With everything going on during your A-levels or at uni, it's understandable to feel stressed. We've got plenty of info and advice to help you manage your stress below.
Updated: 08 Jun 2026
If you’ve felt stressed at any point during your education, you’re not alone. In fact, we’d be surprised if you didn’t get stressed at least once while taking exams, studying post-16 qualifications or adjusting to university. It’s completely normal to sometimes feel stressed about school, and there are plenty of methods and resources available to help you manage your worries. This article shows where you might experience stress in school and has useful advice and places to look for guidance should you come up against some pressure.
Knowing when you might experience stress during your education is handy because it means you can see it coming. If you know that beginning your studies for a new exam level or waiting for results will be a difficult time, you’ll be able to anticipate the stress and plan for ways to deal with it.
Starting sixth form
Sixth form can be a big change from your secondary school years, with increased workloads, complex lessons and, depending on your subjects, coursework or independent study. It’s no surprise that sixth form can get stressful. With that being said, there are things you can do to ease the pressure...
NEXT: Check out our five top ways to manage sixth form stress
Revising
When exams are approaching, it’s totally normal to feel some anxiety building, especially when you’re reading up on a particularly complex subject. Luckily, we’ve got some helpful tips for taking care of your mental health while getting some serious revision done.
NEXT: Read our best tips for looking after your mental health while revising
Exams
It’s the big day – exams. You’ve been working up to this point for a year (or more), so of course the tension will be high. It’s understandable to feel nervous, but there are things you can do to feel more prepared. Keep in mind our advice for exam day success and do your best on the day.
NEXT: See our guide for exam day success
Results day
Waiting for weeks until your exam results arrive can be rather stressful indeed, and on results day it can be overwhelming. It’s important to keep your mental health in mind, no matter what happens, and we’ve got guidance for how to do exactly that.
NEXT: Find out how to look after your wellbeing on results day
Clearing
Clearing can be stressful, as it can feel like everything needs to happen quickly or you’ll miss out on going to uni. But Clearing doesn’t have to be overwhelming! We’ve got loads of advice over on our Clearing Hub, which should help you all the way through Clearing and beyond.
NEXT: Discover 17 myths about Clearing you shouldn’t believe
Starting university
Remember how starting sixth form was a change of pace? Well, starting uni is another big change of pace. But don’t worry – your university knows that this can be a stressful time and will have resources available to help you adjust to your new surroundings and workload.
NEXT: Read more about how universities offer student mental health support
So now that you know when stress might strike, what can be done about it? Well, everyone has different ways of dealing with stress, so it'll often be a case of finding what works for you. We have a few recommendations below for what you could try when you begin to feel the pressure getting to you.
Make a plan
If you’ve got a lot to do, taking a few minutes to separate everything into manageable chunks and writing down how you’ll approach it is well worth the time. It can show you where you’ll need to focus more energy, how much time you can set aside for the tasks, when you’ll have time to take a break and give you the satisfying feeling of ticking off each item when it’s finished.
Get some exercise
If you’re feeling anxious while studying or revising, it’s a good idea to take a break and get moving. Whether it’s a quick walk around your neighbourhood, a jog at a local park or a kickabout with friends, exercise is excellent for helping to relieve stress. It can also boost your mood, so you can come back to your studies feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the next task.
Sleep
On the opposite end of the scale, when it’s time to rest, make sure you get plenty of everyone’s least active hobby – sleep! Getting a good sleep can help with your concentration and emotional stability, and can also bolster your mood, so it’s immensely useful for helping with the stress of studying and exams.
Talk to someone
Talking to someone can help you make sense of what you’re feeling, especially if everything is starting to feel a bit much. Try speaking to someone you trust, whether that’s a friend, parent, sibling, teacher or another trusted adult. They may have felt something similar before, and even if they can’t fix everything, having someone listen can make things feel less overwhelming.
Be kind to yourself
This one is a little more conceptual than the others but stick with us. It’s important to be kind to yourself when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Remind yourself that everybody experiences stress at some point and that’s completely fine. Keep in mind that if you start to feel like it’s becoming too much to handle, there are places you can go to talk to people and get advice and guidance on how to manage the strain. Take regular breaks, be your own cheerleader and make some time for things you really enjoy alongside your work.
If you’re looking for somewhere to find help with school stress, then there are plenty of places to go, resources to read and people to talk to. Get in touch with them and be open and honest about what you’re feeling, and they will do their best to help you out.
Mental health organisations
There are several charities and organisations which specialise in helping people impacted by mental health issues like stress. In fact, there are some charities which specialise in mental health for students, and they’ll know exactly what you’re going through and be happy to help. Here are some charities you can contact or visit online if you need support with something that's worrying you.
GP
Going to your GP can be intimidating, but the help they offer can be invaluable. Your GP can assess your situation and concerns, talk through possible next steps and, if needed, refer you to another service such as a mental health specialist, counsellor or therapist.
Friends and family
Whether you need to talk about school stress or simply chat about something completely different, speaking to friends and family can be a real relief. They may have experienced similar feelings before, and even if they can’t fix everything, having someone listen can make things feel less overwhelming.
University
When you get to university, you’ll often find that the institution provides support for students in a variety of ways, including mental health support. Check out the university’s website to find out what services it provides, or whether it works with external providers to support the students. You can also get in touch with the student wellbeing services at your uni, who might be able to arrange drop-in sessions to offer support and guidance on stress or any other issues you may have.
Receive a monthly newsletter packed with useful tips and updates to help you find the right uni.