The wait is nearly over to find out your A Level grades.

A Level results day is upon us, enabling millions of students across the UK to take the next step in their lives, whatever it might be.

But when is that critical date and time?

With the school summer holidays here and many students and their parents going away, knowing the exact date for A Level results is essential.

No one wants to miss such a big day.

So here's all you need to know.

When is A Level results day 2018?

Students celebrating their A-level results

A Level results are due out on Thursday, August 16, a week ahead of the GCSE results.

While students previously had no choice but to queue up outside their school gates to find out their academic futures, many are now accessing UCAS Track - the online university application service - on their way in or even before they leave home.

What time can you collect your results?

UCAS Track informs students whether a university has decided to offer them a place at 8am on results day, before many teenagers have arrived at their schools to collect their results envelopes.

However, while you’ll be able to see your university confirmation, your marks won’t show on UCAS, so, if you haven’t already, you will need to pick these up at your school or college.

The UCAS social media team will be around from 6am and the contact centre opens at 7.30am for enquiries.

Contrary to rumours, Track does not update at midnight or at any time the night before A Level results day.

"The majority of teenagers have laptops or tablets, so they can log in on their way into school,” said a UCAS spokesman. "In some cases you may find out a little earlier than 8am, but that is the time at which Track is updated."

Universities, which find out applicants’ A Level results a few days in advance, inform UCAS of their decision ahead of results day. UCAS then publish these decisions online on the morning of results day.

A level results
A level results

Is that the same for everywhere?

August 16 is results day for students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

But in Scotland, A Level results day was on Tuesday, August 7, where UCAS tracking opened at 9am, an hour later than elsewhere.