This year A-Level results day is on Thursday the 15th of August. Results day can be an emotional day for many students, whether things go as expected or not. Whether your plan is to go to university, to start an apprenticeship or to do something else entirely, we’ve prepared a guide to help you prepare for results day and navigate your next steps!
Clearing
If you’re planning to find your university place through clearing, anticipating that you will need to use clearing once you have your results or just curious about the clearing process, it’s absolutely worth checking out the dedicated clearing page on our website: https://www.ukuniversitysearch.com/clearing. We have information covering all aspects of clearing to try to simplify the process for you. This includes:
"Preparing for results day" blog
Our UCAS Tariff Points Calculator
“Parents’ Guide to Clearing” blog
“Deferrals and Gap Years” blog
It’s also worth watching our Clearing and Results Day webinar where representatives from four universities answer questions and give information on all things relating to clearing and results day!
If you’re anticipating using clearing, make a plan. If you’re feeling nervous about results day, or you just like to be prepared, it can be useful to have a plan so you know what to do no matter what happens. Do some research and consider which universities you would like to apply to via clearing if you end up needing to.
Make a list of which universities you could apply to for your chosen subject/s depending on which grades you get. So, if you are one grade off you have a list of universities whose grade requirements you would meet, and likewise, if you’re a few grades off, you know which universities are likely to accept you. It’s worth ringing around to a few places on the day though because the grade requirements may change depending on how many spaces they have available.
On the day
On the day, you can collect your results from your college or sixth form, usually at 8 AM, but make sure to contact your institution in case this varies. You can also arrange to receive your results via email or the post if you are going to be away or unable to collect them in person.
Your results will be sent automatically to UCAS, usually around 8:15 AM, so you will be able to login to the UCAS portal on the day and see the status of your application. If you have been accepted to your firm or insurance choice university then you will be guided by your institution on the steps to take from there. If you need to go through clearing you will be given a “clearing number”. You will need this number, as well as your grades, to begin calling universities to find a place. You can use our clearing directory to find the phone numbers for different universities all in one place.
Going through the clearing process can be stressful and overwhelming but it’s important to keep calm and try not to panic. Remember, wherever you end up, the university experience is what you make of it. If you want to have a fantastic time at university, you will! Keep positive and throw yourself into the experience.
Alternatives routes to university
It’s important to remember that there are alternatives to starting university straight away. If you’re unsure about what you want to study, if you didn’t get the grades to attend your preferred institution/s or you’re not ready to jump straight into university, a gap year is a viable option. You can retake exams if you want/need to, get a job to earn and save some money, and reapply for university or if you have a place you want to keep, you can defer it. Taking some time out is a valid option that many people take so if this is something you think you might need then it’s worth considering.
Preparing for your next steps
If you have accepted your university place, that’s fantastic, congratulations! Now you can begin your preparations for this next exciting chapter in your life (if you haven’t already!).
First up, if you’re going to be moving away to attend university, you need to think about packing. This can be a daunting task. You don’t want to take absolutely everything from your childhood bedroom, but you don’t want to forget the essentials either. Make a list of the clothes, homeware, utensils, toiletries, etc. that you think you will need. Remember, you can always buy anything you forget when you get there!
Also, it’s worth using this last month at home to think about what you’re going to be cooking at university if you’re going to be moving out. If you’re going to be in catered accommodation then this is less of a concern but if you’re in a student house or self-catered accommodation you will have to get used to cooking and preparing your own meals if you don’t already do this! You will also be living on a budget so that’s something important to consider.
On this note, it’s also a good idea to get things like a student bank account set up before you arrive. A student bank account can entitle you to an interest free overdraft for the duration of your studies, which can be a useful safety net, so it’s worth doing some research into what is available out there. Something else that can be useful for students, are accounts to student discount websites such as UNiDAYs and Student Beans. These can get you discounts on clothing, electronics, restaurants, etc. Finally, a student railcard is absolutely worth getting. These cost £30 for one year, or £70 for three years, and entitle you to ⅓ off train tickets for anyone aged 16-25 so they can save you a lot of money in the long run.
For more information and advice, check out our websites: https://www.ukuniversitysearch.com/ and https://www.studentstream.co.uk/.
