Adults and learners aged 14 or over (under 18s with a parent or guardian's permission and support) can study 12 GCSEs online with Lift College, following AQA specifications (WJEC Eduqas for Film Studies) with a named UK tutor and marked practice. Study is £359.99 a year or £39.99 a month per subject when you pay today (£44.99 a month after a 7-day free trial); +Exams is £629.99 a year or £69.99 a month when you pay today (£809.99 or £89.99 for Combined Science) and adds your exam entry and centre fees, with your seat booked at one of 10 Tutors & Exams centres: Birmingham, Bolton, Coventry, Doncaster, High Wycombe, Mitcham, Newcastle, Romford, St Neots and Taunton.
GCSE Biology
GCSE Business Studies
GCSE Chemistry
GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy
Exams with
Yes. There is no age limit for sitting GCSE exams. Adults can study online at home at their own pace, then sit the exam at an approved centre near them. At Lift College, GCSE Mathematics and English Language follow AQA specifications, and both also have a November exam series.
12 courses · every one starts with 7 days free
Each is a full GCSE with a named UK tutor and marked practice. Choose a subject to see the course, the plans and the free trial.
Guide
GCSE courses for adults online: adults and learners aged 14 or over can study 12 online GCSE courses with Lift College, from Maths and English Language to the sciences, with a named UK tutor and marked practice. You sit the same papers as school candidates as a private candidate, and on +Exams your seat is booked at a Tutors & Exams centre.
You sit the same papers in person as a private candidate and receive the same certificate as school candidates. Pay today and save up to 17%, with your price fixed for life, or try it free for 7 days with nothing charged until day 8, with no contract and a 14-day money back guarantee on every payment.
Browse every GCSE we offer, fully online, with the same recognition as a school GCSE.
All Lift College GCSE courses follow Ofqual-regulated specifications from AQA, apart from Film Studies, which follows WJEC Eduqas: the same qualifications sat in UK schools.
GCSEs remain the qualification most employers, colleges and universities name explicitly, particularly in English and Maths, which is why so many adults return to them rather than an equivalent qualification. Studying online means working through the same specification set by AQA (WJEC Eduqas for Film Studies) in your own time, with structured units, mock assessments and tutor marked feedback.
The exam itself must still be sat in person, since GCSE exams are not available remotely. On +Exams, Lift College enters you as a private candidate and books your seat at one of 10 Tutors & Exams centres for the May/June series, or the November series for Maths and English Language.
Not sure what you need? See how many GCSEs you actually need and GCSE vs IGCSE compared. Popular subjects include our GCSE English Language course. Home educating? See GCSEs at home.
Lift College2:33Video guide · 2 min 33 sCan you do GCSEs online as an adult?Watch on YouTubeopens in a new tab
GCSE Biology
GCSE Business StudiesGCSE Business is a Level 2 qualification about how organisations actually work.
GCSE Chemistry
GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy
GCSE English LanguageGCSE English Language is one of the most widely required qualifications in the UK.
GCSE English Literature
GCSE Film StudiesGCSE Film Studies is both an academic and a practical subject.
GCSE HistoryGCSE History is one of the most respected GCSE subjects for adults returning to formal education.
GCSE MathematicsGCSE Mathematics grade 4 or above is the single most demanded qualification in UK education and employment.
GCSE Physics
GCSE PsychologyGCSE Psychology is a strong introduction to the scientific study of the mind and behaviour for adults returning to formal education.
GCSE SociologyGCSE Sociology is the study of how society is organised and why people behave differently within it.How it works
Pick one GCSE or several. Start with a 7-day free trial: £0 today, nothing charged until day 8.
Work through the full specification online, at your own pace, with a named UK tutor and marked practice.
On +Exams we make your awarding-body entry and book your seat at a Tutors & Exams centre near you.
You sit the same GCSE papers as school candidates and get the same certificate.
Prices
Choose a plan for each subject in your basket. Change or cancel from your account at any time.
