Should You Appeal Your A-Level Results?

You should consider appealing an A-Level result when a review of marking has already been completed and there is credible evidence that:

• A marking error remains

• The review was not completed properly

• The exam board failed to follow its procedures

• Academic judgement was exercised unreasonably

• A decision about special consideration or reasonable adjustments was handled incorrectly

You should not appeal simply because:

• Your grade is disappointing

• You were close to a grade boundary

• Your predicted grade was higher

• You need a higher grade for university

• You disagree with an examiner’s reasonable judgement

In most cases, an appeal is not the first step.

The usual process is:

1. Receive your result.

2. Ask your school or college about accessing the script.

3. Request a clerical re-check or review of marking.

4. Receive the review outcome.

5. Appeal to the exam board when valid grounds remain.

6. Request an appeal hearing if the preliminary appeal does not resolve the issue.

7. Consider the relevant regulator’s procedures review service after the exam board’s final appeal stage.

For students entered through a school or college, appeals are normally submitted by the head of centre. Students and parents cannot usually appeal directly to the exam board. Private candidates may be able to submit their own appeal.

Important: This guide mainly covers A-Levels governed by the JCQ awarding-body appeal process. Always check your exam board’s current procedures and your school or college’s internal deadlines.

A-Level Appeals at a Glance

Question	Answer
Is an appeal the first step?	No. A review of marking or another relevant post-results service normally comes first
Who submits an appeal?	Usually the head of your school or college
Can students appeal directly?	Normally only private candidates
Can parents appeal directly?	No, not for an internal candidate
Can your mark increase?	Yes
Can your mark decrease?	Yes
Can your grade remain unchanged?	Yes
Appeal deadline after a review	Normally 30 calendar days
Hearing-request deadline	Normally 14 calendar days after the preliminary appeal outcome
Can an appeal be based on disappointment alone?	No
Does the university have to hold your place?	No
Can you explore Clearing while appealing?	Yes
Can Ofqual remark your paper?	No

An appeal against a post-results decision must normally be submitted within 30 calendar days of the review outcome. If the preliminary appeal is unsuccessful, the head of centre or private candidate normally has 14 calendar days to request an appeal hearing.

Review of Marking vs Appeal

The words review, remark and appeal are often used as though they describe the same process.

They do not.

What Is a Review of Marking?

A review of marking checks the original marking to identify errors.

The reviewer considers whether:

• Every response was marked

• Marks were recorded correctly

• The mark scheme was applied properly

• Academic judgement was reasonable

A review is not automatically a complete fresh mark by a different examiner.

When an error is found, the mark must be corrected. It can rise or fall, and the qualification grade may also increase, decrease or remain unchanged.

Read Priority Reviews of Marking Explained [Priority Reviews of Marking Explained] for the full review process.

What Is an Appeal?

An appeal challenges the outcome of a completed:

• Clerical re-check

• Review of marking

• Review of moderation

An appeal may argue that:

• A marking or moderation error remains

• The review itself contained an error

• The exam board did not follow its procedures consistently, properly or fairly

The appeal is therefore about whether the post-results decision was sound, not simply whether you would prefer a different result.

What Is an Appeal Hearing?

When the preliminary appeal does not resolve the issue, the head of centre or private candidate may request a hearing.

An appeal hearing provides an opportunity for the appellant to present the case to an impartial panel. It is not another remark, and the panel does not replace the examiner’s academic judgement with its own. Panel members are not acting as subject examiners.

What Is the EPRS?

After the exam board’s full appeal process has been completed, an eligible case may be referred to the regulator’s Exam Procedures Review Service.

In England, Ofqual’s EPRS checks whether the exam board followed:

• Its own procedures

• Ofqual’s rules

Ofqual does not remark the paper or directly change the grade. It may require the exam board to reconsider the case when it finds a procedural problem. There is no fee for Ofqual’s EPRS.

Wales has its own EPRS operated by Qualifications Wales for approved GCSE, AS and A-Level qualifications. It also examines procedures rather than directly changing an individual mark or grade.

