When is Btec results day 2026?
Btec National results are usually released to students on or just before A-level results day, which is Thursday 13 August 2026.
Your school or college will normally receive Btec results the day before A-level results come out, but students may only be given them on the same day as A-levels.
As a Btec student, you will already know some (perhaps most) of your individual unit grades from completed units.
Your school or college should be able to let you know when and how you’ll be able to pick up your Btec results. You might have to get them in person, or they could be sent to you in the post or by email.
What are the different Btec grades?
The pass grades for Btec Nationals are:
- Distinction* (D*) – equivalent in the Ucas tariff to an A* at A-level
- Distinction (D) – equivalent to an A
- Merit (M) – equivalent to a C
- Pass (P) – equivalent to an E
- Near pass (N) – this grade is available on most Btec Nationals. You can't get an N as your overall qualification grade, but you might get this for a unit. It means that you may still be able to pass the overall course without having passed every individual unit.
Depending on the type of Btec National you’re studying you’ll receive one, two or even three grades.
- Extended Diploma – three grades
- Diploma – two grades
- Extended Certificate – one grade
How are the grades worked out?
As a Btec student, you will get points for each unit you’ve completed. As you’ll have been taking units throughout the course, you should already know how many points you have in some of the units.
Once you’ve finished all your units, all the points are added together and you’re awarded a final grade.
Can I get into university with a Btec?
The short answer is yes – most UK universities accept Btecs, including those in the Russell Group, and the number of students starting with a Btec is increasing; more than 100,000 Btec students apply to uni each year.
For the full lowdown, read our article on getting into university if you're studying Btecs.
All Btec Nationals are worth Ucas points – you can see how many Ucas points each grade is worth here and in the table below.
How many Ucas points are my Btec National grades worth?
National Extended Certificate | National Diploma | National Extended Diploma |
|---|
D* 56 | D*D* 112 | D*D*D* 168 |
D 48 | D*D 104 | D*D*D 160 |
M 32 | DD 96 | D*DD 152 |
P 16 | DM 80 | DDD 144 |
| MM 64 | DDM 128 |
| MP 48 | DMM 112 |
| PP 32 | MMM 96 |
| | MMP 80 |
| | MPP 64 |
| | PPP 48 |
What do the codes on my results mean?
Your Btec results might not look as straightforward as the table above, which can be confusing. Depending on the software used to process your results, you might see your grade expressed as a letter followed by a number.
We've translated these codes for you in the table below. Look carefully at this because the codes have different meanings for different diplomas.
National Diploma | Extended Diploma |
|---|
D*D* = D1 | D*D*D* = D1 |
D*D = D2 | D*D*D = D2 |
| D*DD = D3 |
| DDD = D4 |
| DDM = D5 |
| DMM = D6 |
| MMM = M1 |
| MMP = M2 |
| MPP = M3 |
| PPP = P1 |
Where a qualification has not been issued a Q (pending) will be shown.
What should I do if I’m unhappy with my Btec results?
If it seems like your results will prevent you from following a planned route into university, an apprenticeship or another route, get some advice from your college.
"Nothing is insurmountable!" says Sally Evans, who works as a school and college progression and engagement co-ordinator at Chichester College. "If you are disappointed with your results, get advice from your careers department.
"If your results prevent you from getting into your choice of university, you may be able to go into Clearing to get a place at university you had not considered before, or you may want to look at foundation courses at university; this will make your course four years in length and helps you into university if your grades are lower than you expected. Your results do not define you, it is about what you do next."
If you’re still unhappy with your Btec results, you have a couple of options. If you think you should have received a higher grade, you could get your marks reviewed. To go down this route, you’ll need to let your school or college know that you would like a review as soon as possible after receiving your results.
You can find out more about the process of getting your Btec reviewed for each subject on the Pearson website here.
If you think you could have done better, you might be able to repeat the assessment. If it was an external assessment, you would have to wait until the next scheduled exam sitting. You’d need to speak to your school or college to arrange any retakes.
How does Clearing work for Btec students?
If you miss your university offer - or decide to decline your place - Clearing can provide another way to find yourself a place on a university course. Clearing opens at the beginning of July, and you can apply as soon as you've received all your results (including any A-level results you might be waiting for).
For lots of students, Clearing is a 'uni application plan B'. And, even if you're feeling really confident about your results, it's always going to be sensible to have one of those. This article explains how Clearing works, and how you can use it to make your back-up plan.
Got a course in mind? Search for it here to browse all entry requirements.
Stand out as a Btec student in Clearing
There are a few ways Btec students can use their qualification to their advantage when speaking to a university in Clearing.
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Some Btec students will have studied GCSE (or functional skills) Maths and/or GCSE English alongside their main qualification. If you've done this, you might emphasise how it's helped you develop time management and planning skills.
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Think about other areas where you've needed to practise time management and prioritisation. Perhaps you've combined your Btec studies with part-time or full-time work. Doing this will have helped you show the kind of independence that's important for university study.
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Level 3 students have focused on one specific subject (compared with A-level students who split their attention across three or more) and may benefit from having explored wider topics and themes within that field.
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Btec students are likely to have gained relevant work experience as part of their course. For example, you may have worked on live briefs with employers. You can use any tasks or responsibilites to show the insights you've gained and how you've engaged with a subject.
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As a Btec student, you're likely to have developed vocational skills as part of your course. Btec assessments are varied because they are coursework-based. This can include group work, presenting and using technology or equipment that schools typically wouldn't have available to A-level students.
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Btecs are a great indicator of commitment and motivation. Opting for a new vocational route after GCSEs – often moving from school to a local college in the process – can be a bigger step than staying on in the sixth form. It shows a maturity and focus which is often reflected in achievement on the Btec course.
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Don't underestimate the workload you've completed to obtain your Btec qualification, even if you haven't got the grades you were hoping for. Not only are Btec students assessed through a wide variety of methods, but the amount of assignments in those two years is significant. On average, Btec students study eight or more units each year, with three or more assessments per unit.
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If you studied at college, you can reflect on how the learning environment is similar to that of university (compared with your A-level counterparts who remained in a school setting).
