

You can find out about loads of apprenticeships and training programmes for school leavers here on the Success at School site. Click here to view opportunities.

We hope you're feeling a little calmer about. If you still have unanswered questions, find out everything you need to know about exam results day.

Image credits

Lead image via Thomas Tallis School Flickr account