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A Level Exam Dates 2026 to 2027: Complete Schedule by Exam Board
Juggling exam dates across different boards can feel stressful, especially if your child studies mixed subjects or follows a Cambridge International timetable abroad. Every board publishes its own paper codes and session times.
This guide brings the 2026 to 2027 A Level schedule into one place. It also explains when each board locks in its final, confirmed dates so you are not left guessing.
When are A Level exams in 2026 to 2027?
A Level exams in England run in one main series from Monday 10 May to Friday 18 June 2027, with some papers continuing to Tuesday 22 June. Cambridge International students may also sit a separate November 2026 series, depending on their school's location.
Here are the essentials for the 2026 to 2027 exam year.
- Main UK series: 10 May to 18 June 2027
- Cambridge November series: October to November 2026
- Results day: Thursday 12 August 2027
- Contingency day: Wednesday 23 June 2027
- Entry deadlines: set by each school, not the boards
What is the AQA A Level timetable for 2026 to 2027?
According to AQA's provisional exam timetable, the summer 2027 series runs from Monday 10 May to Friday 18 June. Morning exams start at 9am and afternoon exams at 1.30pm.
AQA has already published provisional dates for its most popular subjects. A few examples below show how spread out the papers can be.
- Mathematics: papers on 26 May, 9 June, and 16 June
- Biology: papers on 7 June, 14 June, and 18 June
- Chemistry: papers on 28 May, 10 June, and 17 June
- Physics: papers on 21 May, 27 May, and 8 June
Coursework and non exam assessment deadlines, such as for Art and Design or Drama, tend to fall earlier in the spring term. Check the subject specification for exact submission dates.
What is the Edexcel A Level timetable for 2026 to 2027?
Pearson Edexcel's Summer 2027 provisional timetable also opens on Monday 10 May 2027. Like AQA, sessions start at 9am or 1.30pm for UK centres.
The overall scheduling structure closely mirrors AQA's, since exam boards agree common start and finish weeks. Subject level paper dates differ, so families with children sitting mixed boards should check both timetables carefully for clashes.
International Edexcel candidates follow a different start time schedule based on their region. Pearson publishes these zone specific timings separately from the UK timetable.
What is the OCR A Level timetable for 2026 to 2027?
OCR follows the same common exam window agreed across all UK boards. As of this writing, OCR's full subject by subject summer 2027 timetable has not yet been published on its administration and key dates page.
Some components are already confirmed. Practical subjects like Art and Photography use an externally set task window rather than a single exam date, running from mid April through late May.
Science practicals also carry separate endorsement deadlines, usually completed across the school year rather than on one fixed day. Ask your exams officer for OCR's practical endorsement schedule once it lands.
When does Cambridge International release A Level dates?
Cambridge International runs a distinct structure compared to the UK boards. Most students sit the June series, but many schools outside the UK also use the November series as their main sitting.
Cambridge divides the world into six administrative zones, each with its own exam start times to protect paper security across time differences.
| Series | Typical window | Who mainly sits it |
|---|---|---|
| June 2027 | April to June 2027 | Most international schools worldwide |
| November 2026 | October to November 2026 | Southern hemisphere and select regions |
The table above is a general guide only. According to Cambridge International's dates and deadlines page, exact paper dates depend on your school's assigned zone.
How do the exam boards' schedules compare?
All three UK boards share the same overall exam window, but Cambridge International runs on its own separate calendar entirely.
| Board | Series window | Results date |
|---|---|---|
| AQA | 10 May to 18 June 2027 | 12 August 2027 |
| Edexcel | 10 May to 22 June 2027 | 12 August 2027 |
| OCR | 10 May to 22 June 2027 (provisional) | 12 August 2027 |
| Cambridge International | April to June 2027, or Oct to Nov 2026 | Mid August, or mid January |
The three UK boards line up closely, since Ofqual sets a shared national window. Cambridge International is the outlier, since its zones and series depend on where the school sits.
When will official 2026 to 2027 dates be confirmed?
UK boards typically publish provisional timetables around 12 to 14 months ahead, with final confirmed versions following roughly six months before exams start. Expect AQA and Edexcel's final summer 2027 timetables around October 2026.
Small changes between provisional and final timetables are common. A paper might shift by a day or two once a board finalises room and invigilation logistics.
Schools receive updates directly from each board and pass them on through exams officers. Signing up to a board's newsletter is not necessary for parents, since the school manages that communication.
How should students prepare using the timetable?
Once your school confirms the timetable, work backward from each exam date to build a revision schedule. Give the earliest papers less lead time and the later ones more depth.
A few practical steps make this easier to manage.
- Mark every paper date on one shared family calendar
- Flag any days with two exams back to back
- Track coursework and NEA deadlines separately from written papers
- Build in rest days after longer three hour papers
Clashes between subjects on the same day are handled by the school, not the student. Raise any concerns with the exams officer as soon as the timetable is confirmed.
Plan ahead with confidence
Exact 2026 to 2027 dates depend on your subject and exam board, so always confirm the final version through your school once it is released. Bookmark this page and check back closer to autumn 2026 for updates.
Frequently asked questions
A Level results for the main summer series are released on Thursday 12 August 2027. Cambridge International's November 2026 series results come out in mid January 2027 instead.
Yes. Provisional timetables can shift slightly before boards release their final version, usually about six months before the series starts. Always check the final timetable once it lands.
Schools manage timetable clashes internally, often by supervising a student across back to back sessions. Speak to your exams officer as soon as a clash appears on the confirmed timetable.
No. Cambridge divides schools into six administrative zones with different start times, so exact dates depend on your zone. The overall series window still applies broadly across each zone.
Your school's exams officer holds the confirmed timetable for every subject you are entered for. They can also flag any adjustments made for your specific centre.
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