Receiving A Level results that fall below expectations can be disappointing and unsettling, especially when university plans are involved. But it does not have to be the end of your academic journey.
The 2025–2026 academic year offers students in the UK a clear opportunity to retake their A Levels and improve their outcomes.
Whether you missed a university offer or your results were affected by difficult circumstances, this guide explains how the resit process works, what to expect across the year, and how to approach your studies more effectively the second time around.
So, without further ado, let’s get started.
In the UK, A Levels remain a key route into higher education and many professional pathways. A resit year should not be seen as a repeat of failure, but as an opportunity to re-learn the course with greater clarity, understanding, and focus.
Retaking your A Levels helps with:
One of the most common reasons students underperform the first time is not a lack of effort or intelligence. The jump from GCSE to A Level requires students to move beyond memorising facts. This phase involves explaining ideas clearly, applying them to various scenarios, and justifying their reasoning under time pressure.
Many students only realise this late in the course.
Fortunately, a resit year allows them to strengthen their critical and analytical skills, practise questions, and improve their grades to A and A*.
Most UK universities, including many Russell Group institutions, accept resit applicants and view improvement positively. Admissions tutors also understand the challenges students face during resits and respect those who want to try again and fulfil their dreams.
For competitive courses such as Medicine, Dentistry, and Veterinary Science, retaking A Levels is the most realistic way to meet entry requirements and reapply successfully.
Since the 2017 reforms, A Levels in England and Wales follow a linear structure. This means all exams are taken at the end of the course rather than spread over multiple years.
Under the linear system, you cannot carry forward marks from individual papers. Therefore, when you resit a subject, you must retake all papers in that subject during the same summer exam series.
For example, resitting A Level Biology requires sitting Papers 1, 2, and 3 together.
Understanding this structure is essential when planning your 2025–2026 resit year.
A Level resits in the UK are only available during the main summer exam series, which runs from May to June. There is no separate autumn or November resit window.
The timeline below is based on schedules published by JCQ and the main exam boards, including AQA, OCR, and Pearson Edexcel.
Below is the timetable of summer 2026 A Level dates for some major subjects across the main exam boards.
Note: These dates are indicative and should always be confirmed with your exam centre and official exam board timetables.
To find more comprehensive and official resit exam schedules for all subjects, you can consult the exam boards directly:
Where and how you study during a resit year can significantly affect your results. Different options suit different learning styles and circumstances. We’ve listed a few factors below to consider for retaking your A Levels.
This option is often free for students under 19 and provides a familiar structure. However, some students find it emotionally difficult to stay behind while their friends move on. Furthermore, teaching approaches remain the same as in the first year, even if those methods were not effective initially.
These colleges offer intensive, exam-focused teaching in small groups. While effective for some students, costs can be high, ranging from £12,000 to £18,000 per year in cities such as London.
Studying as a private candidate offers greater flexibility and lower costs. It suits students who want to work, volunteer, or manage health considerations alongside studying. The main challenge is maintaining structure and motivation without day-to-day classroom support.
Online support can bridge the gap between structure and flexibility. For example, HRB Education provides one-to-one tuition and personalised curriculum planning. Our highly qualified tutors help students target their specific gaps rather than wasting time on topics they have already covered.
As a private candidate, you are responsible for both tuition costs and exam centre fees.
The prices below are general estimates, as every exam centre sets its own rates. To save money, it is important to book before the February deadline.
One of the best things about resitting is that you don't always have to start from scratch. Depending on your subject, you might be able to "carry forward" the work you’ve already done.
In subjects such as History, English Literature, and Geography, students are usually allowed to carry forward their previously completed coursework. This means only the written exams need to be retaken.
For Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, your hands-on lab skills are marked as a simple pass or fail.
A Final Tip: Always double-check with your chosen exam centre to ensure your previous marks are carried forward. It's best to confirm this before you pay your entry fees.
Moving from a B to an A or A* usually requires a change in approach, not simply more revision. Below are some practical revision techniques you can follow for this year’s resit.
Request your previous exam scripts from the board to analyse where you lost marks. Here, you can check if the problem was time management or a misunderstanding of exam questions. This insight helps you focus your revision where it matters most.
Many students understand the concepts but struggle to articulate them in their answers. Therefore, practising this skill consistently leads to rapid improvement. The best approach is to use strong responses, explain ideas clearly, cite the relevant references correctly, and make logical links between points.
Timed past papers and examiner reports are also valuable. They reveal common mistakes and show what high-scoring answers look like. Techniques such as active recall, spaced repetition, flashcards, and targeted practice improve retention and exam confidence.
The resit year can feel overwhelming when your classmates or friends move on to their preferred universities, and you’re left behind. This is entirely normal. What really matters here is staying focused and remembering that it’s another opportunity to improve your grades and secure your spot in your dream university.
Retaking A Levels requires dedicated time and focus, but with the right support, it is a proven way to secure academic opportunities that may feel out of reach. To ease the challenges of resitting, HRB Education offers a comprehensive approach that covers curriculum design and exam preparation, as well as UCAS mentorship for 2025–2026.
Schedule your appointment with us to prepare your personalised A Level study plans for the best results.
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