Applying to University is a long process, and in order to make it the least stressful experience it can be, it is important for you to understand exactly how it works.
So, if you have questions about when Universities receive your A-Level and AS-Level results, how they receive your results, and whether Universities receive your results at different times if you have a gap year, then this is a useful article for you.
If you would like the short answer about this, take a look at the paragraph below. However, I would strongly recommend reading the whole article in order to be the most informed that you can be.
Universities will receive your A-level results a few days before you do (you will receive them in August on results day). This is so that your UCAS Track page can be updated on results day with a confirmation of your place at University.
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When Do Universities Receive Your A-Level Results?
Universities will receive your results a few days before results day, so that they have time to update UCAS Track with a confirmation of your offer.
The reason that you will not be able to see these confirmations before results day is that the UCAS Track website freezes all of the information for students until results have been released to them.
If you would like to find out more about offers being confirmed by Universities, this useful article shares lots of important information about the timeline for confirmations to be made after results day.
When Do Universities Receive Your AS Results?
When you are applying for University, you will be in your second year of Sixth Form (Year 13). This means that if you have taken any AS-Level exams, you will have the results by the time of your application to University.
If you have completed AS-Level exams, you will need to put them on to your University application before you send it off. Remember, that your University application must contain your previously achieved grades (such as GCSEs and AS-Levels) as well as teacher predictions of your current subjects at A-Level.
Remember that if you are continuing with the subjects which you have done the AS-Level in, your AS Qualification won’t count towards your UCAS points or your application once you have done the A-Level!
Does the Date at Which Universities Receive A-Level Results Change Each Year?
The date at which Universities receive your A-Level results is dependent on the date of results day. This will always be the second Thursday in August. Therefore, although the actual date may vary slightly, it will be at around the same time each year.
This means that there will be no significant changes in the date at which Universities receive your A-Level exam results.
There are however, some other factors which may cause a delay in the amount of time which you are left waiting for your confirmation of your place at University. If you would like to find out more about this process and these things which can affect your timeline for confirmations, take a look at this helpful article.
How Do Universities Receive Your A-Level Results?
The main way of applying to University is through UCAS, and so this is also the main way that results are passed on to Universities once exams have been marked and graded.
UCAS process all of your results, which are sent to them from the exam boards. They are matched to the subjects which are listed on your application, and then the overall grade that you have achieved is passed on to the Universities.
There are some exceptions to this, where more information is passed on to the Universities. For example, when A-Level results are processed, the unit grades as well as the actual grade will also be passed on to the Universities which you have applied to.
It is also sometimes possible to apply directly to Universities, avoiding the use of the UCAS system. In these cases, you will need to look at which Universities allow a direct application when you choose those to apply to.
An example of a University which you can directly apply to is Brighton University. You should only consider a direct application if you are completely sure that the only University that you would like to go to is the one where you are directly applying to.
Not many Universities allow this kind of application, as it limits your options in some ways, as you will not have an insurance choice. Though there are some benefits. If you would like to find out more about direct applications, take a look at this useful website.
Now, clearly if you aren’t applying to University through UCAS, they won’t be managing the process of your results being given to the University you have applied to. If you choose to do a direct application, you will have to provide your predicted grades at the time of application. Your chosen University will then guide you through the application process regarding your grades being received.
If you are unsure about how your results are being communicated to the University that you have chosen, the best thing to do is get in contact with their admissions team! They will be happy to help and are there to help you feel confident about the process.
Do Universities Receive Your A-Level Results at a Different Time If You Have Re-Taken Your A-Level Qualifications?
If you choose to retake your exams once you have received your results, the exam season is most commonly in the summer term of the next year. This means that you can re-enrol in your college for an additional year, or do the refresher work for the A-Level independently. Make sure you look into the fees for both of these options, as independently working may be costly when it comes to registering for exams!
Re-taking also means that you will have to complete an additional UCAS application form for the relevant year before the deadline in the autumn term of the year which received your original results in. Make sure that you are organised with the application.
This also means that your retaken A-Level results will be given to Universities at the same time as everyone else’s (just before results day!). Universities will not change their consideration of you as a candidate based on the fact that you have retaken exams – in fact, resits can show a student’s independent motivation, as well as their ambition to achieve the best result that they can.
Do Universities Receive Your A-Level Results at a Different Time If You Have Taken a Gap Year?
If you have decided to take a gap year, there are a couple of different ways which you can manage your application to University. These include applying for differed entry, or applying for University during your Gap Year.
If you would like to apply with the full guidance of your Sixth Form, you may want to apply in your last year of college, but as a differed application. In this case, Universities will receive your results just before results day, but you will not start at the University until the next academic year. You can also differ your University place at the time of results (though you should check to make sure your dream University accepts deferrals before this point).
Alternatively, you can apply for University in the Autumn term of your Gap Year. In this case, you will already have records of the grades which you have achieved, and therefore they will be sent off to Universities with your UCAS application. In this case, you are more likely to get unconditional offers back from universities, as they can already see whether you have met their entry requirement grades.