AQA News Articles
Applied General Science: end of qualification reminders
Updated 5 January 2026
In July 2024 we announced that our Applied General Science qualification is coming to an end. The final date for new learners enrolling for the Certificate qualification (1776) and for the Extended Certificate qualification (1777) was September 2024.
To help you prepare your students for the final certification and any resit opportunities, we’ve a few helpful reminders.
Certificate qualification (1776)
The final opportunity to claim the Certificate qualification (1776) for the first time was June 2025 following entries made in September 2024:
- units available for first entries of the Certificate qualification (1776) in June 2025 were Units 1, 2 and 3.
Resits of allowed units to improve on a previously claimed Certificate qualification (1776) will be available in January 2026 and June 2026:
- learners must have taken Units 1, 2 and 3 and claimed a Certificate qualification in June 2025 or in an earlier exam series
- schools and colleges will not be able to make any new entries or claims for learners who do not already have a Certificate qualification (1776). It will not be possible to claim a Certificate qualification (1776) in January 2026 or June 2026 for the first time
- units available as resits for the Certificate qualification (1776) in January 2026 and June 2026 are Units 1, 2 and 3.
Extended Certificate qualification (1777)
The final opportunity to claim the Extended Certificate qualification (1777) for the first time is June 2026:
- units available for first entries in June 2026 are Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3, Unit 4, Unit 5, Unit 6A, Unit 6B and Unit 6C.
Resits of units to improve a previously claimed Extended Certificate qualification will be available in January 2027 and June 2027:
- learners must have taken Units 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and one of Units 6A, 6B or 6C, and claimed an Extended Certificate qualification (1777) in June 2026 or in an earlier exam series
- schools and colleges will not be able to make any new entries or claims for learners who do not already have an Extended Certificate qualification (1777). It will not be possible to claim the Extended Certificate qualification (1777) in January or June 2027 onwards for the first time
- units available as resits for the Extended Certificate qualification (1777) in January 2027 and June 2027 are Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3, Unit 4, Unit 5, Unit 6A, Unit 6B and Unit 6C.
The above rules are summarised in the following examples:
- A learner has sat units 1-3 and claimed the Certificate award 1776 in June 2025 or an earlier series. They can enter to re-sit units 1-3 in January 2026 or June 2026 to improve their Certificate award. They can also continue to sit units 4-6 and claim the Extended Certificate award 1777 in June 2026.
- A learner who has not claimed the Certificate award 1776 in June 2025 or an earlier series but has entered units 1-3, will not be able to claim the Certificate award 1776 but can continue to the Extended Certificate award 1777 by entering any remaining units and the award in January 2026 or June 2026.
- A learner who enters units for the first time in January 2026 will not be able to claim the Certificate award 1776 but can enter for units, as long as they are going on to claim the Extended Certificate award in January 2026 or June 2026. They must have met the minimum requirements for the award when they claim the Extended Certificate and have entries for the six units required. They could then re-sit units in January 2027 and/or June 2027 to improve their Extended Certificate award.
- A learner who has entered units but not claimed the Extended Certificate award 1777 by the end of the June 2026 series will not be able to claim the Extended award for the first time in January 2027 or June 2027.
Rules on resits, resubmissions and retakes
Learners are allowed up to three attempts at each externally assessed unit and one resubmission of each internally assessed unit, so two attempts at the unit in total.
Please see specification page 138, paragraph 15.2 on our website for further details on resit rules, resubmissions and retakes.
If you have any questions or need any support, please get in touch with us by email at alevelscience@aqa.org.uk or call 01483 477756.