Full course, named tutor and marked practice.
Everything in Study plus exam entry and centre fees, booked for you at a Tutors & Exams centre.
Monthly comes with a 9-month expected term because exam fees are built in. Pay annually and no term applies.
(£99.99 for Combined Science) · 14-day money back
Awarding bodies and exam centres
On +Exams your seat is booked for you, and you sit your papers as a private candidate.
Exam centre partner
GCSEs are awarded by exam boards that Ofqual regulates. AQA and Pearson Edexcel are the two boards most commonly available to private candidates and adult learners, and both issue identical grade 1 to 9 GCSE certificates. Lift College delivers each subject against a single, current specification so tutor support, mock papers and revision content align with the exact paper you will sit.
Eleven of Lift College's 12 GCSEs follow AQA specifications and GCSE Film Studies follows WJEC Eduqas. November is a second exam series for GCSE Mathematics and English Language only; every other subject is sat in May/June. Exam entry is only on +Exams. Paying annually saves 15%, and monthly +Exams has a 9-month expected term because exam fees are built in: you can cancel any time with no exit fee, but unused exam credit is forfeited. GCSE grades are numeric 9 to 1 across every Ofqual-regulated board, so a grade 4 or above from any board is treated as a standard pass by universities, employers and UCAS.
| Subject | Exam board and specification | Papers | Exam series | Study | +Exams | Compare providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GCSE Mathematics | AQA 8300 | 3 written papers, 1 hour 30 minutes each; Foundation or Higher tier | May/June and November | £44.99 a month (£458.99 a year) | £79.99 a month (£815.99 a year) | Compare GCSE Maths providers |
| GCSE English Language | AQA 8700 | 2 written papers, 1 hour 45 minutes each, plus a separately reported spoken language endorsement | May/June and November | £44.99 a month (£458.99 a year) | £79.99 a month (£815.99 a year) | Compare GCSE English Language providers |
| GCSE English Literature | AQA 8702 | 2 closed book written papers | May/June | £44.99 a month (£458.99 a year) | £79.99 a month (£815.99 a year) | Compare GCSE English Literature providers |
| GCSE Biology | AQA 8461 | 2 written papers, 1 hour 45 minutes each; Foundation or Higher tier | May/June | £44.99 a month (£458.99 a year) | £79.99 a month (£815.99 a year) | Compare GCSE Biology providers |
| GCSE Chemistry | AQA 8462 | 2 written papers, 1 hour 45 minutes each; Foundation or Higher tier | May/June | £44.99 a month (£458.99 a year) | £79.99 a month (£815.99 a year) | Compare GCSE Chemistry providers |
| GCSE Physics | AQA 8463 | 2 written papers, 1 hour 45 minutes each; Foundation or Higher tier | May/June | £44.99 a month (£458.99 a year) | £79.99 a month (£815.99 a year) | Compare GCSE Physics providers |
| GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy | AQA 8464 | 6 written papers, 1 hour 15 minutes each; Foundation or Higher tier; double award | May/June | £44.99 a month (£458.99 a year) | £99.99 a month (£1,019.99 a year) | Compare GCSE Combined Science providers |
| GCSE History | AQA 8145 | 2 written papers, 2 hours each | May/June | £44.99 a month (£458.99 a year) | £79.99 a month (£815.99 a year) | Compare GCSE History providers |
| GCSE Business Studies | AQA 8132 | 2 written papers, 1 hour 45 minutes each | May/June | £44.99 a month (£458.99 a year) | £79.99 a month (£815.99 a year) | Compare GCSE Business providers |
| GCSE Psychology | AQA 8182 | 2 written papers, 1 hour 45 minutes each | May/June | £44.99 a month (£458.99 a year) | £79.99 a month (£815.99 a year) | Compare GCSE Psychology providers |
| GCSE Sociology | AQA 8192 | 2 written papers, 1 hour 45 minutes each | May/June | £44.99 a month (£458.99 a year) | £79.99 a month (£815.99 a year) | Compare GCSE Sociology providers |
| GCSE Film Studies | WJEC Eduqas C670QS | 2 written components, 1 hour 30 minutes each, plus a non-exam production (30%) | May/June | £44.99 a month (£458.99 a year) | £79.99 a month (£815.99 a year) | Compare GCSE Film Studies providers |
Compare
Not sure what your result means? See what a grade 3 GCSE is equivalent to and the quickest routes to a pass.
