The best online GCSE Combined Science course for most adults in the UK teaches the same double award GCSE schools use, gives you a named tutor who marks your work, and books all your exams for you. Lift College's online GCSE Combined Science course follows AQA GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy 8464 (QAN 601/8758/X), a double award worth two GCSE grades. The Study plan is £39.99 a month or £407.99 a year, and +Exams is £89.99 a month or £917.99 a year with exam entry and centre fees included, booked for you at one of 10 Tutors & Exams centres for the May/June series. Every plan starts with a 7-day free trial, nothing is charged until day 8, and anyone aged 14 or over can enrol.
What to look for in an online GCSE Combined Science course
- The exact qualification. AQA Combined Science: Trilogy 8464 is a double award GCSE taught in English schools. Several providers sell the Pearson Edexcel International GCSE in Science (Double Award) 4SD0 instead, which is a different qualification with different papers. Check that your college, university or employer accepts the one you choose.
- Whether the price includes exam entry. Most course prices exclude exam fees.
- Where you sit the exam. No GCSE can be sat online; you sit every paper in person at an approved centre.
- Tutor support. A named tutor who marks your practice is worth more than paid add-on marking.
- Commitment and refunds. Compare a cancellable monthly plan with an upfront or instalment price.
2026 comparison table
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| Provider | Price | Exam board and specification | Exam entry included | Tutor support | Free trial or refund |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lift College | Study: £39.99 a month or £407.99 a year. +Exams: £89.99 a month or £917.99 a year. Annual billing saves 15% | AQA GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy 8464, QAN 601/8758/X (double award) | +Exams: yes, exam entry and centre fees included, booked for you at a Tutors & Exams centre. Study: 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) | £765 single payment, or £76.50 deposit and 12 payments of £57.38 (0% APR) | Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Science (Double Award) 4SD0 | No. "Any fees in relation to exam entries or assessments are not covered by your course fee"; guaranteed exam place | Personal tutor for up to 24 months | No free trial on the page; refund terms not on the page (Check provider) |
| Open Study College | £349 course only (£449 shown with "Save £100"), or from £12.35 a month; £2,019 for course plus exams and practicals | AQA GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy according to the page heading (page shows "Specification: 8465") | Only on the exams and practicals option ("we will book and pay for them on your behalf"); page lists "three practical days" | "Unlimited" tutor support for the full course duration | No free trial on the page; 14-Day Money-Back Guarantee |
| CloudLearn | £349 (£460 struck through), or from £12.35 a month; 3-month interest-free plan or longer plans with interest | Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Science 4SD0 | No. "Additional exam fees apply"; FAQ says exam fees are "separate, from £410" | Personal 1:1 tutor | Free trial lesson; 14-day money-back guarantee mentioned; pass guarantee conditional on following its recommendations |
| ICS Learn | £460, or £70 deposit then £65 a month interest-free over 6 months | Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Science (Double Award) 4SD0 | No. "Your exam fees aren't included in the course cost as you'll pay these directly to your exam centre" | Personalised tutor support; extended support until summer 2028 results | Not on the page (Check provider) |
| Oxbridge Home Learning | Course page shows no price; its GCSE listing shows "From £495" | AQA GCSE Combined Science 8464 | No. "There is a separate fee required to book your exams, paid directly to the facility"; guaranteed exam spaces at partner centres | Unlimited tutor support for up to 24 months | Not on the page (Check provider); Exam Pass Guarantee of free support until your next exams |
| Oxford Home Schooling | £34.99 first payment, then £24.99 a month, minimum 6 months | Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Science (Double Award) 4SD0 | No. "Course enrolment does not automatically enter you for the examinations"; you arrange a centre | Marking is optional and paid: assignment marking bundle £206.79; email tutor support £10 a month | Not on the page (Check provider) |
Each cell reflects the provider's own page on 10 October 2026; confirm before you enrol. Oxbridge Ltd, trading as Oxbridge Home Learning, entered administration on 1 October 2025 according to Companies House; its website continues to trade.
Three providers in the table sell an AQA Combined Science GCSE: Lift College, Open Study College and Oxbridge Home Learning. The other four teach the Edexcel International GCSE in Science (Double Award). Lift is the only one sold as a monthly plan with exam entry and centre fees built in. For a wider look at what adults pay, read how much an online GCSE costs.
How the exam works for adults
AQA GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy 8464 is six written papers of 1 hour 15 minutes each, two each in biology, chemistry and physics. It is a double award, so you receive two GCSE grades. You choose Foundation tier (5-5 to 1-1) or Higher tier (9-9 to 4-3) with your tutor. Combined Science is examined in the May/June series only; the November series runs only for GCSE Mathematics and English Language. There is no coursework. Most Lift learners spend 8 to 12 hours a week and finish in 12 to 24 months, or faster with more time each week.
