"I've worked really hard, I've tried and that's all I can do… and it's paid off", Emily, a student in Hartlepool said as she received her A-level results, admitting she "felt a bit sick" before finding out her grades. She was just one of hundreds of thousands of young people to receive their A-level, Btec and T-level results across England, Wales and Northern Ireland on Thursday after weeks of waiting. This year saw a record number of 18-year-olds accepted into university, with more than ever getting into their firm choice - although there are more of them in the population than in previous years.
Nervous, elated and tired students flocked to schools across the UK on Thursday to find out their grades, with many telling the BBC how they did and their hopes for the future. Emily, who attended English Martyrs School and Sixth Form College, said she felt "sick" waking up on Thursday morning, but was happy with with her A*, A and B. She said she's now looking forward to starting a degree apprenticeship to become a solicitor, a route she picked for the experience "now it's harder to get a job".
Five key takeaways from results day 2026 Top grades rise again as students get A-level, T-level and BTec results Anastasiia Sochka moved to Hartlepool from Ukraine with her mum, Victoria, in summer 2022 after Russia launched its full scale invasion. Anastasiia told the BBC she initially struggled with the language barrier but was "so happy" to tell her dad, who is fighting in the Ukrainian army, that she achieved an A* in Russian, an A in psychology and a B in sociology. "It was nice to be able to give him that good news because I wanted to make him happy.
I miss him a lot," she added. Anastasiia is now heading to Newcastle University and hopes to become a social worker. "Lots of people are struggling in Ukraine now because of poverty due to the war, and I want to be able to help them," she said.
"Seeing what's happened has influenced me and changed my life perspective. I hope that by the time I graduate, the war will be over." For some, the stress of the big day means all they can think about is finally getting some rest. Civ, who is also heading to Newcastle University after getting two A*s and an A, said he plans to celebrate by heading back home and having a "lie-in".
He told the BBC he "might go out" later after getting some much needed post-results day sleep. Michel's dad was overjoyed to discover his son earned an A*, A, A to book a place to study political economy at King's College London, beaming as he declared his son would be the "next prime minister". "I'm so proud of him, so proud of everyone, his mates, it's amazing," he said before getting the crowd of students to cheer for his son.
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