A-level results 2026: a stable national picture, but important gaps remain

Results day is, first and foremost, about individual young people. Behind every national percentage is a student opening an envelope or refreshing a screen, hoping that the outcome of two years of work is going to enable them to take their next step.

Now that the national data has been published what is the national picture? The overall story from A-level and Level 3 results in 2026 is one of broadly stable outcomes, growing participation and a record number of university acceptances. Beneath those headlines, there are also some important differences by region, subject and pathway.

More students, but broadly stable outcomes

Across the UK, 349,917 students received A-level results this summer, an increase of 2.4% on 2025. The number of A-level entries rose by 2.7% to 906,425, although this needs to be seen alongside a 3.9% increase in the 18-year-old population.

Overall, 28.5% of A-level grades were awarded at A* or A, compared with 28.3% last year. The proportion awarded A* increased to 9.6%, while the A*–E pass rate remained unchanged at 97.5%.

These are relatively small year-on-year changes. Ofqual describes outcomes in England as stable overall and explains that some of the movement reflects changes in the subjects students chose to take, rather than a general change in grading standards.

A record number of 18-year-olds accepted into higher education

UCAS reported that 262,820 UK 18-year-olds had been accepted by a university or college on results day—3% more than in 2025 and the highest number recorded at this point in the admissions cycle.

Of these, 228,990 had secured a place at their firm choice, also a record. A further 31,770 had been accepted by their insurance choice, a particularly marked increase of 21% on last year. Across applicants of all ages and domiciles, 446,690 people had been accepted.

The growing number of 18-year-olds matters here too. UCAS notes that the entry rate for UK 18-year-olds was 31.6%, broadly flat on last year, even though the number accepted reached a new high. It is therefore important to distinguish between a record number of acceptances and an increase in the proportion of the age group entering higher education.

There was encouraging growth in the number of students from the most disadvantaged areas gaining places, although it is worth noting that substantial inequalities in access to higher education remain.

The regional gap has widened

Perhaps the most concerning feature of this year’s results is the continuing regional divide in top grades.

In London, 32.7% of A-level entries were awarded A* or A. In both the North East and the East Midlands, the figure was 23.1%. The resulting gap of 9.6 percentage points is wider than last year’s 9.2 points and the largest recorded since the A* grade was introduced in 2010.

So, which national results can appear stable this can still mask significant differences in outcomes between places.

Subject choices continue to change

Mathematics remained the most popular A-level subject by a considerable margin, followed by psychology and biology. Economics showed one of the strongest increases in entries and moved into the five most popular subjects.

There are wider curriculum questions here too. Growth in mathematics and economics sits alongside continuing concern about declining entries in several arts, humanities and modern foreign language subjects. Entry figures reflect student preference, but they may also be shaped by the subjects schools and colleges are able to offer, staffing capacity, accountability pressures and perceptions of future study and employment.

A small but widening difference between boys’ and girls’ top grades

Across the UK, 28.9% of grades awarded to boys were at A* or A, compared with 28.0% of grades awarded to girls. The difference is small, but it has widened.

The subject entry patterns are relevant here. Boys make up a larger share of entries in subjects such as mathematics and further mathematics, where the proportion of A* grades is comparatively high.

Technical and vocational routes are an increasingly important part of results day

Results day is no longer only about A levels. In England, Ofqual reported 221,095 results for vocational and technical qualifications, including 195,190 applied general qualification results. Within that total, 19,665 T Level results were issued, up from 11,980 in 2025—an increase of around 64%. T Levels remain a much smaller pathway than A levels or applied general qualifications, but their continued growth is notable as the range of subjects expands and the qualification becomes more established.

It is worth being precise about these figures: the 221,095 total covers vocational and technical qualifications more broadly; it is not the number of T Level results alone.

Sources and further reading

• Ofqual: A Level and Level 3 results 2026—key trends and context for teachers

• Joint Council for Qualifications: Summer 2026 Level 3 results press notice

• UCAS: Quarter of a million UK 18-year-olds gain a university or college place

• Department for Education: Provisional AS and A-level entries, summer 2026

  
  

Figures are provisional and may be revised. UK-wide A-level figures and England-only Ofqual figures do not always use the same geographical coverage, so they should not be treated as directly interchangeable.