If your private-candidate GCE certificate has not arrived by the date indicated in SEAB’s results email, contact SEAB through its official enquiry channel. Have the examination level, year and mailing address used in the Candidates Portal ready. Start with the date in your own email because it relates to your results exercise.
You can view your released results separately in the Candidates Portal. Whether you should expect a printed certificate depends on SEAB’s award criteria for your examination. If you are unsure, check the grades and the certificate guidance before treating the missing envelope as a postal problem.
- Find the certificate delivery information in your results email.
- Check whether your grades meet the award criteria for your examination level.
- Compare the registered mailing address with the intended delivery address.
- Contact SEAB if the delivery date has passed or you identify an address problem.
- Ask the receiving institution what proof it accepts if an application is due.
CHAPTER 1 OF 4 · Back to contents
Check whether SEAB should have issued a certificate
SEAB publishes different award criteria for the N(T), N(A), O- and A-Level examinations. For example, at O-Level the published criterion is grade 6 or better in at least one subject. For N(A)-Level it is grade 5 or better in at least one subject. Check the official table for your qualification, particularly if you sat more than one examination level.
Then check the date and address
The 2026 GCE secondary rules describe delivery to the mailing address recorded in the Candidates Portal within five working days from results release for eligible private candidates. SEAB’s missing-certificate FAQ directs candidates to get in touch if the certificate has not arrived by the date in the email. Open that message and check the delivery instructions for your own examination.
If you moved recently, check the address you used during registration. When contacting SEAB, describe the move and ask how to handle the specific certificate. SEAB can tell you what to do for your case.
CHAPTER 2 OF 4 · Back to contents
Worked example | Results online, envelope missing
Daniel sees his O-Level results in the Candidates Portal and has a subject grade that meets the published award criterion. He checks the date in the results email and finds it has passed. Then he notices that his portal registration used his previous address.
Daniel contacts SEAB using its official enquiry route. He identifies the examination and year and explains the address discrepancy. He asks whether the certificate has been sent and what steps are available. He uses the verification process SEAB requests before providing any identity documents.
What to include in your enquiry
Start with the exact qualification and examination year. Then state the expected delivery date shown in your email and whether the address used for registration is still correct. Mention any postal notice you received. Keep identifying information within SEAB’s official channel and follow the form’s instructions.
Contents · Previous chapter · Next chapter
CHAPTER 3 OF 4 · Back to contents
If you need the results for an application now
Check what the receiving school, employer or other institution accepts before the deadline. A portal view can help you confirm the grades, while the recipient may require a particular official record. Ask whether it can accept the digitised result when available or has an interim process for candidates waiting on documents.
Check current-year availability separately from the past-years retrieval list. The 2026 secondary rules describe a separate release timetable for eligible candidates’ digital results through MySkillsFuture. Use the instructions for your own examination and account.
Contents · Previous chapter · Next chapter
CHAPTER 4 OF 4 · Back to contents
Frequently asked questions
Who should I contact if I took the exam through my school?
Ask your school about the collection arrangements. This guide addresses the postal route for private candidates.
Does seeing my results online mean a hardcopy certificate is coming?
Check the certificate award criteria for your qualification. The portal result and eligibility for a printed certificate are separate checks.
Can I ask for a replacement if I lose the certificate after delivery?
SEAB directs candidates who lose their certificates to the digitised-results route. Tell SEAB whether the document failed to arrive or was lost after delivery.
Where are the official instructions?
Start with SEAB’s missing certificate FAQ, private-candidate certificate guidance and the SEAB contact page.