Short answer
The key dates for summer 2027
JCQ (Joint Council for Qualifications) is the body that the main exam boards, AQA, Cambridge OCR, CCEA, Pearson and WJEC, use to publish shared dates. Its key dates document for the June 2027 series lists the following for GCSE and GCE (AS and A level):
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 21 February 2027 | Deadline for exam entries (schools enter you, not you) |
| 10 May 2027 | First exam on the common timetable, GCSE and GCE |
| 18 June 2027 | Last exam on the common timetable, GCSE |
| 22 June 2027 | Last exam on the common timetable, GCE (AS and A level) |
| 23 June 2027 | Contingency day for national or significant local disruption |
| 12 August 2027 | A level (GCE) and Extended Project results released to candidates |
| 19 August 2027 | GCSE results released to candidates |
All of these come straight from the JCQ PDF linked in the sources. AQA's dates and timetables page lists its May/June 2027 timetables for GCSE and for AS and A level under "Confirmed exam timetables" and says the timetables on that page are definitive, though it also asks you to check back for the latest version.
How many days until GCSEs and A levels start
Because this page does not update itself, here are the counts as of 24 October 2026:
- First paper, 10 May 2027: 198 days, about 28 weeks
- Last GCSE paper, 18 June 2027: 237 days, about 33 weeks
- Last A level paper, 22 June 2027: 241 days, about 34 weeks
- A level results day, 12 August 2027: 292 days
- GCSE results day, 19 August 2027: 299 days
A number that changes every day is easier to follow on your phone than on a web page you have to keep coming back to.
Counts down to each exam on a home-screen widget, with reminders on the days and times you choose.
Get it on Google PlayExam Countdown is an Android app that shows the days left to each exam on your home screen, with a free widget in small, medium and large sizes. The ready-made exam dates in the app cover exams in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, so for GCSEs and A levels you type the date in yourself. You can set reminders for exam day or any number of days before, at a time you choose. The free version holds 5 countdowns, so a GCSE student with many papers may want to add the first paper, the last paper and the subjects they worry about most. Pro removes ads and makes countdowns unlimited.
Why 10 May might not be your first exam
10 May 2027 is the date of the first exam on the common timetable. It is the start of the exam season, not the date every student sits a paper. Which papers fall on which days depends on your subjects and your exam board. Someone taking a subject timetabled late in May could have nothing for a week or more after the season opens.
To find your own dates:
- Ask your school or college for your personal exam timetable. Exams officers issue these once entries are made.
- Check your exam board's timetable for each subject. AQA publishes separate May/June 2027 timetables for GCSE and for AS and A level on its dates page.
- Look at the paper codes. Most subjects have two or three papers on different days, and each one is its own date.
Timetables can still move. JCQ's commentary on the June 2027 timetable lists changes made after its consultation with schools. For example, GCSE Chinese Paper 1 moved from 12 May to 11 May 2027, and A level Music Paper 1 moved from 11 June to 9 June 2027. If you wrote dates down early, check them against the current version.
Wales and Northern Ireland
The JCQ key dates come with two notes worth knowing:
- Centres in Northern Ireland using CCEA GCSE and GCE specifications are told to check CCEA's own documents for key dates and timetables.
- Centres using WJEC specifications regulated by Qualifications Wales are told to check the WJEC website.
JCQ's commentary also lists WJEC changes that apply only to its unitised specifications in Wales, such as GCSE Triple Science units moving to different June sessions. If you study in Wales or Northern Ireland, use your board's timetable rather than relying on the dates above alone.
What the contingency day means
JCQ sets 23 June 2027 as a contingency day "in the event of national or significant local disruption to examinations in the United Kingdom." If an exam cannot go ahead because of serious disruption, this is the day it could be moved to. In practice, keep 23 June free from holidays or other plans until your exams are over, because you cannot choose to skip it if your paper is moved there.
Results days
JCQ lists 12 August 2027 for the release of A level and Extended Project results to candidates and 19 August 2027 for GCSE and Level 1 and 2 Project results. The day before each, results go to schools and colleges only, on a restricted basis. Your school will tell you how and when you can collect yours.
Using the countdown well
Knowing the date matters most when you turn it into a plan. About 28 weeks to the first paper sounds like a lot, but it includes holidays, mock exams and school coursework deadlines. A few practical ways to use the number:
- Work backwards from your last paper. Your revision plan has to cover every subject, not just the first one.
- Count weeks, not days. Weeks are easier to divide between subjects. Our guide on how to make a revision timetable shows one way to do it.
- Check the date again after Easter. Timetables are confirmed well in advance, but a quick check costs nothing.
- Set a reminder a week before each paper. It gives you a prompt to switch to past papers for that subject.
For how much to revise once you start, see how many hours a day should I revise. And if the countdown itself starts to feel like pressure, how to deal with exam stress covers advice from the NHS and YoungMinds.