The Correct Order for Challenging an A-Level Result

Stage 1: Check the Result

Collect:

• Overall grade

• Raw or scaled marks

• Component marks

• Grade boundaries

• University offer conditions

Check whether:

• A component is missing

• A mark appears incorrect

• The total has been calculated properly

• One paper differs significantly from expectations

Being close to a grade boundary does not itself prove that anything went wrong.

Stage 2: Speak to Your School or College

Contact:

• Exams officer

• Subject teacher

• Head of department

• Head of sixth form

• Senior leader responsible for exams

Ask:

• Can we access the marked script?

• Does the marking appear reasonable?

• Which post-results service is appropriate?

• What are the school’s deadlines?

• What will it cost?

• Could the grade decrease?

• Does my university place require a priority service?

Schools and colleges can obtain scripts through the relevant awarding body’s Access to Scripts service to help them decide whether a marking review is justified.

Stage 3: Request the Appropriate Post-Results Service

This might be:

• Administrative error review

• Review of marking

• Priority review of marking

• Review of moderation

A priority review is usually the relevant route when a further or higher education place depends on the outcome.

For summer 2026 A-Levels, exam boards must receive priority review requests by 20 August 2026. The general review-of-results deadline is 24 September 2026.

Stage 4: Receive the Review Outcome

The result may:

• Increase

• Remain unchanged

• Decrease

Read the reasons supplied by the exam board and compare them with:

• The script

• Mark scheme

• Original concern

• Teacher’s analysis

Stage 5: Decide Whether There Are Grounds for Appeal

You need more than continuing disappointment.

The school or private candidate must identify a credible:

• Marking error

• Moderation error

• Procedural failure

• Unreasonable academic judgement

An appeal cannot be submitted until the outcome of the relevant post-results service has been confirmed.

Stage 6: Submit a Preliminary Appeal

The head of centre or private candidate sends a written appeal to the awarding body.

It should clearly explain:

• Which result is being appealed

• Which review has already been completed

• The exact grounds

• Evidence supporting the grounds

• The remedy requested

The appeal must normally be submitted within 30 calendar days of the review outcome. Vague or unclear grounds may result in the appeal not being accepted.

Stage 7: Consider an Appeal Hearing

If the preliminary appeal is not upheld, or does not fully resolve the issue, the appellant may request a hearing.

The request must normally be made within 14 calendar days of receiving the preliminary outcome. It should explain why the preliminary response failed to address the grounds or why the appellant continues to disagree. New unrelated grounds cannot normally be introduced at this stage.

Stage 8: Consider Regulatory Review

Once the awarding body’s final appeal process has finished, an eligible case may be referred to the relevant qualifications regulator.

This is not another opportunity to ask somebody to give the answer more marks.

It examines whether the awarding body followed the proper rules and procedures.

What Are Valid Grounds for an A-Level Appeal?

A Marking Error Remains

A marking error can include:

• Administrative error

• Failure to apply the assessment criteria

• Unreasonable academic judgement

• An answer not being marked

• Incorrect transfer of marks

• An identifiable mark-scheme error

JCQ defines a marking error as a mark that could not reasonably have been awarded given the student’s work, assessment criteria and relevant marking procedures.

The Review Was Not Completed Properly

Possible concerns include:

• Part of the script was overlooked

• The reviewer did not address the original issue

• The review decision contradicts the mark scheme without explanation

• Required checks were not carried out

• The wrong paper or candidate was considered

You need specific evidence rather than a general belief that the review “does not feel right”.

The Exam Board Did Not Follow Its Procedures

An appeal can argue that the awarding organisation failed to apply its procedures:

• Consistently

• Properly

• Fairly

A procedural appeal does not normally involve a further review of the student’s work unless that becomes necessary to correct the procedural failure.

Academic Judgement Was Unreasonable

Different examiners can reasonably reach slightly different judgements on an essay or extended response.

That is not automatically an error.

The issue is whether the mark was one that no reasonable examiner, applying the criteria properly, could have awarded.

An appeal is therefore not successful merely because a teacher believes the answer deserved the top of Level 4 rather than the bottom of Level 4.

The original judgement must be demonstrably unreasonable.

A Moderation Error Occurred

For teacher-marked non-exam assessment, the school may appeal after a review of moderation.

