What to do after results day: A guide to your options
Whether you’ve been waiting for results from Scottish Highers, A-levels, a BTEC or International Baccalaureate, there's a lot to think about once you have those grades. Read our guide to helpful resources below.
Results day options
Results day can be an intense time, but there are plenty of opportunities available to you, whatever the result. Here are some options to consider:
Check your UCAS application
The first thing to do is check your UCAS application to see if you’ve been accepted to any of your choices. If you’ve been accepted, congratulations! You can now start planning your next steps, such as finding accommodation and booking your travel.
Consider Clearing
If you haven’t been accepted to any of your choices, think about Clearing. Clearing is a process where you can apply for a university place that still has vacancies. Similarly, if you got better grades than predicted, you may be able to find a place on a different course at a university with higher entry requirements.
Find out how Clearing works and then read success stories from students who used Clearing to find their ideal course.
Request a review or appeal
If you are unhappy with your grades, you may be able to request a review or appeal. A review is a process where your exams are re-marked. An appeal is a process where you can argue that your grades were not fair. Read more about the process in our guide.
Take a gap year
If you’re not sure what you want to do next, you may want to take a gap year. A gap year can be a great way to travel, work, or volunteer while you consider your next move and gain some life experience.
Retake your exams
If you’re unhappy with your grades, you may want to retake your exams. This is a good option if you are confident that you can improve your results. Your teachers will be able to advise you about how to organise this.
Deferred entry
If you’ve been offered a place but don’t feel ready for university life just yet, you might be able to defer your place until the following year. You’ll need to Call your university to ask for advice and be prepared to answer questions about why you’d like to start the following year. Discover more about the pros and cons of this option in our guide.
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- Results day and Clearing
Top tips for dealing with results day:
- Talk to your teachers or advisers. They can help you understand your options and make the best decision with you.
- Don't rush into anything. It's normal to feel a range of emotions after results day. Take some time to relax and process your results.
- Use Uniselect and Clearing to find an alternative course that matches what you want to do.
- Don't feel you have to deal with things on your own. There are many people who can help you, such as your teachers, counsellors, family and friends.
- Read our Results day and Clearing FAQs for more advice.
No matter what your results, remember that you’re not alone. There will be other students in your situation and there are many routes to achieving whatever you want to do.
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