Lift College0000 000 0000Start 7-day free trialFree trial0
GCSEFrom£29.99/mo

GCSE Business Studies

GCSE Business is a Level 2 qualification, awarded here by AQA under specification 8132, covering business in the real world, influences on business, operations, human resources, marketing and finance. It is assessed by two written exams of 1 hour 45 minutes, each carrying 90 marks and worth 50 per cent, with no coursework. You study online and sit the exams at an approved centre.

Add to Basket: From £29.99/moSee pricing
  • 12 to 18 monthsDuration
  • OnlineStudy Method
  • Start any timeStart Date
Accredited qualificationUK awarding body
Start anytimeNo fixed term dates
Tutor supportExpert tutors, 7 days
14-day money backRefund if not loved
GCSE Business Studies at a glance
Qualification levelRQF Level 2
Qualification number8132
Typical study time12 to 18 months
Study methodOnline
Start dateStart any time
Pay monthly£29.99 per month
Pay annually£287.90

This course is for you if…

  • ✓You are 18 or over and need a recognised Level 2 qualification for a job application, apprenticeship or college entry.
  • ✓You work in retail, hospitality, admin or a small business and want the formal grounding to match your experience.
  • ✓You want a business qualification with no coursework and a clear exam-based route.
  • ✓You are planning to progress to A Level Business, an accounting qualification or a Level 3 diploma.
  • ✓You are supporting a home-educated learner who wants a mainstream awarding body.
  • ✓You can attend an approved exam centre for two papers in a May or June series.

Your career after this course

  • ✓You want a qualification that can be completed entirely online. The written exams must be sat in person.
  • ✓You already hold a Level 3 business qualification and need something more advanced.
  • ✓You need a certificate in a few weeks, since AQA exams run on an annual May or June cycle.
  • ✓You are looking for a short skills course rather than a full graded GCSE.
About this qualification

What you'll learn

GCSE Business is a Level 2 qualification about how organisations actually work. It moves from the basics of business ownership and objectives through to operations, people, marketing and finance, and it consistently asks you to apply that knowledge to a real situation rather than recite definitions.

The version offered here is AQA specification 8132, the AQA GCSE in Business, Ofqual accreditation number 603/0304/9. AQA sets and marks both written papers. The qualification is linear, so all exams are taken at the end of the course, and results are reported on the nine-point GCSE scale.

RQF Level 2Online12 to 18 months100% onlineSelf-pacedTutor support
What you'll need

Entry requirements

There are no entry requirements. AQA states that specification 8132 has no previous learning requirements and that any requirements for entry to a course based on the specification are at the discretion of the centre. You do not need existing GCSEs, and you do not need to hold GCSE English or Maths first.

Some numerical confidence helps, because the finance content asks you to work with revenue, costs, profit, break-even and cash flow, and both papers include calculation questions. If arithmetic is a concern, studying GCSE Mathematics alongside or before this qualification is a practical option, though it is not a condition of enrolment. You should be 18 or over, able to study independently online, and able to travel to an approved exam centre for the written papers.

Not sure if you qualify?

Our admissions team can talk you through your options.

Call 0000 000 0000
Assessment

How you're assessed

AQA assesses 8132 through two written papers and no coursework. Paper 1, Influences of operations and HRM on business activity, lasts 1 hour 45 minutes, carries 90 marks and is worth 50 per cent of the GCSE. It assesses business in the real world, influences on business, business operations and human resources. Paper 2, Influences of marketing and finance on business activity, has the same length, marks and weighting, and assesses business in the real world, influences on business, marketing and finance.

Both papers share the same structure. Section A contains multiple choice and short answer questions worth 20 marks. Section B is built on one case study or data response stimulus worth approximately 34 marks. Section C uses a second case study or data response stimulus worth approximately 36 marks. The qualification is linear, so both papers are sat in the same series at an approved exam centre.

01

Portfolio-based

Coursework and a written portfolio. No traditional written exams.

02

Submit online

All assignments submitted through your learner dashboard.

03

Tutor feedback

Detailed feedback in 3 to 5 working days. Refine and resubmit until you reach the grade you want.

04

Graded across units

Pass, Merit or Distinction on each unit. Top grades stack to the highest UCAS point total.

Careers

Where this can take you

Typical roles and salary ranges this qualification opens up.

