A Level Exam Timetable 2027: Key Dates for Every Board

UK A Level exams in summer 2027 run from Monday 10 May to Friday 18 June, with Wednesday 23 June held as a contingency day (AQA, 2026). Pearson Edexcel International A Levels have two 2027 windows: 8 to 25 January and 4 May to 10 June (Pearson, 2026).

If you're taking A Levels outside the UK, your dates depend on your exam board and sometimes your country. This guide brings the 2027 dates together and explains how to use them.

Key Takeaways

• UK A Levels: 10 May to 18 June 2027, contingency day 23 June.
• Edexcel International: January series 8–25 January; summer series 4 May–10 June 2027.
• Cambridge International publishes June timetables by zone; the June 2026 series ran from 23 April to 9 June in zone 3.
• UK A Level results day is Thursday 12 August 2027.

When Are the 2027 A Level Exams?

The main A Level exam season is May and June for every board, but the exact window differs. UK boards (AQA, OCR, Pearson Edexcel and WJEC/Eduqas) share common exam slots agreed through the Joint Council for Qualifications, with every exam starting at 9.00am or 1.30pm (AQA, 2026).

The AQA dates come from its provisional May/June 2027 timetable (version 1.2), so always check the latest version with your school's exams officer before you plan around a single date.

What Are the Key UK A Level Subject Dates?

Most three-paper A Levels spread their papers across four or five weeks. On AQA's 2027 timetable, Mathematics papers fall on 26 May, 9 June and 16 June, while Chemistry papers fall on 28 May, 10 June and 17 June (AQA, 2026).

OCR, Pearson Edexcel and WJEC/Eduqas publish their own subject timetables, and their papers fall in the same overall window. If you sit a mix of boards, check each one: clashes are rare, but they do happen.

Look at where your last paper falls, not just your first. A student taking Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics with AQA sits papers right up to 18 June. That's a long final stretch, so plan revision in phases rather than one push. Several of the hardest papers come in the final fortnight.

When Are Cambridge International Exams in 2027?

Cambridge International sets exam dates by "administrative zone", so the same paper can fall at different times in different countries. In June 2026, the zone 3 timetable ran from 23 April to 9 June (Cambridge International, 2026). Expect June 2027 to follow a similar pattern once zone timetables are confirmed.

Cambridge also runs a November series, and a March series in India. November 2026 results are released on 7 January 2027 (Cambridge International, 2026). Those results arrive in time for most UK university deadlines, which makes November a useful resit opportunity.

The practical point for Cambridge students is that your school's zone decides your dates. Ask your exams officer for the zone timetable, not a generic one, and add your papers to your calendar as soon as it's out.

When Are Edexcel International A Level Exams in 2027?

Pearson Edexcel International A Levels (IAL) are modular, so you sit individual units across several series. The January 2027 series runs from 8 to 25 January, and the summer series from 4 May to 10 June (Pearson, 2026). Pearson also offers an October series in some subjects.

In summer 2027, for example, IAL Mathematics P1 is on 6 May and P4 on 7 June. Chemistry Unit 1 is on 5 May and Unit 5 on 2 June (Pearson, 2026).

The January series is the biggest strategic advantage IAL students have, and many don't use it well. Sitting one or two units in January spreads the load and gives you a real result before summer. We often help students plan which units to sit early and which to save, based on how secure each topic is by December.

Not sure how the boards differ? Read our comparison of Cambridge vs Edexcel International A Levels.

What Is the Contingency Day?

The contingency day is a reserve date in case national disruption stops an exam going ahead. For summer 2027, students must stay available until Wednesday 23 June (AQA, 2026). It's rarely used, but it matters for holiday and travel plans.

Don't book flights home or summer programmes before the contingency day passes. International students returning to the UK for exams, or leaving it afterwards, should build this date into their plans.

When Is A Level Results Day 2027?

UK A Level results are released to students on Thursday 12 August 2027, after schools receive them electronically on 11 August (AQA, 2026). Cambridge International June results usually arrive around the same time: June 2026 results were released on 11 August 2026 (Cambridge International, 2026).

Our guide to A Level results day 2027 covers what happens on the day, Clearing and how to request a review of marking.

How Should You Plan Revision Around the Timetable?

Work backwards from your first paper. A useful rule is to finish first-pass revision of every topic by the Easter holidays, then switch to timed past papers. Spaced practice and self-testing are the two most effective revision methods in learning research (Dunlosky et al., 2013).

Then map your papers week by week. Put your hardest subjects early in each week's revision so you're fresh, and leave time between papers for a final read of mark schemes. Our guide on how to revise for A Levels gives a full plan.

Want a Revision Plan Built Around Your Dates?

A good timetable turns a long exam season into manageable steps. Our tutors combine top recent A Level graduates and qualified teachers and examiners, and they help UK, Cambridge International and Edexcel International students plan revision around their own exam dates.

Submit an application and we'll match you with a tutor for your subjects.

Frequently Asked Questions

When do A Level exams start in 2027?

UK A Level exams start on Monday 10 May 2027 and finish on Friday 18 June, with a contingency day on 23 June (AQA, 2026). Edexcel International summer exams start earlier, on 4 May.

When is the last A Level exam in 2027?

On AQA's timetable, the last A Level exams fall in the week of 14 June, including Biology Paper 3 on 18 June (AQA, 2026). Edexcel International's summer series ends on 10 June.

Are Cambridge International exam dates the same everywhere?

No. Cambridge sets timetables by administrative zone, so dates vary by country. In June 2026, the zone 3 timetable ran from 23 April to 9 June (Cambridge International, 2026). Check your school's zone timetable.

Can I take A Level exams in January?

Yes, with Pearson Edexcel International A Levels. The January 2027 series runs from 8 to 25 January (Pearson, 2026). UK A Levels and Cambridge International A Levels don't offer January exams.

What time do A Level exams start?

UK A Level exams start at either 9.00am or 1.30pm, and schools can move the start by up to 30 minutes without telling the board (AQA, 2026). International boards publish local start times for each zone or time zone.

The Bottom Line

• UK A Levels run from 10 May to 18 June 2027, with 23 June as a contingency day.
• Edexcel International has January (8–25 Jan) and summer (4 May–10 June) series.
• Cambridge International dates depend on your zone; check your school's timetable.
• UK results day is Thursday 12 August 2027.

New to A Levels? Start with our guide to what an A Level is.