A moderation review applies to the relevant centre cohort rather than one student in isolation. When a review of moderation finds an error, published grades may stay the same or rise, but they cannot be reduced as a result of that review.

A Special Consideration Decision Was Mishandled

Schools can appeal decisions relating to:

• Special consideration

• Access arrangements

• Reasonable adjustments

• Certain administrative decisions

• Malpractice sanctions

These appeals follow different grounds and deadlines from an ordinary appeal against a marking-review outcome.

What Are Not Strong Grounds for an Appeal?

“I Was Close to the Grade Boundary”

This may explain why the result matters, but it does not show that the marking was wrong.

An exam board cannot add marks simply because your total is one or two marks below the next grade.

“My Predicted Grade Was Higher”

Predicted grades are estimates.

A difference between your predicted and achieved grades does not prove that the exam was marked incorrectly.

“I Always Got Higher Grades in Class”

Class assessments can help a teacher recognise an unexpected result, but they do not prove an error in a particular examination.

Your appeal still needs to identify something wrong with the marking or process.

“My University Needs the Higher Grade”

This makes the outcome urgent, but it is not evidence that the exam result is incorrect.

The need to secure a university place may justify a priority review. It does not create grounds for an appeal by itself.

“My Teacher Would Have Given More Marks”

The question is not whether another reasonable marker might have awarded more.

It is whether the mark awarded could not reasonably be supported by the assessment criteria.

“The Grade Is Unfair”

An appeal needs a clear explanation of:

• What was wrong

• Where the error occurred

• Which rule or criterion was not followed

• What evidence supports the claim

“Unfair” without supporting detail is unlikely to be accepted as a valid ground.

Should You Appeal? Decision Table

Situation	Is an appeal likely to be appropriate?
You have not requested a review of marking	Not yet
You are one mark below the boundary but have no evidence of error	Usually not
The review failed to address an unmarked page	Possibly
The reviewer clearly applied the wrong mark-scheme level	Possibly
Your predicted grade was higher	Not on that basis alone
Your teacher identifies an unreasonable judgement after reviewing the script	Possibly
The exam board did not follow its published process	Possibly
You need the grade for university but the marking appears correct	Usually not
Your result is disappointing but expected from the script	Probably not
The school refuses to request a review or appeal	Use the school’s internal appeal procedure
You are still within the review stage	Complete that stage first
You have completed the exam board’s final appeal and believe procedures remain flawed	Consider the regulator’s procedures review service

When Appealing May Be Worthwhile

An appeal may be worth pursuing when several of the following apply:

• The relevant review has already been completed.

• A teacher has examined the script and mark scheme.

• A specific marking or procedural error can be identified.

• The head of centre supports the grounds.

• The appeal is within the deadline.

• You understand the grade can fall.

• The potential benefit matters for your education or future plans.

• The cost is understood.

• You have a backup plan.

The strongest appeals are evidence-led.

They do not depend on emotion, predicted grades or the fact that another mark would be extremely useful.

When an Appeal May Not Be Sensible

Be cautious when:

• No review of marking has been completed.

• Your concern is based only on the grade boundary.

• The script supports the original mark.

• The difference is a reasonable academic judgement.

• No clear procedural error can be identified.

• A lower mark would create a serious problem.

• The school cannot support the grounds.

• The deadline has passed.

• You would be appealing mainly because you feel you must “try everything”.

You do not need to pursue every possible stage simply because the option exists.

Sometimes the evidence shows that the result is disappointing but valid.

That can be difficult to accept, but a formal appeal cannot replace evidence with determination.

Can Your A-Level Mark Go Down After an Appeal?

Yes.

When you consent to a clerical re-check or review of marking, you also confirm that you understand a later appeal could leave your final mark or grade:

• Higher

• Lower

• Unchanged

This applies because correcting an error does not always benefit the student. A reviewer or appeal investigation may identify marks that were awarded incorrectly as well as marks that were missed.

Example: Grade Increases

Original grade: BReview outcome: BAppeal outcome: A

An error identified during the appeal moves the overall mark above the A-grade boundary.

Example: Mark Increases but Grade Does Not

Original mark: 174, grade BAppeal outcome: 176, grade B

The mark changes, but the qualification grade remains the same.

