Cranes over the Manchester skyline, view across the city centre

MANCHESTER, LOCATION HUB

Manchester GCSEs and A-Levels with an exam centre in Bolton

Study online with Lift College, then sit your written papers at Tutors and Exams, St Andrews House, Bolton BL1 1LD, around 20 minutes by direct train from Manchester Piccadilly. A-Level science practicals run at the Bolton School science lab, a short hop across town.

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From £29.99 a month, cancel anytime, 14-day money-back guarantee

1 Exam centre1 CPAC lab22 Subjects available45 min Maximum travel time

Study onlineSit locally in ManchesterUK teachersOfqual regulated awarding bodies

The catchment

A Greater Manchester college with one front door in Bolton.

Lift College supports learners right across Greater Manchester, from the city centre, Ancoats, Didsbury and Wythenshawe out to Salford, Trafford, Bury, Rochdale, Oldham, Stockport and Wigan.

Written exams are sat at our partnered Tutors and Exams centre at St Andrews House in Bolton, five minutes from Bolton Interchange and around 20 minutes by direct train from Manchester Piccadilly. A-Level science practicals run separately at the Bolton School science lab.

Two routes

Pick your qualification.

Route 01

GCSEs

Retake or take your GCSEs online, then sit the written papers locally.

GCSEs in Manchester

Route 02

A-Levels

Complete your A-Levels online with tutor support and examiner observed practicals.

A-Levels in Manchester

Exam centre

CPAC lab

Subjects available

45 min

Maximum travel time

The course catalogue

Courses available in Manchester.

You study online with UK teachers, then sit your written exams at a partnered centre near Manchester.

GCSE subjects

12 available for study from Manchester.

See all GCSEs

A-Level subjects

11 available for study from Manchester.

See all A-Levels

Exam day

The 1 Manchester exam centre.

Study online, sit locally. Every centre below is bookable through Lift College.

Centre 01

Bolton

Tutors and Exams Bolton

Address: St Andrews House, St Andrews Court, Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL1 1LD
Phone: 03300 438 772
Hours: Mon to Thu 08:30 to 16:30, Fri 08:30 to 15:30
Transport: Five minute walk from Bolton Interchange, the Trinity Street rail and bus station. Bolton to Manchester Piccadilly is about 20 minutes by direct Northern train, and Manchester Victoria is a similar journey. Car parks at Crompton Place, Octagon and Back Cheapside, no parking or drop-off at the door.
Boards accepted: AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR, Eduqas
Catchment: BL, M, OL

Enquire about Bolton Directions ›

Science practicals

CPAC labs across Manchester.

Bolton School Science Lab

Bolton School, Chorley New Road, Bolton, BL1 4PA

Biology, Chemistry, Physics | AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR, Eduqas

Lab kit: Dedicated science laboratory in the Kroto Chemistry Building, Up to 16 candidate spaces per cohort, Full practical equipment for AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR and Eduqas CPAC requirements

Spring 2027: Biology 15 to 18 February, Physics 30 March to 2 April, Chemistry 5 to 8 April. All four days must be completed for a pass endorsement.Book ›

Areas served

Where our Manchester learners come from.

Every Greater Manchester borough sits inside the catchment of the Bolton centre, with most learners under 45 minutes away by rail, Metrolink or road.

01Central ManchesterCity Centre, Ancoats, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Didsbury, Rusholme, Withington, Wythenshawe

02Bolton and North WestBolton, Horwich, Farnworth, Westhoughton, Blackrod, Little Lever

03Salford and TraffordSalford, Eccles, Swinton, Worsley, Stretford, Altrincham, Sale, Urmston

04Bury and RochdaleBury, Prestwich, Radcliffe, Whitefield, Rochdale, Heywood, Middleton

05Wider Greater ManchesterOldham, Stockport, Tameside, Wigan

Answers

Studying in Manchester, answered.

Where do I sit my GCSE exams in Manchester?

You sit written GCSE exams at our partnered Tutors and Exams centre in Bolton, St Andrews House, St Andrews Court, BL1 1LD. It is a five minute walk from Bolton Interchange and about 20 minutes by direct train from Manchester Piccadilly. You pick your centre when you book your exam entry.

Why is the Manchester exam centre in Bolton?

Bolton is our partnered written centre for the whole Greater Manchester catchment. It sits directly on the Manchester rail network, has multiple exam rooms and two nearby overflow sites, so it can seat far more candidates than a city centre room. Most learners in Greater Manchester reach it in under 45 minutes.

Where do A-Level science students do practicals near Manchester?

CPAC practicals run at the Bolton School science lab on Chorley New Road, BL1 4PA, a different building from the written centre. The Spring 2027 sessions are Biology 15 to 18 February, Physics 30 March to 2 April and Chemistry 5 to 8 April. All four days must be completed for a pass endorsement.

Is there parking at the Bolton centre?

There is no parking or drop-off at the door. Public car parks at Crompton Place, the Octagon and Back Cheapside are all a few minutes away, and Bolton Interchange is a five minute walk if you prefer to travel by train or bus.

When do I need to enrol to sit exams in summer 2027?

The standard entry deadline for summer 2027 is 4 April 2027, and 29 March 2027 for subjects with Modern Foreign Languages speaking tests. Bolton is a popular centre and has closed entries early in past series, so enrol by autumn 2026 to be safe.

In their words

Our son sat his GCSEs at the Bolton centre and the process was straightforward from booking to results day. The team explained exactly what to bring, met him at the door on exam mornings and kept us updated by email throughout.

Rebecca T., GCSE, Bolton

We chose Bolton for A-Level maths and science because it is an easy train ride from Manchester Piccadilly, and the staff were flexible about access arrangements for our daughter. On the day everything ran smoothly.

Imran K., A-Level, Bolton

Next step

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