Can Adults take A-Levels?

When it comes to subjects like A-Levels, you can be forgiven for thinking that these courses are not available for adults to take (or retake) if they need. But this isn’t the case, it’s actually a very simple process for adults to retake or take full A-Level courses as and when they need to and best of all, there is no need for them to quit their jobs and go back to school!

Unlike previously, where A-Levels required students to attend set classes in school or college, now with the development and improvement of online learning, it’s more than feasible for students to enrol to study A-Levels online from the comfort of their own home. Even with the more complicated subjects such as Biology, Chemistry or Physics, where there is a requirement for practicals to be carried out, students can still study and learn these subjects online.

Why do Adults take A Levels?

The reason for any adult wanting to take A Levels varies. Some didn’t put the effort in when at school and now need the A Levels to progress and for others, the option of doing A Levels just wasn’t there. Whatever the reason for opting to take A levels again, the important thing is to make sure it’s right for you.

As I’m sure you are already aware, life is complicated and can often get in the way. If you’re one of the adults who simply couldn’t commit to taking A Levels when you were at school, there really isn’t a reason for you to pick them up and start again if that’s what you want to do. The important thing to remember is that it’s never too late to do A Levels.

Often, an additional A Level can make an adult more appealing to employers. Taking the initiative to take an A Level after you have finished school or college shows you have a strong work ethic and drive to improve yourself. Something that any potential employer wants to see in a person. Many professional positions within larger companies also have the requirement for the person filling the role to hold relevant A Levels to ensure they can perform in the role well.

How Can Adults take A-Levels?

For whatever reason an adult needs to take A-Levels, there are many options and subjects widely available. The easiest and most simple way to start taking A-Levels would have to be online through a learning provider. Using a simple Google search, it’s possible to browse and pick your subjects within a few minutes. Then it’s just a case of enrolling to start the course and you can be off and studying within a few hours.

The great thing about opting to study your A-Levels online is that all the course materials you need to learn and study are provided for you in one place. So whenever you are ready to do some studying, you can simply login and do some work, whether that’s in your lunchbreak, on your way to work or when you’re home from work. The flexibility that online learning provides makes learning and progressing so much simpler for adult students.

What A Levels are Available for Adults?

The range of A Levels available for adults is huge! In fact, it’s almost the same as for any student at school or college. For example, subjects you can study as an adult include:

The only subjects you may find harder to study as a Private Candidate are courses such as Environmental Science or Geography. That’s not to say they are impossible, but due to their fieldwork requirements, they can be trickier to complete.

When can Adults Start Studying A Levels?

As an adult, you will be relieved to know that you don’t have to stick to term times for your A Levels. You can actually start studying A Levels at any time of the year. So if you want to try and fast track your A Levels, then you are free to do so. One option many adults opt for is to cover their A Levels in a year or less, which again is possible to do, you just need to keep in mind the examination periods.

It’s advisable, especially if you haven’t studied in a while, to allow yourself at least one year to cover your A Levels. This way you can spread the 350 hours of study time equally through the year and really give yourself a good chance to fully learn the syllabus ready for examination.

What about Examinations?

When it comes to the examination side of things for completing your A-Level qualifications, you will need to attend an examination centre during the exam period you have chosen to sit your exams. This process is very straightforward, first you will need to find an exam centre that is convenient. At the centre, you need register with them, usually with a form of ID and a student number. They will enter you with the Awarding Body and make sure your papers arrive for examination. After that, you just have to make sure you turn up on the right date and time to sit the exams.

After all the hardwork is done and your exam results are released, you will collect these from the same examination centre and then be ready to progress to the next step in your learning journey.