Example: Grade Decreases

Original grade: BAppeal outcome: C

An error is corrected in the opposite direction, moving the total below the B-grade boundary.

These examples are illustrative.

You cannot choose to keep the original result after the official outcome has changed.

Who Can Submit an A-Level Appeal?

Students at a School or College

For internal candidates, the appeal must normally be submitted by the head of centre.

This usually means the headteacher, principal or another authorised senior leader acts on behalf of the student.

Students and their parents are not normally entitled to appeal directly to the awarding body. They must make their case to the head of centre.

Private Candidates

A private candidate may submit an appeal directly to the awarding organisation after receiving the outcome of a clerical re-check or review of marking.

Private candidates cannot normally submit an individual appeal about a review of moderation, because moderation concerns a centre’s cohort rather than one candidate.

Can Parents Submit the Appeal?

Parents can:

• Help gather evidence

• Attend meetings

• Support written representations

• Help the student understand the risk

• Ask the school to explain its decision

They cannot normally bypass the school and appeal directly to the awarding body for an internal candidate.

What If Your School Refuses to Appeal?

Ask for the school or college’s internal appeals procedure.

The head of centre decides whether to submit an external appeal, but that decision must be subject to the centre’s internal appeal arrangements.

Ask the School to Explain

Request:

• The reason for refusing

• Evidence considered

• Teacher’s assessment of the script

• School policy

• Internal appeal deadline

• Person who will review the decision

Keep the conversation focused on evidence.

For example:

The review outcome does not appear to address Question 5, where the script shows no examiner annotation or mark. Please could the school reconsider whether this creates grounds for an appeal?

This is stronger than:

I deserve an A and want the school to appeal.

What If the School Refused the Original Review?

Schools and colleges must provide an opportunity for students to appeal internally against a decision not to request a review of marking.

Act quickly because the exam board’s external deadlines continue to apply while the internal disagreement is being resolved.

What Is the A-Level Appeal Deadline?

For an appeal against the outcome of a clerical re-check, review of marking or review of moderation, the appeal must normally be submitted within 30 calendar days of the awarding organisation issuing the outcome.

When the preliminary appeal has been completed, a request for an appeal hearing must normally be submitted within 14 calendar days of receiving the preliminary outcome letter.

These are external limits.

Your school may set earlier internal deadlines so that it has time to:

• Review the evidence

• Obtain authorisation

• Draft grounds

• Complete forms

• Arrange payment

• Submit the appeal correctly

Ask for dates in writing.

How Long Does an Appeal Take?

An appeal is not designed to operate as quickly as a priority review.

In the 2024 to 2025 academic year, awarding organisations used a target of up to:

• 42 calendar days for a preliminary appeal

• A further 70 calendar days for an appeal hearing

The median completion time for an AS or A-Level preliminary appeal was 21 days, while the median for an appeal hearing was 60 days.

These historical figures are useful for planning but do not guarantee the timescale for an individual 2026 case.

This means an appeal hearing may finish long after a university’s Results Day decision.

Do not assume your original university place will remain available throughout the process.

What Happens During the Preliminary Appeal?

The awarding organisation first checks whether the appeal:

• Follows a completed post-results service

• Was submitted on time

• Contains valid grounds

• Has been submitted by an authorised person

When accepted, the preliminary appeal is considered by an awarding-organisation officer who had no previous involvement or personal interest in the case.

The appeal may be:

• Upheld

• Partly upheld

• Not upheld

When upheld, the exam board completes any further work needed to correct the result or process.

The appellant receives an outcome letter explaining:

• The decision

• Reasons

• Any resulting action

• The next available stage

What Happens at an Appeal Hearing?

The hearing considers whether the preliminary appeal dealt with the case correctly.

The appellant must explain:

• Which grounds remain unresolved

• What the preliminary stage failed to address

• Which evidence supports the continuing concern

For an internal candidate, a member of school or college staff must represent the centre.

The student, parent or another third party cannot represent the school at the hearing. The hearing is not a remarking exercise, and the panel does not exercise its own academic judgement.

