A GCSE certificate is a legal document issued by your exam board to certify that you have completed your GCSE. This certificate proves your qualifications and grades. They will be needed in the future to show institutions, such as universities, your qualifications. Like many things, they can be lost and damaged and you may be wondering if you can get a replacement GCSE Certificate.
You cannot get a replacement certificate if you have lost your certificate. What you can get is a Certified Statement of Results. This shows which subjects you took and what grade you got from the exam board and can be used instead of the GCSE Certificate. This will require a proof if identification and a fee. If you have damaged your certificate to where it is illegible, you can get a replacement certificate.
With this in mind, the 5 exam boards in the UK have different processes and the importance of this certificate is also important. To find out about this, read the rest of this article.
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How do you get a replacement GCSE certificate?
There are 4 different ways that you could get a replacement certificate. The most obvious is the exam board, but if you are lucky, your school may be able to help you.
1. Through your schools’ online portal
If you are in luck, your school may have uploaded your GCSE certificate to their online portal. From some students this could be SIMS. If you believe that your school has done this, you should quickly contact them to confirm and find out your next steps. This will depend entirely on the time frame of your request. It’s possible it has been deleted if you are requesting it too late, or it may be that the school does not do it at all. It is best not to get your hopes up, but it is becoming increasingly common for schools to do this. It is also the best option for your convenience as you can do it from your home
2. Request a certified statement of results from your Exam Board
This is the obvious option. If you have lost your GCSE Certificate, you can not get a new one, but you can get a certified statement of results. This is a document, proving your grades from an exam board and can replace the GCSE Certificate. You should visit your exam board’s website, to see the application process. If you have lost certificates from multiple exam boards, you will need to request multiple certificates. This government page, lays out who you should contact.
In the UK, there are 5 exam boards. Below are links to exam boards, and the instructions you should follow. Bear in mind, you will need to provide some form of Identification and pay a fee.
- AQA
- Council for Curriculum and Examinations Assessment (CCEA)
- Pearson Edexcel
- Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Exams (OCR)
- Welsh Joint Examinations Committee (WJEC)
If you are in Scotland, this page will help you further. Otherwise, this Think Student article goes into more detail regarding this process.
3. Confirmation letter to a university or employer
If you are short on time and require proof of your GCSEs to your University or Employer, you can send them a Confirmation Letter of Grades from the relevant exam board. The only problem with this is that after you sign the form, the other party is required to fill out some paperwork and also maybe pay a fee.
If you are in this situation, you should be in a good standing with the university or employer and they should want to have you in their institute. To do this, go to your exam board page from the links above. On the form or website will give you instructions on how to do this. With AQA for example, you can go to their link above and on the application for is the steps required to send a confirmation letter. WJEC however, can send an electronic version, so you should definitely check with your exam board.
4. Get a replacement GCSE certificate if the original is damaged
If you are in the situation where your certificate is Damaged, it may be possible to get a replacement. You should contact the Exam Board from the links above. If you tell them of your situation, you may be in luck, and they may tell you to send your damaged certificate. If this is the case, they will then send you a replacement. This does depend on the period, and you may not get it. It can be something you should try if you have the time.
How much do GCSE Certificates Cost?
The cost of a replacement certificate ranges from £10-69. This depends on your Exam Board. You should check these links below to find out.
- AQA – £43
- Council for Curriculum and Examinations Assessment (CCEA) – £30 for one, £10 for any after
- Pearson Edexcel – £10-£69
- Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Exams (OCR) – £50.50 and extra £20 for fast track
- Welsh Joint Examinations Committee (WJEC) – £30 for one and £10 for any after
As you can see from the links above, the cost of the replacement certificate will vary depending on your exam board. So, it is important you check with the correct one to get an accurate cost.
Do you need a GCSE Certificate?
A GCSE Certificate is proof that the person has successfully completed the GCSE. The certificate will state the exams and grades received. The use of it is to prove to Employers or Universities that you have sufficient grades. However, the Universities receive the grades from the exam board, so do not really need this. You should read this Think Student article about this.
From this article we hope that you have understood what to do if you have lost or damaged your GCSE Certificate. There are a few options for you and the Certificate may be needed in the future.