- Fast track A Levels are the same qualification as school A Levels, completed in around 12 months
- Expect 250 to 360 guided learning hours per subject, or roughly 10 to 20 hours per week
- Exams are sat in May or June at a registered exam centre as a private candidate
- Allow enough weeks of study before the May/June series you want; on Lift College's +Exams plan you are entered for the series you are ready for
- Best suited to motivated adult learners, career-changers, and resit students needing grades quickly
- You can fast track multiple subjects at once, but factor in the combined weekly study load
The fastest route to an A Level online
Start today, study more hours each week than the usual 8 to 12, and enter for the next May/June series. A Levels are examined once a year, so the series is the fixed point: everything else is pace. At Lift College there is no minimum study time and no fixed start date; most learners finish a subject in 12 to 18 months, and the course pages say "or faster if you study more each week". On the +Exams plan Lift College makes your awarding body entry before the deadline for the series you are ready for and books your seat at one of ten Tutors & Exams centres in England, with the entry and centre fees included, so there is no centre to find. A timed mock paper and a written readiness summary come before you are entered. If next May/June is too far away, Lift College's International A Levels (Pearson Edexcel) have January, June and October series; see the comparison below. Every plan starts with a 7-day free trial, with nothing charged until day 8, no contract and no credit check, and all 11 subjects are on the A Level hub. For how the exam day works, see A Level private exam centres and can you do A Levels online?.
How the one-year timetable works
A Level exams in the UK are only sat once a year, in May and June. Fast track courses compress the full two-year A Level content into one academic year so you can sit the same summer exam series as school students, without waiting two years.
Most fast track providers estimate around 250 to 300 guided learning hours per subject (350 to 360 for maths and the sciences). Spread over a 36-week study year that works out at roughly 10 to 15 hours a week for one subject, or 25 to 40 hours a week if you take three at once.
Some providers close enrolment on their one-year courses in August for exams the following June, which gives around 10 months of study plus revision. Lift College has no enrolment deadline: you start when you like and on +Exams you are entered for the May/June series you are ready for, so the earlier you start the more revision time you have.
Fast track vs traditional A Levels at a glance
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| Feature | School A Level (2 years) | Online A Level (self-paced) | Fast Track A Level (1 year) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration | 2 academic years | 12 to 18 months, or faster with more study time | Under 12 months |
| Weekly study hours | 15 to 20 | 8 to 12 (learner-set) | 10 to 20 per subject |
| Exam board | AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR or WJEC Eduqas | AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR or WJEC Eduqas | AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR or WJEC Eduqas |
| Exam sitting | May/June at school | May/June, private candidate | May/June, private candidate |
| Best for | 16 to 18 year olds | Working adults, flexible pace | Adults needing grades quickly |
| UCAS points earned | Same tariff | Same tariff | Same tariff |
An International A Level can start you even sooner, because its January, June and October exam series mean you are never waiting for next May; see our International A Levels to compare.
Who fast track A Levels suit
Fast track works best for four groups of learners. First, career-changers who need Level 3 grades for a university application or a professional entry route (nursing, teaching, allied health). Second, resit students who already know the material and want to improve one or two grades quickly. Third, international students planning UK university entry on a compressed timeline. Fourth, working adults who missed A Levels first time around and want to unlock a degree route without a two-year college commitment.
Fast track is not a good fit for learners who need heavy face-to-face teaching, have limited time to study each week, or are approaching an A Level subject with little prior knowledge (maths and the sciences are especially demanding on a one-year timeline).
How exams and private candidate entry work
A Level exams cannot be sat online. You sit written papers in person as a private candidate at a registered exam centre. Some providers help you find a centre but leave the entry, the exam fees and any coursework arrangements to you. On Lift College's +Exams plan the entry is made for you, the awarding-body and Tutors & Exams centre fees are included and your seat is booked at one of ten centres in England.
If you are booking your own centre, book early: popular centres fill up between February and April for the May/June series, and check that the centre takes your specification before you enrol. On Lift College's +Exams plan the seat is booked for you.
What does fast-tracking cost?
Distance-learning and online providers can charge from a few hundred pounds per subject. Intensive independent colleges that run compressed in-person timetables often charge substantially more, because classes are smaller and contact hours are higher.
Tuition materials, tutor support and awarding-body registration are often included in the headline price. Exam entry fees, exam-centre surcharges for external candidates, and resit fees are frequently charged separately. A cheaper monthly fee that leaves those charges out is not a lower total.
A private resit in one subject typically costs £340 to £450 for the written papers in the June 2027 series, and up to £565 at some centres: the awarding body's entry fee (about £110 to £170 for most subjects) plus the exam centre's charge, with no tuition. Those figures match Lift College's A Level resit fees guide. The centre's administration charge is the part that moves. A school or college centre may add a modest fee, while a specialist private centre, particularly in London, can charge considerably more for the same papers. A fair centre fee covers exam entry, invigilation, the statement of entry and certificate handling. Ask for the full fee schedule in writing before you pay. Our A Level private candidate fees survey compares the published fees at 30 exam centre sites for summer 2027.
- Bundling two or more subjects with the same provider often reduces the per-subject rate.
- Compare providers on the same basis. Ask what the headline price includes before you treat a lower monthly fee as cheaper.
- Lift College prices individual A Level subjects, including A Level Biology and A Level Mathematics, at £49.99 a month when you pay today (£59.99 after a 7-day free trial) on Study, and the +Exams plan includes the awarding body entry and Tutors & Exams centre fees with your seat booked for you; Biology, Chemistry and Physics also have +Exams & CPAC. Paying annually saves 15%, and the 7-day free trial charges nothing until day 8.
Choosing subjects for a one-year timeline
Fast track content-heavy essay subjects (History, English Literature, Politics, Sociology, Psychology) if you enjoy writing and reading, and can commit to sustained essay practice. Fast track scientific and quantitative subjects (Maths, Biology, Chemistry, Physics) only if you have solid GCSE-level foundations, because the pace leaves less time to fill gaps.
If you are aiming at a specific university course, check the course entry requirements before choosing subjects. Some competitive courses (medicine, veterinary, some engineering degrees) still prefer specific A Level subjects and grades regardless of study route.
Related guides:
Frequently asked questions
Is a fast track A Level the same qualification as a school A Level?
How many hours a week do I need to study for a fast track A Level?
When is the deadline to enrol for a fast track A Level?
Can I sit fast track A Level exams from home?
Will universities accept fast track A Levels for entry?
What is the fastest way to get an A Level online in the UK?
Can I start an A Level now and sit it next summer?
Sources checked
- GOV.UK - A Level qualification level
- National Extension College: National Extension College - Structured Fast Track A Levels
- CloudLearn: CloudLearn - A Level Fast Track