| Factor | GCSE (grade 4 to 9) | Functional Skills Level 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Recognition | The benchmark qualification, specified by name for teacher training and some degree entry | Accepted as a grade 4/C equivalent by most employers and colleges |
| Typical cost | £44.99 a month per subject at Lift College on Study, or £79.99 a month on +Exams (£99.99 for Combined Science) with exam entry and centre fees included | £44.99 a month at Lift College, typically £150 to £300 elsewhere including exam |
| Duration | 12 to 18 months for most subjects (12 to 24 months for Combined Science), or faster with more time each week | 8 to 16 weeks of study |
| Difficulty and format | Multiple written papers per subject, graded 9 to 1 | Single assessment per subject, pass or not yet |
| Employer recognition | Universally recognised and specifically requested on many job adverts | Widely recognised but occasionally not accepted where a GCSE is specified by name |
Where it leads
| Level | Typical roles | Salary range (GBP) |
|---|---|---|
| No GCSE English or Maths | Limited access to apprenticeships, FE college, and most professional roles | Not available ↗ |
| Functional Skills Level 2 (GCSE equivalent) | Apprenticeships, healthcare support roles, teaching assistant, customer services | £20,000 to £24,000 ↗ |
| GCSE English and Maths (grade 4+) | Wider apprenticeship access, office and admin roles, retail management, skilled trades entry | £20,280 to £31,200 ↗ |
| GCSE English, Maths + Science (grade 4+) | Healthcare assistant, lab technician trainee, science apprenticeships, Access to HE prerequisites met | £22,000 to £28,000 ↗ |
| Level 3: A Levels or Access to HE Diploma | University entry, nursing, social work, business, engineering degrees | £28,000 to £40,000 on qualification ↗ |
| Skilled trade (plumber, electrician, GCSE Maths required) | Apprentice → qualified tradesperson → business owner | £31,200 to £70,000+ ↗ |
| Sales executive / customer services (2+ GCSEs typically required) | Sales representative, account manager, team leader, sales manager | £20,280 to £60,000 ↗ |
| Higher apprenticeship or degree (GCSEs as entry gate) | Project manager, engineer, nurse, teacher, accountant | £35,000 to £60,000+ ↗ |
Lifetime earnings figures are DfE modelled averages and are not guaranteed outcomes for any individual learner.
| Role | Qualification route | UK salary range |
|---|---|---|
| Lifetime earnings uplift from achieving GCSE Maths and English | GCSE English and Maths grade 4 or above vs below grade 4 | +£207,000 lifetime (Department for Education GCSE attainment and lifetime earnings report) |
| Skilled tradesperson, for example electrician or plumber | GCSE Maths required for most apprenticeship entry | £31,200 to £70,000+ (Youth Employment UK best paid jobs after GCSEs) |
| Office and admin roles, retail management | GCSE English and Maths grade 4 or above | £20,280 to £31,200 (Youth Employment UK best paid jobs after GCSEs) |
Who it suits
Parents home educating Ages 14 to 16 can study regulated GCSEs and IGCSEs online with Lift College, then sit exams in person as private candidates. See our home education pathway. See how to sit GCSEs as a private candidate.
