How to Resit Your A Levels: Everything You Need to Know

A Level Results Day 2026 falls on Thursday 13th August. Whether you’re planning ahead before results arrive or you’ve just opened your grades and they weren’t what you hoped for, one option is open to you right now: resitting your A Levels.

It might not feel like the most welcome news, but a resit is far from the end of the road. Improved grades can unlock better university choices, strengthen your CV, and open doors to apprenticeships and professional roles. You can even study entirely from home online, fitting revision around your life.

In this complete guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know — from costs and timelines to where to study and what universities actually think of resit grades.

Table of Contents

• Why You Should Consider Resitting Your A Levels
• Can You Resit A Levels?
• When are A Level Resits?
• Where can You Resit Your A Levels?
• How Much does Resitting A Levels Cost?
• Can You Still Go to University?
• How Many Times Can You Resit?
• Do You Need to Resit the Whole Course?
• Who Can You Talk to about Resitting A Levels?

Why You Should Consider Resitting Your A Levels

As you’re probably already aware, A Levels are a pretty big deal. In the UK, they’re the usual pathway to a university education. If you’ve received your results and opted not to attend university, you may think resitting is a waste of time. But before you write off your A Level career altogether, consider that potential employers, apprenticeship positions, and further training courses will all want to see your A Level scores before taking you on.

If you’re still aiming to get into university, improved scores will give you the benefit of more choice and places on more esteemed courses. Even competitive Russell Group universities accept resit students, with most viewing retakes as a sign of commitment and resilience rather than a setback.

Consider whether you think your scores could be improved by more time revising or different exam conditions. Do some research and weigh up whether A Levels will help you reach your goals, or whether other qualifications would be better for you.

Can You Resit A Levels?

Yes. Anyone can retake their A Levels, as long as they hold a GCSE grade C/4 or higher in the subject they want to resit. There’s no upper age limit — whether you sat your exams last summer or twenty years ago, the option remains open to you. Get in touch with our team to find out which resit route is right for you.

When are A Level Resits?

A Level resits are only held in the summer. If you sat your A Levels in 2026, your next opportunity to resit will be in May or June 2027. The autumn exam series that briefly ran during the pandemic years has now been discontinued for UK A Levels, so summer is the only window available.

Exam entry deadlines typically fall in mid to late February, with significant late-entry fees charged after that. We always recommend registering as early as possible to keep costs down and secure your place at your chosen exam centre.

If you decide you want to resit your A Levels, Association of Learning accepts new students throughout the year. Get in touch with our advisers to find out how you could study for your resits from home, at your own pace.

Search A Level options here

Where can You Resit Your A Levels?

Many students retake their exams through the school or college they originally studied with. This is often the most straightforward route if you’ve kept in touch with your tutors and you’re happy in that environment.

However, if you don’t want to return to school or college, and feel you could achieve higher marks studying on your own timetable, in your own space, you can study online. Online A Level courses are a great option for students who want to resit their A Levels alongside working, apprenticeships, and other courses. They’re also a solution for many students who want to avoid returning to the classroom.

Bear in mind that even if you study online, your final exams must be sat in person at an approved exam centre. You’ll need to find one near you that accepts private candidates, and ideally book your slot around six months before your exam date. The JCQ (Joint Council for Qualifications) tool is the easiest way to find a suitable centre near you.

How Much does Resitting A Levels Cost?

There are typically two separate costs when resitting A Levels: tuition fees to your course provider, and exam entry fees paid directly to your exam centre. The exact amounts vary depending on the subject and how you choose to study.

Our online A Level courses are competitively priced and include flexible payment plans to help spread the cost. Missing the standard exam entry deadline — usually mid-to-late February — can push fees up considerably, so registering early is always worth doing.

Give our friendly student support team a shout if you’d like a clear picture of what resitting could cost you.

Can You Still Go to University?

The good news: Yes! Most universities accept students who have retaken their A Level exams.

The bad news: Universities will be able to see that you’ve resat A Level courses. For the majority, this won’t be an issue. Retaking your exams shows a commitment to academia and that you’re willing to put the effort in to achieve high marks.

There are a few exceptions to be aware of. Highly competitive courses such as Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science (particularly at Oxford and Cambridge) may not accept resit applicants without strong mitigating circumstances, and some universities may ask resit candidates for higher grades than first-time applicants. If you’re concerned about your eligibility after resitting, contact your goal universities and find out their stance on accepting A Level resits. You may be relieved with what you find! Browse our A Level courses here.

How Many Times Can You Resit?

You could retake your A Level exams 100 times if you wanted to. There’s no limit to how many times you can resit, but we strive to ensure our resit students only have to do it once.

Reach out to our advisers to see how you can prepare for your resits remotely, at a pace that suits you.

We recommend students focus on the courses that will help them achieve their goals. Research the requirements for the further education course, apprenticeship, or career you’ve set your sights on, and find out if your A Level resits will contribute.

Do You Need to Resit the Whole Course?

Under the current linear A Level system, you’ll need to sit the full set of exams for your subject in the following May/June — you can’t cherry-pick individual papers as was possible under the old modular system.

However, if your subject includes a coursework or Non-Examined Assessment (NEA) component, you may be able to carry your previous mark forward rather than redoing it. The rules vary by exam board and subject:

• AQA — coursework marks can generally be carried forward for up to five years, subject to the specification remaining unchanged.
• Edexcel (Pearson) — carried-forward coursework is permitted, but you should confirm with your exam centre that the current specification matches the one you originally studied.
• OCR — similar carry-forward provisions apply; confirm with your exam centre before enrolling.

Not sure whether your coursework qualifies? Our advisers are happy to help you work it out before you commit to anything. Find A Level courses here.

Who Can You Talk to about Resitting A Levels?

There are so many sources of information about resitting A Levels that it can be difficult to know where to start.

If you’ve found yourself with lower A Level results than expected, try reaching out to your tutors to get to the bottom of why. Getting insight and feedback can be a great starting point to decide where to go from here. UCAS and the National Careers Service also offer free, impartial advice if you’re weighing up whether resits are the right move for you.

Our support team are always on hand to offer advice and feedback about A Level courses, as well as alternative routes to reaching your goals. We would love to hear from you. Contact us to learn more.

Check out our Guide to A Level Results Day 2026 to find more information about Clearing, remarking, and next steps.