Don't Miss Out! Mark Your Calendar with These Key Dates in 2023 For A-Level And GCSE

Students and parents, it’s time to fill your diaries for the new calendar year. Here are the dates to look out for in academia during 2023. 

It is important that as students continue their A-Level studies they are also focused on the deadlines for the UCAS application. The deadline for UCAS submission (to join University this September) is the 25th of January 2023. This time period can be stressful for students, it is important that they manage their time well so as not to rush the application process in order to have a better chance at attending the university of their choice. Therefore, on top of the usual back to school adjustment and the work load increasing, Year 13 students will have to work harder to ensure they have completed their UCAS application by the deadline without letting their A-level work falter. For many, they would have already submitted their UCAS applications well in advance of this, but for those not quite there yet, it is worth noting down this date. 

The A-level exam period will differ for each student and depend on the exam boards of each subject studied. The period will be between mid-May to mid-June. Timetables will be able to be found online when searching specific exam boards and subjects. This can be an extremely intense time for students but at this point it is important to focus on the exam content and not let University preparation distract them. Naturally, this is the most intense work period of their lives, culminating in final exams which mean so much to these students. Afterwards, hopefully everyone will be able to switch off and enjoy their summer break before results day comes around. The A-level results day for 2023 will be on the 17th of August.

A-Level Students will go into their school to collect their A-level results and will hopefully attain the results they need to attend their first-choice university. This can be an extremely nerve-racking time but students should remember that there are other options if they do not meet their intended grades. Students can go through UCAS clearing where many universities have other courses with entry requirements they can apply for. It is recommended that you are proactive in this case as more often than not, some spots at top universities become available, there is always lots of room for manoeuvre on this day.

The GCSE exams will also take place from mid-May to mid-June (with some language exams happening even sooner). For GCSE students their results day will be on the 24th of August 2023. This can also be an extremely tense day and parents should be there to support their children as they may be very nervous as the awaited moment approaches. This is the first time they will have opened their results from an envelope! Students can then prepare for the move to sixth form hopefully now only taking the subjects they enjoy studying the most. 

Most universities start on the last week in September. Often students will go up the week before for ‘freshers week’ where they will settle in and complete various admin tasks, and are met with a week of fun for students to make friends and meet like minded people. Students can be proud of themselves and all the hard work they put in and get ready to embark on a new chapter.