Home education pathwayCost, funding and entry
GCSEs at Lift College cost £44.99 a month per subject on Study (£458.99 a year), or £79.99 a month on +Exams (£815.99 a year), which adds your exam entry and centre fees with your seat booked at a Tutors & Exams centre. GCSE Combined Science on +Exams is £99.99 a month (£1,019.99 a year). Exam entry is only on +Exams. Monthly +Exams has a 9-month expected term because exam fees are built in; you can cancel any time with no exit fee, but unused exam credit is forfeited. You can pay today, or start with a 7-day free trial and nothing charged until day 8.
Pay monthly with no fixed contract, or pay annually and save 15% with Lift College.
Adults aged 19 or over in England who have not achieved GCSE English or Maths at grade 4 (C) or above are legally entitled to fully funded GCSE English and Maths, or Functional Skills English and maths from Entry level to Level 2, through the Adult Skills Fund (formerly the Adult Education Budget), subject to residency rules. Adults aged 19 to 23 may also be fully funded for a first full Level 2 qualification. Independent online providers are generally fee paying, so compare both routes before enrolling.
There are no fixed entry requirements to start an online GCSE. Providers usually recommend an initial assessment to check your starting level, particularly for Maths, since content builds progressively across the two year specification.
Learner reviews
Six of our latest reviews, as posted on Trustpilot.
Lift College is very flexible, allowing me to study GCSE Biology while working full time. The course is straightforward and include helpful tips for passing the exams.
I have just enrolled with Lift College today on a free trial. So far so good, I have accessed my course (GCSE Maths) on my platform and everything looks great. Also met my tutor who is very friendly and helpful too. Will update the reviews when I am further down the line.
Read more on TrustpilotI have enrolled on this on line course and the support/response to queries that I have received to date have been timely and effective. The college also provides a learning plan to comlete the course and mock exams, together with helpful reminders of allocated study days (you self select them and they send you a reminder to keep you on track). The modules are clear and easy to understand and a broken down into sections including question and answer sections and model answers and where applicable worked out calculations. There is a need to take notes from the online materials as there are no PDF work books to download. The assigments are completed in a text box and marked accordingly and saved into your records. Once you get used to using the learning portal (which is not too difficult) it is a fairly straightforward learning process. It is worth paying the money for this course and the level of support provided by the college.
Read more on TrustpilotI have been studying with Lift College for the past month, and so far, my experience has been positive. The team provides excellent support, and assignments are marked with helpful feedback, usually within three working days. This quick turnaround is particularly valuable as it helps me manage my studies alongside my workplace commitments.
Read more on TrustpilotExcellent customer service and the enrolment process was very smooth. Started my course three weeks ago and I’m loving it.
I recently started the CMI Level 5 course through Lift College. I was attracted to this provider due to the clean and modern design of their website. I asked the support staff a few questions before enrolling, and their responses were fast and informative. When I started the course, I was impressed by how well organised the material was and how the lessons were structured. I have taken many online courses before, including postgraduate courses from UK universities. What I expected was a few videos made using a webcam, plus several dozen PDF files that had to be read. However, the materials provided by Lift College are of excellent quality, well designed, and purpose-made. As a teacher myself with 20 years' experience, I recognised clear and deliberate efforts to help students learn more effectively. Lift College isn't just giving you a load of reading material and letting you get on with it. They have designed prompts, revision boxes, spot quizzes, and other features to ensure that learning is actively facilitated.
Read more on TrustpilotFAQ
Straight answers to the 24 questions learners ask us most.
Explore GCSEs further
Every question about GCSEs has its own page: entry, costs, careers, awarding bodies, learner stories and more.
What the qualification is, who sets it and how it is recognised
Choose your pathwayWhich course or level to start with, by goal
Entry requirementsAge, prior learning and what you need before you enrol
Funding and costsMonthly and pay-in-full prices, funding routes and refunds
Awarding bodiesWho awards the qualification and how to check it
ComparisonHow this qualification compares with the alternatives
Career pathwaysRoles, progression and UK salary ranges
Learner storiesReal learners, the course they took and what happened next
FAQEvery question learners ask before they enrol
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