Results day 2024: When will English, Welsh, Scottish, and Northern Irish students get their exam results?

• In England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, students who sat their GCSEs and A Levels will find out how they did on different days.
• Scottish secondary school pupils sit different exams than the rest of the UK, but will find out their results sooner this year.
• Scotland and the rest of the UK also have slightly different processes for getting hold of their results on the big day.

The gruelling two-month wait for pupils eager to find out if their pre-exam swotting paid off is finally drawing to a close, for many.

Between Late May and mid-June, secondary school students all across the UK finished up their exam periods. For many of them, these will be the last they sit before heading off to university - or even entering the job market.

That means how they did can have a big impact on their future, and the waiting period can all too often be a source of stress and anxiety. But when exactly will the wait finally be over for pupils in different parts of the UK?

Here’s everything you need to know:

England and Wales

For pupils in England and Wales who sat their GCSEs this year - typically some of the first major exams of their school careers - unfortunately there is still some time to wait. The 2024 GCSE results day will be on Thursday, 22 August.

But students who sat their A Level exams, or their AS or T Levels, have one less week of waiting in store, with this year’s results day on Thursday, 15 August. This could make all of the difference for those waiting to either accept an offer from the university of their choice, or who are about to go through the clearing process.

Many students opt to pick their results envelope up from their school on results day. From early morning - usually 8am onwards - students can go and collect their results from their school. They are able to open them then and there, but can also opt to take the sealed results home to open with family. There are also digital and post options available too.

Scotland

Unlike in England where GCSEs and A Level results are handed out on different days, all Scottish Qualifications Authority - or SQA - exam results will be released at once. Scottish pupils also sit what are known as ‘National’ and ‘Higher’ qualifications, instead of those used by the rest of the country.

This year, Scotland’s results day will be on Tuesday, 6 August. There are a couple of different ways students can get their exam results - and hopefully their qualification certificates - on the big day. Previously you could sign up for them to be texted or emailed to you on 6 August by registering on MySQA online, with texts rolling out from 8am. Registrations have now closed, but your full results will still be posted to you.

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland’s Council for the Curriculum, Examinations & Assessment (CCEA) has confirmed that its GCSE results day will also be on Thursday, 22 August this year. A Level results day will also match up to England and Wales, with results out on Thursday, 15 August.

Students are also typically able to pick up their results envelope in person from their school, early in the day.

The government has issued some advice for parents and carers supporting students as they wait receive their exams results. This can often be a tense and emotionally fraught time, especially if things don’t go as expected.You can check this advice out online here.