The Functional Skills Level 2 exam is set and marked by an Ofqual-regulated awarding organisation (TQUK for Lift College). Maths is one 120-minute paper; English has reading, writing and speaking/listening. Sit at home with remote invigilation or at a centre; graded pass or fail with unlimited resits.
Who sets the Functional Skills Level 2 exam?
Most people who ask about the exam are not worried about the maths or the English. They are worried about the logistics: how you book, whether you really can sit it in your living room, what the pass mark is and what happens if you miss it. This guide answers those questions in order. If you want the equivalence side first, read Is Functional Skills equivalent to a GCSE?.
Functional Skills are regulated qualifications, so the exam is written and marked by an awarding organisation on the Ofqual register, not by the college that teaches you. Lift College's Functional Skills maths and English Level 2 courses lead to the TQUK Functional Skills Qualification in Mathematics at Level 2 (610/2624/4) and in English at Level 2 (610/2625/6). Other awarding organisations offering Level 2 Functional Skills include Pearson Edexcel, City & Guilds, NCFE and Open Awards. All of them assess the same Department for Education subject content, so a Level 2 pass carries the same weight whichever body issues it.
What are the entry requirements for Functional Skills Level 2?
There are no formal entry requirements for Functional Skills Level 2. You need to be 16 or over and able to study in English; most learners are adults.
- Prior qualifications: none. You do not need GCSEs or a Level 1 certificate, though Level 1 standard is recommended before you start Level 2. If you are unsure of your level, ask your tutor during the free trial.
- Equipment: a device with a browser to study, and a laptop or desktop with a webcam and microphone if you sit the exam from home. You can sit at a TQUK approved centre instead.
- Credit check or contract: none. Lift College is a monthly subscription with no contract, cancel any time.
What is included in the price?
Each Lift College course includes a named UK tutor, marking in 5 to 7 working days, AI Study Support, and exam entry with one sitting of every assessment. A resit fee applies to further sittings.
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| Course | Pay today | Or try it free first |
|---|---|---|
| Functional Skills Maths Level 2 | £359.99 a year or £39.99 a month | 7 days free, then £44.99 a month or £458.99 a year |
| Functional Skills English Level 2 | £359.99 a year or £39.99 a month | 7 days free, then £44.99 a month or £458.99 a year |
| Functional Skills English and Maths Level 2 (two TQUK qualifications) | £539.99 a year or £59.99 a month | 7 days free, then £69.99 a month or £713.99 a year |
The yearly pay today price is pay for 9 months, get 3 free, and every payment has a 14-day money-back guarantee.
How do you book a Functional Skills Level 2 exam?
You book through your training provider, not directly with the awarding organisation. At Lift College the sequence is:
- Learn and practise. Work through the course with your tutor. Practice papers are marked in five to seven working days.
- Readiness check. You sit a timed mock. Your tutor confirms you are ready, which is the trigger for booking.
- Booking. Lift College books your sitting on the TQUK platform. On-screen sittings can be arranged quickly; a paper-based sitting needs ten working days' notice.
- Sit the exam. From home with remote invigilation, or at a TQUK-approved centre.
Entry and one sitting of each assessment are included in the course fee, so there is no separate exam invoice to budget for. Working to a date? See how quickly you can fast track Functional Skills Level 2 online, including how our booking and results times compare with other providers.
Can you sit the Functional Skills exam online at home?
Yes. TQUK delivers Functional Skills exams on-screen with two invigilation options: online remote, where you sit at home and TQUK invigilates through a record-and-review system, or online face-to-face at a centre. For remote invigilation you need:
- a laptop or desktop with a working webcam and microphone (not a phone or tablet)
- a stable internet connection
- a quiet room where you will not be interrupted, with a clear desk
- photo ID to show to the camera before you start
Speaking, listening and communicating for English is run online by Lift College and quality assured by TQUK, so the whole English qualification can be completed without travelling.
What is the format of the Level 2 maths exam?
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| Section A | Section B | |
|---|---|---|
| Calculator | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Time | 30 minutes | 90 minutes |
| Share of marks | 25% | 75% |
| Content | Underpinning skills (number, fractions, percentages, units) | Problem solving in realistic contexts |
It is a single 120-minute sitting. Around a quarter of marks test underpinning skills and three quarters test problem solving, which is why practising multi-step word problems matters more than drilling arithmetic.
What is the format of the Level 2 English exam?
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| Component | Time | How it is assessed |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | 60 minutes | On-screen, remotely invigilated or at a centre |
| Writing | 60 minutes | On-screen, remotely invigilated or at a centre |
| Speaking, listening and communicating | 20 to 30 minutes | Online discussion and presentation task run by Lift College, quality assured by TQUK |
You must pass all three components to be awarded the certificate. If you pass two and miss one, you only resit the component you missed.
What is the pass mark for Functional Skills Level 2?
There is no single fixed pass mark. The awarding organisation sets the pass mark per paper after marking, so that a slightly harder paper does not disadvantage the learners who sat it. Grading is pass or fail only; there are no grades within a pass. Lift College publishes what it knows about recent papers in its maths revision guide and gives you the current marking picture at the readiness check. For typical boundaries by awarding body, including the TQUK papers Lift College learners sit, see Functional Skills Level 2 pass marks by awarding body.
How is Functional Skills Level 2 different from a GCSE exam?
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| Functional Skills Level 2 | GCSE (grade 4 pass) | |
|---|---|---|
| When you can sit it | On demand, year round | Fixed May/June series (plus November resits for maths and English) |
| Where | Home with remote invigilation, or a centre | Registered exam centre only |
| Papers | Maths: 1; English: 3 short components | Maths: 3 papers; English Language: 2 papers |
| Grading | Pass or fail | 9 to 1 |
| Resits | Any time, fee applies | Next exam series |
| Accepted as GCSE grade 4 equivalent | Yes, by most employers, universities and apprenticeship providers | n/a |
For a fuller comparison see Functional Skills vs GCSE.
What happens if you fail the Functional Skills Level 2 exam?
You resit. There is no limit on the number of attempts and no waiting period tied to an exam season: once your tutor agrees you are ready again, another sitting is booked. Your first sitting of each component is included in the course; further sittings carry a resit fee. Because grading is pass or fail, a resit is a clean attempt and the previous result does not appear on your certificate.
How long do results and certificates take?
TQUK marks on-screen exams and releases results to the college, which passes them to you. At Lift College, on-screen exam results usually arrive in about six working days. Your certificate is issued by TQUK, the awarding organisation, and shows the qualification title and number. Universities, the NHS and apprenticeship providers can verify it on the Ofqual register.
Sitting with a different awarding body, or need to track down an old result? See our guide to Functional Skills results and certificates by awarding body.
Ready to book?
Each Lift College course includes the exam entry, one sitting of every component and unlimited tutor-marked practice papers:
- Functional Skills Maths Level 2 online, exam included
- Functional Skills English Level 2 online, exam included
- Functional Skills English and Maths Level 2 bundle
Want to try a paper before you commit? Start with the free Functional Skills practice papers.