The hearing panel may decide that the appeal is:

• Upheld

• Partly upheld

• Not upheld

The precise consequences depend on the error identified.

How Much Does an Appeal Cost?

Awarding organisations may charge a fee for each stage of an appeal.

This can include separate charges for:

• Preliminary appeal

• Appeal hearing

The fee is normally refunded or waived when the appeal is upheld. Exact fees depend on the awarding organisation.

Ask your school:

• What does the exam board charge?

• Is the fee per student, subject or component?

• Who pays initially?

• Will the school contribute?

• When is a refund available?

• Is there a separate hearing fee?

Do not assume the appeal is free because a review fee was already paid.

What Evidence Can Support an Appeal?

Useful evidence may include:

• Marked script

• Mark scheme

• Review-of-marking outcome

• Exam board’s reasons

• Component mark breakdown

• Evidence of an unmarked response

• Evidence that the wrong criteria were applied

• Written analysis by a subject specialist

• Evidence of procedural inconsistency

• Correspondence with the awarding body

• Relevant records of approved adjustments

• Special consideration documentation

The grounds should be clear and concise.

Avoid overwhelming the appeal with:

• General praise for the student

• Predicted grades

• Unrelated school assessments

• Emotional statements

• Long descriptions of university plans

• Repeated assertions that the grade “must be wrong”

Context may matter, but the appeal succeeds or fails on the identified error and procedure.

Can You Appeal an Examiner’s Academic Judgement?

Yes, but the threshold is high.

For essay-based and extended-response subjects, marking involves professional judgement.

Different reasonable examiners might award slightly different marks.

An appeal should not succeed simply because:

• A teacher prefers a different level

• Another examiner might award one extra mark

• The answer contains some strong material

• The student usually performs well

The argument must show that the original judgement was unreasonable when measured against the assessment criteria.

That means a reasonable examiner could not properly have reached it.

Should You Appeal When You Are One Mark Short?

Being one mark short can make an appeal feel tempting.

However, the decision should depend on evidence.

Consider appealing when:

• The review has already been completed.

• A teacher identifies a continuing error.

• The mark scheme was applied incorrectly.

• A response remains unmarked.

• The appeal deadline is open.

• The benefit justifies the risk and cost.

Do not appeal solely because:

• One mark would change the grade.

• The university needs that grade.

• The result feels particularly painful.

• You believe there is “nothing to lose”.

There may be something to lose because the mark and grade can decrease.

Should You Appeal When You Are Several Marks Short?

The size of the gap does not determine whether an error exists.

A larger gap means the appeal would need to produce a larger net increase to change the grade.

Ask:

• How many marks are needed?

• What exact errors have been identified?

• What could reasonably change?

• Could corrections elsewhere reduce the mark?

• Will the university still consider the result?

• Is the cost justified?

A ten-mark increase is possible in an appropriate case, but it requires significant evidence. It should not be treated as a likely rescue strategy merely because ten marks are needed.

What Do the Appeal Statistics Show?

In England during the 2024 to 2025 academic year:

• 770 AS and A-Level appeals were received.

• 405 appeals were upheld.

• 245 upheld appeals were associated with at least one grade change.

• Of 337,820 students receiving AS or A-Level results, 0.07% had one or more grades changed through an appeal.

Around 52.8% of AS and A-Level appeals were upheld, but this does not mean every disappointed student has roughly a one-in-two chance of success.

Appeals are a highly selected group of cases that have usually:

• Completed a review first

• Been assessed by a school or college

• Identified formal grounds

• Met the appeal deadline

Of the 910 AS and A-Level grades challenged in 2024 to 2025, 215 were changed. Only a small minority of preliminary appeals proceeded to hearings, and fewer than five appeal hearings were associated with a grade change.

The statistics show that appeals can correct genuine problems.

They do not provide a personalised prediction of whether your result will change.

What Happens to Your University Offer?

Contact the University Immediately

Tell the university:

• Which result is being challenged

• Current grade

• Grade required

• Review outcome

• Appeal stage

• Expected timescale

• Evidence available

Ask:

• Will you continue holding my place?

• Until which date?

• Does the university need proof of the appeal?

• Where should the outcome be sent?

• Will I be considered if the result arrives later?

