Exam Board

What it is

Exam boards like AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR, and WJEC set the syllabuses and assessments for school and college qualifications. They publish specifications, mark schemes, and grade boundaries that determine how students are assessed.

Understanding your exam board is useful when ordering replacement certificates or planning resits because each one has its own procedures and exam timetables.

Why it matters

Universities sometimes prefer specific exam board modules, especially in sciences or languages where practical assessments differ. Knowing your board helps admissions staff verify grades quickly when they contact UCAS on results day.

When you apply for Student Finance or visas, you may need official transcripts or certificates. These documents are issued by the exam boards, not the school, so it is worth keeping their contact details handy.

Common mistakes

• Mixing up boards: If you took Maths with one board and English with another, list them correctly on UCAS.
• Assuming schools keep records forever: After a few years, you must request documents directly from the exam board, which can take time.
• Ignoring specification changes: If you plan to resit, check whether the syllabus has been updated since you last studied it.

How UniStart helps

The UniStart app stores your qualification history, including exam boards, so you can pull the information instantly when completing applications. Advisors can also guide you through ordering replacement certificates if originals are lost.

Next steps

• Add your exam boards to the UniStart qualification tracker.
• Contact the relevant board if you need certified copies of certificates.
• Read our guide on booking exam resits as a private candidate through local centres.