This week, thousands of students across England and Wales picked up their BTEC, T-level and A-level results - marking the first time since the pandemic that an entire cohort has gone through their GCSE and A-level years without Covid-related disruptions. For many teachers, policymakers and universities, this year’s grades feel like the clearest reflection we’ve had in years of students’ abilities, choices and opportunities.  

So what can we learn from this year's results? What’s happening with subject choices, who’s getting the top grades, and how are those grades translating into university places? And perhaps most importantly—what does all this say about the ambitions, worries and direction of our future workforce?  

Subject choices: STEM on the rise, languages in decline  

This year’s cohort has continued the steady drift towards STEM subjects. Humanities and languages are seeing fewer entries, while sciences and maths remain strong. Just 40,900 students sat history this year, compared with 41,900 in economics and 43,000 in physics. Maths is still the most popular A-level by a large margin, with 105,000 entries—up more than 4% on last year. Economics, physics and chemistry also saw similar percentage increases.  

On the other side of the scale, French experienced the steepest drop, with entries down 9.1% from 7,544 last year to 6,858. Drama, English language and English literature were the only other subjects with over 5,000 entries to see declines of more than 6%.   

Grades and grade inflation  

Across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the proportion of A-level grades awarded at A* or A rose to 28.3%, up from 27.8% in 2024.   

During the pandemic, top grades increased sharply as schools relied on teacher assessments and adjusted marking to account for lost learning. Since then, there’s been debate over whether recent increases are down to grade inflation or real changes in performance.  

Professor Alan Smithers of the University of Buckingham predicted last year’s bumper grades would continue into 2025, while Ofqual’s Amanda Swann insists that any shifts are “entirely due to a change in student performance, not a change in the standard expected.”  

Interestingly, despite a rise in the number of 18-year-olds this year, the number of A-level entries has stayed roughly the same. Swann points to more students choosing other Level 3 qualifications such as T-levels or BTECs.   

Gender and regional gaps  

This year, boys slightly edged out girls at the top grades: 28.4% of boys’ results were A* or A, compared with 28.2% for girls. Last year, boys were 0.4 percentage points behind. Whether this reflects progress in closing the gender achievement gap—or just shifts in who’s taking which subjects—is not yet clear, with UCAS data still showing more girls than boys applying to and entering university.  

Regional differences remain stark. In London, 32.1% of grades were A* or A. In the North East, it was just 22.9%—a gap of 9.2 percentage points, up from 8.8 last year. The North East and West Midlands were the only regions to see their proportion of top grades fall this year, and the North East is now the only region performing below both its 2024 and pre-pandemic 2019 levels.  

University entries: more offers, but a shifting student experience  

Amid these disparities, there was a small but positive rise in the proportion of students from the poorest backgrounds gaining a university place—from 19.4% last year to 20% this year. More students than ever secured their first-choice place, with the overall acceptance rate nudging up from 32.1% to 32.5%.  

Part of this is simply a larger cohort, but there are also signs that universities are adjusting their recruitment. With higher international student fees once used to cross-subsidise courses, institutions are now grappling with new immigration rules—such as the shortening of the graduate visa—and the threat of an international student levy. The head of UCAS has suggested that universities may be more eager to enrol UK undergraduates as a way to steady their finances.  

But even for those getting in, the university experience is changing. A decade ago, only around one in five students lived at home during their degree. Now, it’s closer to one in three.   

Students from disadvantaged backgrounds are more likely to make this choice. And although there's nothing inherently wrong or less aspirational about studying from home when it’s driven mainly by rising living costs rather than preference, it risks creating a split in student experience. Research by Hepi warns of a “bifurcation” of student experience where wealthier students can take full advantage of campus life, extra-curricular opportunities and flexible study time, while less advantaged students juggle work, commuting and caring responsibilities alongside their degree.  

Rising costs and shrinking resources  

The increased financial challenge of university is two-sided. For students, Hepi estimates that maintaining a minimum socially acceptable standard of living costs £61,000 over a three-year course or £77,000 if studying in London excluding tuition fees. The maximum annual maintenance loan for low-income students in England is £10,544, covering barely half of these costs.   

From this year, tuition fees in England rise to £9,535—a £285 increase. But analysis by the Russell Group shows this is actually a 26% real-terms decrease since 2017. In other words, fees are going up for students but not in a way that eases the financial pressure on universities.  

Looking beyond university  

Rising costs are one factor that may be influencing the choices students make after A-levels, but they are not the only one. The Early Careers Survey 2025 found that just over half (52%) of A-level students plan to study full-time at university, compared with 59% in 2022. Over the same period, interest in apprenticeships has increased from 15% to 25%.  

The survey also found that 39% of students believe they could have a good career without going to university—up from 36% last year and 32% in 2022. While university has been a significant route for many school leavers in recent years, these figures point to a potential shift in perceptions and a growing openness to alternative pathways.  

The growing role of AI in education and applications  

This year’s results day also raised questions about the role of AI—both in A-level courses and in university applications. For schools, the challenge is deciding how AI should be used, in what ways, and how assessment can adapt to reflect that.  

Research from the Alan Turing Institute found that 76% of parents worry about generative AI’s impact on their child’s critical thinking skills, while 52% of teachers are concerned about the rise in AI-generated work being submitted as a student’s own. In a recent YouGov survey, one in six adults suggested reducing or removing coursework as a way to address misuse. Jill Duffy, chief executive of OCR, argued that coursework is too valuable to lose because it helps reduce the burden of excessive exams. Instead, she called for a national AI strategy, funding to ensure equitable access, and adaptations to coursework so it is “fit for the AI century.”  

There are also questions about AI’s role in university applications. Earlier this year, a journalism graduate submitted an AI-generated UCAS application for cartoon character Homer Simpson. Reports claimed the profile was invited for interview and even received an offer from Oxford Brookes University before UCAS removed it.  

The UCAS application process requires students to confirm that their personal statement has not been copied or produced by third-party software. However, UCAS guidance notes that AI tools can be used for tasks such as brainstorming or structuring ideas, and advises applicants to check with individual universities. Cases like this highlight the need for clear guidance so that students, teachers and institutions understand the boundaries and can integrate AI into education in a way that reflects its growing role in the workplace.  

Conclusion   

While top grades continue to rise and university access shows small improvements, stark regional and socioeconomic disparities remain. As students increasingly navigate financial pressures, alternative pathways, and a changing educational landscape shaped by AI, ensuring they are prepared for the future requires coordinated action across schools, universities, and employers—and a willingness to rethink traditional pathways in light of the opportunities and challenges ahead.