• Is an alternative course available?

UCAS advises students to apply for a review or appeal as soon as possible, inform their university and send the outcome immediately. Most universities want outcomes by around 2 September, although each provider sets its own process and deadline.

Does the University Have to Wait?

No.

A university is not automatically required to keep a place open during a review or appeal.

It may:

• Hold the original place

• Hold it temporarily

• Offer another course

• Release the place

• Reconsider you later if space remains

UCAS specifically warns that universities are not obliged to hold places while post-results processes take place.

What If the Appeal Finishes After the University Deadline?

Contact the university when the outcome arrives.

It may:

• Reinstate the original place

• Offer deferred entry

• Offer another course

• Consider a Clearing application

• Confirm that no places remain

A successful appeal does not automatically force a university to recreate a place that has already been filled.

Should You Use Clearing While Appealing?

Yes, you should continue exploring alternatives.

UCAS advises students considering a review or appeal to keep researching Clearing opportunities.

You can:

• Search vacancies

• Contact universities

• Discuss possible offers

• Compare courses

• Check accommodation

• Ask universities how they treat pending appeals

A backup plan does not weaken your appeal.

It protects you if:

• The appeal is unsuccessful

• The grade stays the same

• The university cannot wait

• The appeal finishes after the course has filled

Questions to Ask a Clearing University

• Can you consider my current grades?

• Does the pending appeal affect the offer?

• What happens if my grade later increases?

• How long will the offer remain open?

• Is accommodation available?

• Which course and campus are being offered?

Before formally adding a Clearing choice, check how this will affect any original university place still being held.

What Happens If Your Appeal Is Successful?

A successful appeal may result in:

• Increased marks

• A higher qualification grade

• Correction of a procedural error

• Reconsideration of the result

• Further review of the script

• Removal or amendment of a decision

Contact the university immediately.

Send:

• Revised result

• Official appeal outcome

• UCAS Personal ID

• Original offer details

• Evidence requested by admissions

When the place was held, the university may confirm it.

When the place was not held, ask whether:

• The original course still has capacity

• A related course is available

• Deferred entry is possible

• The university can consider you through Clearing

Does Every Upheld Appeal Change the Grade?

No.

An appeal can be upheld without changing the final qualification grade.

For example:

• A procedural problem may be identified but not affect the mark.

• One mark may be added without crossing the grade boundary.

• Further work may be ordered before the result is finalised.

In 2024 to 2025, 405 AS and A-Level appeals were upheld, but 245 were associated with at least one grade change.

What Happens If the Appeal Is Unsuccessful?

Your reviewed result remains in place.

You can then consider:

• Insurance university

• Clearing

• Foundation year

• Resitting

• Reapplying

• Apprenticeship

• Gap year

• Employment

Where the preliminary appeal is unsuccessful, the school or private candidate may consider requesting an appeal hearing within the applicable 14-day deadline.

Do not proceed automatically.

Ask whether:

• The preliminary outcome addressed the grounds

• New procedural concerns exist

• Supporting evidence remains strong

• The cost and timescale are justified

• The university position has changed

Can You Appeal to Ofqual?

Only after the awarding organisation’s final appeal stage has been completed.

For eligible qualifications in England, your school, college or private candidate can apply to Ofqual’s EPRS when it believes:

• The review was not completed properly

• The appeal was not conducted correctly

• The exam board did not follow its procedures

• Ofqual’s rules were not followed

Ofqual will not:

• Remark the paper

• Decide how many marks the answer deserves

• Directly award a higher grade

It can ask the awarding body to reconsider the appeal when it identifies an error in the process.

There is no fee for the EPRS.

Can You Resit Instead of Appealing?

Yes.

A resit may be more appropriate when:

• The marking appears correct.

• You need a significantly higher grade.

• No appeal grounds exist.

• You want to strengthen several subjects.

• Your target universities accept resits.

• You can create a realistic study plan.

Most A-Level examinations take place during the summer exam series, so students usually wait until the following summer to resit. They generally need to retake all examined components, although non-exam assessment may sometimes be carried forward.