Retail or wholesale manager

Typical salary range

£29,000 – £50,000

Running a store, branch or trading unit with responsibility for sales targets, stock, staffing and cost control. The range spans the ONS 2024 25th and 75th percentile full-time earnings for managers and directors in retail and wholesale. The operations, HR and finance content maps closely onto this role.

Business sales executive

Typical salary range

£29,000 – £49,000

Selling products or services to business customers, managing accounts and negotiating terms. The range spans the ONS 2024 25th and 75th percentile full-time earnings for business sales executives. Understanding pricing, margin and the marketing mix is directly relevant to this work.

Marketing associate professional

Typical salary range

£26,000 – £39,000

Delivering campaigns, market research and customer communications for an organisation or agency. The range spans the ONS 2024 25th and 75th percentile full-time earnings for marketing associate professionals. The marketing unit covers research, segmentation and the marketing mix used every day in these roles.

Human resources officer

Typical salary range

£27,000 – £40,000

Handling recruitment, contracts, employee relations and training administration. The range spans the ONS 2024 25th and 75th percentile full-time earnings for human resources and industrial relations officers. The human resources unit provides the grounding, with a Level 3 or CIPD qualification the usual next step.

Pricing

Choose how you want to study

Every option includes the full course, UK tutor marking and study support. The difference is whether your exams are included.

Study

Full tuition, tutor marking and study support. You arrange and pay for your own exams.

£25.42/mo

£304.99 billed annually, save 15%

  • Full course content and tutor marking
  • AI Study Assistant and study support
  • You book and pay for your own exams
Most popular

+Exams

Tuition plus your exam entry and centre fees, booked and paid for by us.

£50.92/mo

£610.99 billed annually, save 15%

  • Everything in Study
  • Exam entry and centre fees included
  • Exam booking handled for you

7-day free trial on every option. Nothing is charged today and you can cancel from your account before the trial ends.

Everything else

What else you should know

Study support and platform

  • You get a personal tutor from day one
  • Log in any time from a phone, tablet or laptop
  • Marking is done in 3 to 5 working days
  • Talk to our support team by phone, email or live chat
  • See your progress and next steps on your dashboard
  • Join the learner community forum when you want to chat to others

Funding and finance

  • Pay monthly to spread the cost with no interest
  • Pay in full and save versus monthly
  • No credit checks and no contract. Pause or cancel anytime
  • We can send funding paperwork to your employer if they sponsor you
  • Our enrolment team will talk you through every option
  • 14 day money back guarantee on every enrolment

Accreditation and recognition

  • Awarded by a recognised UK awarding body
  • Regulated by Ofqual, the same standard as college courses
  • Accepted by UK universities, employers and professional bodies
  • You get a certificate when you finish
  • Listed on the Ofqual Register of Regulated Qualifications
  • Independently quality checked through IQA and EQA

How it works

  • Start any time. There are no set term dates or cohorts
  • Study at your own pace around work and family
  • No exams. You complete coursework, a portfolio and assignments
  • Resubmit your work at no extra cost to reach the grade you want
  • Use the optional study planner if you like a bit of structure
  • How long you study is entirely up to you. Most learners spend a few hours each week, but you can do more or less based on your own pace
What learners say

Trusted by thousands of learners

Real feedback from learners studying with Lift College.

The flexibility was a game changer for me. I studied around my shifts and my tutor was incredibly supportive throughout.
Sarah M. · Manchester
Access to HE Diploma
I was nervous about going back to study after 15 years, but the platform is so easy to use and the feedback I got on assignments was genuinely useful.
James P. · Birmingham
A Level Biology
Got into my first-choice university with a place on a Nursing BSc. The Access to HE Diploma gave me exactly what I needed.
Aisha K. · London
Access to HE Diploma (Nursing)
Good value and well structured. I appreciated that I could resubmit work without extra cost, really helped me improve.
David R. · Leeds
CMI Level 5
Customer service was excellent. Any time I had a question it was answered within hours. Highly recommend.
Emma L. · Glasgow
GCSE English
I needed a qualification that actually meant something to employers. Ofqual regulation was the deciding factor, and it delivered.
Tom W. · Bristol
CMI Level 7
You might also like

Related qualifications

GCSE Biology (online)

Level 2 · 6 to 12 months

View qualification →

GCSE Chemistry (online)

Level 2 · 6 to 12 months

View qualification →

GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy (online)

Level 2 · 9 to 15 months

View qualification →
GCSE Business Studies
Choose your planfrom £29.99/mo
Start free trial