Online A Levels: Can You Sit A Level Exams From Home?

Yes, you can sit A Level exams from home, provided the qualification is a Pearson Edexcel International A Level taken online with a live Pearson invigilator watching over the session. For anyone considering online A Levels as a way to resit a subject and improve a grade, this means the exam itself can happen in a quiet room at home rather than in an unfamiliar exam hall.

Pass Learn is one of the only providers in the world offering this, and its guide to A Levels from home lists the subjects and series available. Below, we look at the route from a resitter's point of view.

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Why Resit Through Remote Invigilation?

Pass Learn lists resitters among the learners this route suits, alongside school leavers, adults, home-educated learners, anxious test-takers and those without a nearby exam centre. For a resitter, the main attractions are practical:

• The exam is sat from home, so there is no travel to a centre for each paper.

• It is open to anyone: no evidence or reason is needed to sit at home.

• It can be sat from abroad where Pearson offers remote invigilation in that country.

• Adults returning to study avoid taking time off work for every paper.

It is worth being clear about one point before planning a resit. UK A Levels from boards such as AQA, Edexcel, OCR and WJEC, along with Cambridge International A Levels, can be studied online but are always sat at an exam centre. The home route applies only to the Pearson Edexcel International A Level, which follows a different specification from UK A Levels.

How Booking a Resit Works

A resit through this route is booked as a whole subject, which includes entry to every paper, Pearson's familiarisation, results and a Pearson certificate. If you only want to resit some units of a subject, the right step is to speak to an adviser, who can talk through what is possible. Pearson's own guidance also notes that, for some subjects, only some units are available in a given series.

Once you decide to book an online A Level exam, the process runs in a clear order:

• You book through Pass Learn's online checkout, and the exams team contacts you within one working day.

• The team confirms the booking deadline, which depends on the series.

• Pass Learn enters you with Pearson as a remote invigilation candidate.

• After booking, the exams team asks for a photo of your ID with the details Pearson needs and sends them with your entry.

• Pearson runs the compulsory familiarisation session, with Pass Learn guiding you through the ID check and familiarisation.

Choosing the Right Series for a Resit

The International A Level is offered online in the January, Summer (May/June) and October series, depending on the subject, so it is not available at any time of year. Exams start at 07:00 or 10:00 UK time, which matters if you are sitting from another time zone.

Six Subjects to Consider

Each of the following is a Pearson Edexcel International A Level that can be booked as a full subject:

• Psychology: four paper-based units, from social and cognitive psychology through to clinical psychology and psychological skills, sat in the Summer series only. You can read more about International A Level Psychology online.

• History: four onscreen papers of two hours each, covering depth, breadth, thematic and international studies, in the Summer series only. Details are on the page for International A Level History online.

• Law: two paper-based papers of three hours each, on the underlying principles of law and the law in action, sat in the Summer series only. Find out about International A Level Law online.

• Geography: four paper-based units, including Global Challenges and Contested Planet, in the Summer series only. See the overview of International A Level Geography online.

• Economics: four paper-based units mixing multiple-choice, data response and essays, available in the Summer and October series. Learn more about International A Level Economics online.

• Business: four paper-based papers of two hours each, with source-based sections and 20-mark essays, also offered in the Summer and October series. Explore International A Level Business online.

For resitters, Economics and Business stand out because offering both the Summer and October series gives more choice over when to sit.

What You Need at Home

The requirements for sitting at home are detailed, and every candidate needs to meet them. Before exam day, make sure you have:

• valid, in-date photo ID (a passport, national identity card, driving licence or UK citizenship card), which you hold up to the camera for Pearson's invigilator at the start of each familiarisation session and each exam;

• three devices: a laptop with a webcam, a phone with Pearson's app and a backup recorder;

• a printer and scanner for paper-based subjects, so you can print the answer booklet, handwrite your answers and scan every page;

• a quiet, private room rather than a shared space;

• a parent, guardian or other responsible adult (not your tutor or teacher) who is there when you log in and stays available outside the room for the whole exam.

Familiarisation is compulsory. Without it, Pearson removes the entry, with no refund. You can read how the live invigilation works on Pearson's remote invigilation service page, including how the invigilator communicates through a chat box.

Recognition and Your Next Step

The International A Level is an internationally recognised qualification, and UK universities accept International A Levels grade for grade. Pearson describes its International Advanced Level qualifications as globally recognised and modular in structure. Because the specification differs from a UK A Level, it is sensible to check your course's entry requirements before choosing this route for a resit.

Many resitters also want structured preparation alongside the exam. Pass Learn's courses are optional and can be bundled with the exam booking, while passalevel.co.uk describes flexible online A Level study that you can start at any time. Adults weighing up going back to study A Levels will find that adult candidates sit the same specifications, papers and marking, and the certificate does not mention private candidate status.

Conclusion

A resit does not have to mean another trip to an exam hall. With a Pearson Edexcel International A Level, you can sit the papers from home with a live Pearson invigilator, as long as you book the whole subject, choose a series your subject runs in and have the right set-up ready. If you are still comparing options, the full overview of A Levels from home is a useful place to check subjects and series before you decide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I resit just one unit of an International A Level online?

The booking covers the whole subject, including every paper. If you only want to resit some units, speak to an adviser, who can explain what is possible for your subject and series.

Can I resit a UK A Level, such as AQA, from home?

No. UK A Levels and Cambridge International A Levels are always sat at an exam centre. The home option applies to the Pearson Edexcel International A Level only.

Which subjects offer more than one series in the year?

Of the six subjects covered here, Economics and Business are available in both the Summer and October series. Psychology, History, Geography and Law are booked for the Summer series.

When will I get my resit results?

Pearson releases results on the results day for your series, and you receive a Pearson certificate.