Before choosing a resit, check:

• University resit policies

• Admissions-test dates

• Exam-centre arrangements

• Fees

• Predicted grades

• Coursework rules

• How you will study

• What you will do during the year

A-Level Appeal Step-by-Step

Step 1: Check UCAS Hub

Find out whether:

• Your firm accepted you

• Your insurance accepted you

• Your decision is pending

• You are eligible for Clearing

You may not need a review or appeal if your preferred university has already accepted you.

Step 2: Collect Your Marks

Obtain:

• Overall grade

• Paper marks

• Grade boundaries

• Relevant offer conditions

Step 3: Ask for the Script

Your teacher can examine the paper alongside the mark scheme.

Step 4: Request a Review

Choose the correct service and meet the deadline.

Step 5: Read the Outcome

Identify whether a credible marking or procedural concern remains.

Step 6: Speak to the Head of Centre

Explain:

• Exact concern

• Evidence

• Ground for appeal

• University implications

• Deadline

Step 7: Contact the University

Ask whether it will hold your place and what evidence it needs.

Step 8: Submit the Appeal

The head of centre or private candidate submits clear written grounds within 30 calendar days of the review outcome.

Step 9: Keep a Backup Plan

Continue exploring:

• Insurance choice

• Clearing

• Foundation years

• Resits

• Alternative routes

Step 10: Respond to the Outcome

Send the decision to every relevant university immediately.

A-Level Appeal Checklist

Before requesting a review

• Check your UCAS status.

• Collect your grades.

• Obtain component marks.

• Check grade boundaries.

• Speak to your subject teacher.

• Ask for the script.

• Check the school’s deadline.

• Contact the university.

Before appealing

• Confirm a review has been completed.

• Read the review outcome.

• Identify specific grounds.

• Gather supporting evidence.

• Check the 30-day deadline.

• Understand marks can fall.

• Check the appeal fee.

• Ask whether the school supports the appeal.

• Use the internal process if it refuses.

While the appeal is running

• Keep the university informed.

• Record all deadlines.

• Search Clearing.

• Check accommodation.

• Keep official correspondence.

• Avoid assuming the grade will change.

• Respond promptly to requests.

When the outcome arrives

• Check the revised mark.

• Check the final grade.

• Read the reasons.

• Send the result to the university.

• Check your UCAS status.

• Review accommodation and finance.

• Decide whether a hearing is justified.

• Consider regulatory review only after the final appeal stage.

Common A-Level Appeal Mistakes

Calling a Review an Appeal

The review normally comes first.

Appealing Before the Review Is Complete

The awarding organisation will not normally accept the appeal.

Using the Grade Boundary as the Only Evidence

Being close does not prove an error.

Relying on Predicted Grades

Predictions do not prove the exam was marked incorrectly.

Missing the 30-Day Deadline

Check both exam-board and school deadlines.

Assuming the Grade Cannot Fall

It can rise, remain unchanged or fall.

Assuming the University Must Wait

It does not have to keep the place available.

Stopping All Clearing Research

Keep an alternative route open.

Writing Emotional but Vague Grounds

Identify the exact marking or procedural problem.

Expecting a Hearing Panel to Remark the Paper

It does not exercise its own academic judgement.

Going Directly to Ofqual

The exam board’s final appeal process must normally be completed first.

Assuming an Upheld Appeal Guarantees a Higher Grade

An appeal may be upheld without changing the qualification grade.

Frequently Asked Questions About Appealing A-Level Results

Can you appeal an A-Level result?

Yes, but a relevant post-results service, such as a review of marking, normally has to be completed first.

Is an appeal the same as a remark?

No. A review checks the marking. An appeal challenges the review outcome or the procedures used.

Who can appeal an A-Level grade?

For a school or college candidate, the head of centre normally submits the appeal. Private candidates may appeal directly to the exam board.

Can a student appeal directly?

Usually not when they were entered through a school or college.

Can parents appeal directly?

No. Parents must normally make representations through the school or college.

Can a private candidate appeal?

Yes, private candidates may submit an appeal about the outcome of their clerical re-check or review of marking directly to the awarding organisation.

Do you need a review of marking before appealing?

Yes, for an appeal against a marking result. The review outcome must normally be received first.

