How to Appeal A Level Results: Key Deadlines, Costs & Tips

Opening your A Level results and seeing they’re not what you were hoping is a gutting feeling. But, there’s no need to panic.  

There's a formal route to appeal your A Level results, and this guide walks you through every step - from requesting a review of marking to submitting a full appeal. We'll cover costs, deadlines, and what to expect from the process.

Key Takeaways

• You can't appeal an A Level result directly - you must first request a review of marking through your school or college.

• There are two stages to the official appeal: a preliminary stage and, if needed, an appeal hearing.

• The 2025 deadline for a priority review of marking is 20 August 2026; the standard deadline is 24 September 2026.  (opens in a new tab)

Can You Appeal A Level Results?

You can't appeal an A Level result from day one. The process works in stages.

First, your school or college must request a review of marking (sometimes called a post-results service) on your behalf. If you're still unhappy after the outcome of that review, you can then move to the formal appeals process.

Think of it as a two-step system: review first, appeal second.

What Are the Grounds for Appealing A Level Results?

There are three valid grounds for an A Level appeal (opens in a new tab):

The most common reason students appeal is because they believe the mark scheme was not applied correctly during the review of marking.

How to Appeal A Level Results: Step-by-Step

Step 1: Talk to your teacher or exams officer

Don't try to navigate this alone. Speak to your subject teacher or exams officer at your school or college on results day. They're familiar with the process and are there to help.

Your teachers will be able to look at your results alongside your predicted grades and mock exam performance to assess whether an appeal is realistic.

Step 2: Request access to your marked script

Before committing to a full review, your school will request a copy of your marked exam paper. This lets your teacher check for anything that looks incorrect or out of the ordinary.

This is a useful first step before spending money on a full review of marking.

Step 3: Request a review of marking

If there's reason to believe an error was made, your school submits a request for a review of marking to your exam board on your behalf.

There are two types:

• Priority review of marking - for students whose university place depends on the outcome. Results are typically returned within 15 days. (opens in a new tab)Source: The Student Room (opens in a new tab)

• Standard review of marking - for students not in a time-sensitive situation. Takes longer but costs slightly less.

A trained examiner will re-mark your paper to check for marking errors or unreasonable application of the mark scheme.  (opens in a new tab)

Some exam boards will split the appeals process into different types of service. 

For example, OCR refers to a clerical check of a marked paper as ‘service 1’. (opens in a new tab) This involves making sure all the pages of the exam were marked, all the marks were counted, and the result matches the marks on the paper.

OCR describes a review of marking as ‘service 2’. This involves the clerical checks outlined in service 1, with the addition of making sure the agreed mark scheme has been applied correctly.

No matter how the exam board labels these processes, this stage will always involve requesting your exam scripts and a review of marking/moderation.

If the exam board agrees that there has been an error in marking or calculations, they’ll review your result and change your grade accordingly. However, if your grade doesn’t change, you may wish to proceed with the appeals process. 

Step 4: Submit a formal appeal (if still unsatisfied)

If the review outcome doesn't resolve your concern, your school can submit a formal appeal. The appeals process has two stages:

Stage 1: Preliminary stage A member of exam board staff with no previous involvement in your case carries out an investigation. For appeals on the grounds of unreasonable marking, a new senior examiner will re-assess the paper.

Stage 2: Appeal hearing If the preliminary stage doesn't resolve the appeal, it escalates to a formal hearing. This is a more in-depth review of the exam board's decision-making process.

If you’re still not satisfied with the outcome after this stage of the appeals process, you can appeal directly to the following bodies: 

• Ofqual (opens in a new tab) if you're in England.

• WJEC (opens in a new tab) (Welsh Joint Education Committee) if you're in Wales.

• CCEA (opens in a new tab) (Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment) if you're in Northern Ireland.

A Level Appeal Deadlines for 2026

Missing a deadline means missing your chance to appeal. Here are the key dates for the summer 2026 series, according to the Joint Council of Qualifications (JCQ) (opens in a new tab):

If you're waiting on a university place through UCAS, you need to request a priority review before 20 August. Don't wait.

Once the review outcome is received, you have 30 days to submit a formal appeal.

How Much Does an A Level Appeal Cost?

Review of marking fees vary by exam board. All fees are refunded or waived if your appeal is upheld.  (opens in a new tab)

There may be additional fees for each stage of the formal appeal. Check directly with your exam board for the most up-to-date figures.

Note: fees for the formal appeal stages are separate from review of marking fees. Your exam board will confirm these charges when you submit.

What Happens After You Appeal?

After the appeal process completes, there are a few possible outcomes:

• Your grade goes up - the appeal was successful and your result is amended.

• Your grade stays the same - the exam board's original decision is upheld.

• Your grade goes down - the review identifies that you were originally over-marked.

Grades going down is uncommon but it does happen. Your teacher will help you weigh up the risk before you proceed.

If your appeal is upheld at either stage, you won't be charged for that stage of the process.

Should You Appeal Your A Level Results?

An appeal is worth pursuing if there's evidence that something went wrong. For example, if your grade is wildly out of line with your mock results and coursework, or if your teacher believes the mark scheme wasn't applied correctly.

It's not worth appealing because you feel you deserved a higher grade. The appeal process reviews whether the exam board followed its procedures correctly, not whether you personally feel your work was worth more.  (opens in a new tab)

Be realistic about timelines too. Formal appeals take weeks, and many students find that clearing moves faster than waiting for an appeal outcome.

Alternatives to Appealing Your A Level Results

If an appeal isn't the right route for you, there are other options worth exploring:

UCAS Clearing 

If you didn't get into your firm or insurance choice, Clearing lets you apply to universities with available places. It opens on results day and moves quickly, so don't dismiss it while waiting for an appeal.

A Level resits 

You can resit A Level exams in the following summer series. With targeted revision and the right resources, many students improve their grades significantly second time around. 

Our exam board aligned A Level revision resources are designed to help you do exactly that.

Alternative qualifications or routes 

Sometimes a different path - a foundation year, apprenticeship, or alternative course - turns out to be a better fit. Speak to a careers adviser before making any decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I appeal my A Level results myself? 

No. Appeals must be submitted by your head of centre (your school or college) on your behalf. You can't contact the exam board directly as an individual student - speak to your exams officer or subject teacher first.

Can my grade go down during an appeal? 

Yes. By consenting to a review of marking, you accept that your grade could go up, down, or stay the same. Your teacher should review your script first and advise whether the risk is worth taking.

What's the difference between a review of marking and an appeal? 

A review of marking is the first step. It checks whether your paper was marked correctly. An appeal is the formal process you enter if you're still unhappy after the review. You can't appeal without first going through the review stage.

Ace your A Levels with Save My Exams

Whether your A Level results are worth celebrating or you’re already thinking about how to improve next year, Save My Exams is here to help. 

Join over 2 million students who trust Save My Exams. You’ll find everything from concise revision notes and exam-style questions to flashcards and past papers, each tailored to your specific exam board. 

Explore our A Level revision resources.

References

JCQ - A guide to the awarding organisations appeals processes (opens in a new tab)

OCR - Clerical Checks (opens in a new tab)

Ofqual (opens in a new tab)

WJEC - Post-Results Services and Appeals  (opens in a new tab)

CCEA (opens in a new tab)

JCQ - Post Results (opens in a new tab)

AQA - Review and priority review of marking (opens in a new tab)

Edexcel - Fees for post results services (opens in a new tab)

WJEC - Post results services (opens in a new tab)