Adults sit GCSEs as private candidates, entering through an approved centre they do not attend as students. You sit the same papers and receive the same certificate as school candidates. On Lift's +Exams plan you sit at a Tutors & Exams centre in Birmingham, Bolton, Coventry, Doncaster, High Wycombe, Mitcham, Newcastle, Romford, St Neots or Taunton. Our guide to sitting GCSEs as a private candidate explains entries step by step.
Required practicals. The 21 required practicals have no separate grade and no coursework mark; they are examined through questions in the written papers. AQA's practical assessment guidance for 8464 says these questions "will count for at least 15% of the overall marks for the qualification". AQA's private candidate guidance for 8464 adds that private candidates "need to find a school or college who will let them carry out the required practicals", that this "is likely to incur a cost", and that "candidates lacking hands on experience will be at an immediate disadvantage". Lift College teaches each of the 21 required practicals with a video demonstration, a method sheet and real data, then examines them through marked questions in the style of the papers. Among competitors, Open Study College's exams option includes practical days, and NEC's page describes practical experiments "you can conduct at home" on its International GCSE.
Who should choose which
- You want AQA 8464 with exam entry built in and no contract: Lift College +Exams at £89.99 a month. 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 want the full course and a named tutor at the lowest monthly price: Lift College Study at £39.99 a month, or £407.99 a year. Exam entry is only on +Exams.
- You want one upfront price that includes exams and practical days: Open Study College's £2,019 option.
- You are happy with the Edexcel International GCSE: CloudLearn and ICS Learn have the lowest one-off course prices among those, but exam fees are extra.
- You need two science grades at 4 or above for nursing, teaching, an apprenticeship or a college course: Combined Science covers all three sciences in one qualification. If you need a single separate science, compare GCSE Biology, GCSE Chemistry or GCSE Physics.
See every subject on the Lift College GCSE hub.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best online GCSE Combined Science course in the UK?
For adults who want the AQA double award taught in schools, Lift College's GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy (AQA 8464) is the only course we compared sold monthly with exam entry and centre fees included on the +Exams plan. It comes with a named UK tutor and a 7-day free trial.
How much does an online GCSE Combined Science course cost in the UK?
On 10 October 2026 one-off course prices ranged from £349 at CloudLearn and Open Study College to £765 at NEC, mostly with exam fees extra, while Open Study College's option with exams and practicals was £2,019. Lift College is £39.99 a month on Study and £89.99 a month on +Exams, which includes exam entry and centre fees.
Can I take GCSE Combined Science online as an adult and sit the exam in the UK?
Yes. You study online and sit the six written papers in person as a private candidate at an approved centre in the May/June series. Lift College's +Exams plan books your place at a Tutors & Exams centre.
How many GCSEs is Combined Science worth?
Two. AQA Combined Science: Trilogy is a double award, so you receive two GCSE grades, from 9-9 down to 1-1.
Is there a practical exam in GCSE Combined Science?
No. The 21 required practicals are examined through questions in the written papers, worth at least 15% of the marks. AQA advises private candidates to find a school or college that will let them carry out the practicals.
Can I study GCSE Combined Science online if I am under 18?
Yes. GCSEs at Lift College are open to anyone aged 14 or over, and under 18s enrol with a parent or guardian's permission and support.
Sources checked
- https://liftcollege.co.uk/qualifications/gcses/gcse-combined-science-online (checked 10 October 2026)
- https://www.nec.ac.uk/course/double-science-igcse/ (checked 10 October 2026)
- https://www.openstudycollege.com/courses/gcse-combined-science-trilogy (checked 10 October 2026)
- https://cloudlearn.co.uk/course/online-gcse-science-course-edexcel (checked 10 October 2026)
- https://www.icslearn.co.uk/courses/gcse-and-international-gcse/international-gcse-science/ (checked 10 October 2026)
- https://oxbridgehomelearning.uk/course/gcse-double-award-science/ (checked 10 October 2026)
- https://oxbridgehomelearning.uk/courses/gcse-courses/ (checked 10 October 2026)
- https://www.oxfordhomeschooling.co.uk/product/double-award-science-igcse/ (checked 10 October 2026)
- https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/science/gcse/combined-science-trilogy-8464/specification/general-administration (checked 10 October 2026)
- https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/science/gcse/combined-science-trilogy-8464/specification/practical-assessment (checked 10 October 2026)