What are valid grounds for an appeal?

A continuing marking or moderation error, or evidence that the awarding organisation did not follow its procedures consistently, properly or fairly.

Is being one mark below a grade boundary enough?

No. Closeness to a boundary does not demonstrate that an error occurred.

Is a lower-than-predicted grade enough?

No. Predicted grades are not proof of a marking or grading error.

Can your A-Level grade go down after an appeal?

Yes. It can increase, remain the same or decrease.

What is the deadline for appealing?

An appeal against a review outcome must normally be submitted within 30 calendar days of that outcome.

How long do you have to request a hearing?

Normally 14 calendar days after receiving the preliminary appeal outcome.

How long does an appeal take?

Times vary. In 2024 to 2025, the median AS and A-Level preliminary appeal took 21 days, while an appeal hearing took a median of 60 days.

How much does an appeal cost?

Fees differ between exam boards and may apply separately to preliminary appeals and hearings. The fee is normally refunded or waived when the appeal is upheld.

What if my school refuses to appeal?

Ask for its internal appeal procedure. The head of centre’s decision is subject to the centre’s internal appeals arrangements.

Can I appeal because the examiner’s judgement was harsh?

Only when the judgement was unreasonable, not simply because another reasonable examiner might have awarded a different mark.

Does an appeal hearing remark the paper?

No. The panel does not exercise its own academic judgement and is not acting as a group of subject examiners.

Does the university have to hold my place?

No. Ask the university directly whether it will wait and until what date.

Should I tell the university about the appeal?

Yes. Inform it immediately and send the outcome as soon as you receive it.

Can I use Clearing while appealing?

You can research and discuss Clearing opportunities while the appeal continues.

What happens if the appeal raises my grade?

Send the revised result to the university immediately. It may confirm the place if it held it or still has capacity.

What happens if the mark rises but the grade stays the same?

The qualification grade remains unchanged, so an offer requiring the higher grade will not automatically be met.

What happens if the appeal is unsuccessful?

You can consider an appeal hearing, Clearing, your insurance choice, a foundation year, resits or reapplying.

Does an upheld appeal always change the grade?

No. An appeal can be upheld without changing the final qualification grade.

Can you appeal to Ofqual?

An eligible case can reach Ofqual’s EPRS only after the exam board’s final appeal stage. Ofqual reviews procedures rather than remarking the paper.

Can Ofqual change your grade?

Not directly. It may require the awarding body to reconsider the case.

Is Ofqual’s EPRS free?

Yes.

Does the same process apply in Wales?

The JCQ awarding-body process is relevant to approved A-Levels, but final regulatory escalation is through Qualifications Wales rather than Ofqual.

Should you appeal just to know you tried?

Only when there are credible grounds. An appeal involves risk, time and possible cost, and your grade can decrease.

Final Thoughts: Should You Appeal Your A-Level Results?

You should appeal when there is evidence that a completed review of marking still contains an error or that the exam board did not follow the correct procedure.

You should not appeal simply because:

• The result is upsetting

• You narrowly missed a grade

• You were predicted more

• A higher grade would solve your university problem

Follow this order:

1. Check your UCAS status.

2. Obtain your grade and component marks.

3. Ask for the script.

4. Speak to your teacher and exams officer.

5. Complete the appropriate review.

6. Examine the review outcome.

7. Identify specific appeal grounds.

8. Contact your university.

9. Submit the appeal within 30 calendar days.

10. Continue exploring Clearing and other routes.

An appeal is not a final opportunity to ask the exam board to be nicer.

It is a formal process for correcting a marking error, an unreasonable judgement or a failure to follow the required procedures.

Where that evidence exists, appealing can be absolutely worthwhile.

Where it does not, the better decision may be to accept the reviewed result and focus your energy on the routes still available.

Continue with Priority Reviews of Marking Explained [Priority Reviews of Marking Explained], What If You Miss Your UCAS Offer? [What If You Miss Your UCAS Offer?], What Happens on A-Level Results Day? [What Happens on A-Level Results Day?], A-Level Results Day Survival Guide [A-Level Results Day Survival Guide] and Can You Get In With Lower Grades? [Can You Get In With Lower Grades?].