The best online A Level Sociology course for most adults is one that teaches the same specification as schools, gives you a named tutor who marks your work, and books your exam for you so you are not left hunting for a centre. Lift College's online A Level Sociology course follows AQA 7192 (QAN 601/3994/8) and costs £49.99 a month on the Study plan or £89.99 a month on +Exams, which adds exam entry and centre fees with your seat booked at one of 10 Tutors & Exams centres. You sit the written papers in the May/June series, start with a 7-day free trial (nothing charged until day 8), and can enrol from age 14 (under 18s with a parent or guardian's permission and support). Below we compare Lift College with five other providers, using each provider's own page as read on 11 October 2026.
What to look for in an online A Level Sociology course
- The qualification itself. Check the exact specification and awarding body. Lift College teaches AQA 7192; other providers may teach a different board with different papers and set content.
- Whether exam entry is included. Many course prices exclude exam entry and centre fees, which you pay to a centre yourself.
- Who books the exam. Every A Level is sat in person. A provider that books your seat saves you finding a centre that accepts private candidates.
- Tutor support and marking. Look for a named tutor who marks your practice and returns it quickly, not just access to videos.
- Commitment and refunds. Compare a cancellable monthly plan with a fixed price or credit agreement, and check trial or refund terms.
- Specification and essay load. Every provider in this table teaches AQA 7192, so compare on price, exam arrangements and support rather than content. All three papers use extended essay writing, and Theory and Methods runs through every paper.
2026 comparison table
| Provider | Price | Exam board and specification | Exam entry included | Tutor support | Free trial or refund |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lift College | Study £49.99 a month or £509.99 a year; +Exams £89.99 a month (9-month expected term) or £917.99 a year. Annual billing saves 15% | AQA 7192 A Level, QAN 601/3994/8 | Yes on +Exams: entry and centre fees included, seat booked at a Tutors & Exams centre. Exam entry is only on +Exams | Named UK tutor, marked practice, marking in 5 to 7 working days | 7-day free trial, nothing charged until day 8; 14-day money-back guarantee on every payment; no contract, no credit check |
| NEC (National Extension College) | £730 single payment, or £73 deposit then £54.75 a month for 12 months at 0% APR (six or 12 month plans) | AQA 7192 | No. "Any fees in relation to exam entries or assessments are not covered by your course fee"; a guaranteed exam place is listed, and NEC says it is a JCQ-approved exam centre | 24 months 1-2-1 tutor guidance | No free trial on the page; refund terms not on the course page (Check provider) |
| Open Study College | Course only £449 (shown against £499), or from £15.88 a month; Course + exams (Birmingham) £1,139; Course + exams (other centres) £1,289 | AQA 7192 | On the exam packages OSC books and pays: "we will take care of booking and paying for your exams for you"; course only does not include exams | Unlimited tutor support throughout the course; 24 months to complete | 14-Day Money-Back Guarantee; no free trial on the page |
| ICS Learn | £440 total, shown with a sale price of £396: £60 deposit then £56 a month | AQA 7192 | No. "Your exam fees aren't included in the course cost as you'll pay these directly to your exam centre"; you book your own centre about six months ahead | Extended support until summer 2028 results | Not on the page (Check provider) |
| CloudLearn | £399 (the page also shows £499), or from £19.66 a month; 3-month plans interest free, longer plans subject to interest | AQA 7192 | No. "Additional exam fees apply"; CloudLearn finds the centre and books the exam for you | Unlimited 1:1 support from a dedicated tutor for 24 months | Free trial lesson; 14-day money-back guarantee |
| Oxbridge Home Learning | Price not shown on the course page (Check provider); its A Level listing shows "From £495" | AQA 7192 listed (the page title refers to CAIE) | Not stated as included: "You can purchase your exams when you enrol on a course, or you can book them later via MyOxbridge"; guaranteed exam spaces at partnership centres, or register as a private candidate at a centre of your choice | Unlimited tutor support for 24 months after enrolment | No free trial or refund terms on the page (Check provider); an Exam Pass Guarantee offers support to the next exam if you do not pass |
Oxbridge Ltd, trading as Oxbridge Home Learning, entered administration on 1 October 2025 according to Companies House; its website continues to trade.
Each cell reflects the provider's own page on 11 October 2026; confirm before you enrol. For how Lift College's plans work, see A Level funding and costs.
How the exam works for adults
A Level Sociology cannot be sat online. Adults sit the same written papers as school candidates, in person at an approved centre, as private candidates, and receive the same certificate. On AQA 7192 there are three written papers of 2 hours, each 80 marks and worth 33.3%: Paper 1 covers Education, Methods in Context and Theory and Methods; Paper 2 covers one topic from each of two option groups; Paper 3 covers Crime and Deviance and Theory and Methods. There is no non-exam assessment, so the A Level is 100% examined.
There is one series a year for A Levels, May/June. All papers are sat in the same series, and any non-exam assessment is submitted in the same year. On Lift College's +Exams plan, Lift enters you before AQA's deadline and books your seat at a Tutors & Exams centre in Birmingham, Bolton, Coventry, Doncaster, High Wycombe, Mitcham, Newcastle, Romford, St Neots and Taunton. If you would rather find a centre yourself, our guide to A Level private exam centres explains the process, and retaking A Levels in 2026/27 covers resits.
Who should choose which
- You want the exam booked for you and a low monthly cost: Lift College +Exams at £89.99 a month, with entry and centre fees built in. Monthly +Exams has a 9-month expected term; you can cancel any time with no exit fee, but unused exam credit is forfeited.
- You want to study first and decide on the exam later: Lift College Study at £49.99 a month, or the course-only options at Open Study College, CloudLearn or ICS Learn.
- You prefer one fixed price and long tutor access: NEC (£730, 24 months of tutor guidance) or Lift College's annual plan (£509.99 on Study, £917.99 on +Exams). Remember NEC's price excludes exam fees.
- You are resitting: match the specification you sat before. Lift College teaches AQA 7192; see the table for which boards the other providers use.
All 11 Lift College A Level subjects are listed on the A Level hub, and can you do A Levels online? explains how online study and in-person exams fit together.
Your next step
Start the A Level Sociology course free for 7 days
AQA, Ofqual regulated · From £49.99/month · £0 today. Nothing is charged until day 8.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best online A Level Sociology course in the UK?
How much does an online A Level Sociology course cost in the UK?
Can I study A Level Sociology online and sit the exam as a private candidate in the UK?
Do I need GCSE Sociology to start A Level Sociology online?
Does Lift College's A Level Sociology price include the exam?
Sources checked
- https://liftcollege.co.uk/qualifications/a-levels/a-level-sociology-online (checked 11 October 2026)
- https://www.nec.ac.uk/course/a-level-sociology/ (checked 11 October 2026)
- https://www.openstudycollege.com/courses/a-level-sociology (checked 11 October 2026)
- https://www.icslearn.co.uk/courses/a-levels/a-level-sociology/ (checked 11 October 2026)
- https://cloudlearn.co.uk/course/online-a-level-sociology-course-aqa (checked 11 October 2026)
- https://oxbridgehomelearning.uk/course/a-level-sociology/ (checked 11 October 2026)
- https://oxbridgehomelearning.uk/courses/a-level-courses/ (checked 11 October 2026)