How to Do A-Levels as an Adult: Routes, Costs and Exams

Yes, you can do A-levels as an adult, and there's no need to go back to school. You can take a day or evening course at a college, study online, or teach yourself and sit the exams as a private candidate at an approved exam centre. Your grades earn exactly the same UCAS points as a school leaver's.

You're in good company. UCAS says around a third of undergraduates are mature students, and around 40% of mature students are over 30. Here's how each route works, what it costs and how to book your exams.

Can adults do A-levels?

Yes. A-levels aren't reserved for 16 to 18 year olds, and many adults take them to meet a university entry requirement. In England, gov.uk even uses A-levels as its example of a course you can fund with an Advanced Learner Loan, which is only open to people aged 19 or over.

It's the same qualification, with the same exams and grades. What changes is how you study and how you get entered for the exams.

How can I do my A-levels as an adult?

You have three main routes. The biggest difference between them is who enters you for the exams.

A college gives you the most support, and with an evening class you can often keep working full-time. Ask local further education colleges which A-level subjects they run for adults.

Online and self-study give you more freedom, but booking the exams becomes your job.

Can I do A-levels online?

Yes, you can study A-levels online, but the exams themselves aren't online. You sit them in person at an approved school or college. JCQ (the Joint Council for Qualifications) says that if you're studying independently for A-levels, you can only take your exams as a private candidate within the UK.

Coursework is the other thing to check before you pay for a course. JCQ says some subjects, such as English Language, sciences, Geography and Art and Design, include coursework or non-exam assessment (NEA). You must check with the exam centre that it will accept and submit that work on your behalf. Subjects assessed only by exams are usually the simplest to take as a private candidate.

Our guide to online courses with UCAS points explains which online qualifications really carry Tariff points.

How do you book A-level exams as a private candidate?

A private candidate is someone who sits exams at a school or college without being a student there. JCQ sets out the steps:

1. Choose your subjects and exam board. Check whether each subject includes coursework, NEA or practicals.
2. Find an exam centre. JCQ's private candidate search tool lists centres that accept private candidates, closest to you first. When we checked in October 2026, JCQ said 190 centres had confirmed they'd accept private candidates that year, though it warns some may have stopped. It updates the list once a year, in December or January.
3. Register with the centre. Give it the information it asks for and pay the fees. The centre then makes the exam entry for you. Check your statement of entry carefully when it arrives.
4. Sort out access arrangements at the same time. If you need extra time, a reader or a scribe, JCQ says you must arrange it with the centre when you make your entry.

For AQA's summer 2027 exams, the entry deadline is 21 February 2027. From 22 February, AQA adds a late entry fee equal to 100% of the normal fee, and after 21 April 2027 a very late fee of 150%. JCQ says each centre sets its own internal deadlines and fees, so contact centres in the autumn and ask about both. You can see when each paper falls in our A-level exam timetable 2027.

How much does it cost to do A-levels as an adult?

It depends on your age, where you live and what you already have. Here's how course fees work in England, using gov.uk's 2026 to 2027 rules:

The adult skills fund rules define a "full level 3". It includes A-levels in 2 subjects, AS levels in 4 subjects, or an Access to HE Diploma. So if you already hold 2 A-levels, you won't qualify for the free place for 19 to 23 year olds. Rules can also differ within England, because some combined authorities and the Mayor of London publish their own funding rules. Ask your college which apply to you.

How does the Advanced Learner Loan work?

If you need to borrow, gov.uk's Advanced Learner Loan rules are:

• You must be 19 or older on the first day of your course.
• The course must be at an approved college or training provider in England.
• It covers course fees only, not living costs. The minimum loan is £300, and it's paid straight to the provider.
• It doesn't depend on your income, and there are no credit checks.
• You can't apply until the provider gives you a "learning and funding information" letter.

gov.uk also says that for level 3 courses you might get an adult skills fund grant instead, which you don't repay, so ask the college about grants first.

One honest warning: gov.uk says Student Finance England writes off an Advanced Learner Loan taken for an Access to HE course once you complete a higher education course that's eligible for student finance. That rule is written for Access to HE, not A-levels, so plan on repaying an A-level loan once your income is over the threshold. If you're studying online, check the provider is approved for the loan before you enrol.

What do private candidates pay in exam fees?

Private candidates also pay the exam board's entry fee through the centre, plus anything the centre adds. Here are some of AQA's summer 2027 A-level entry fees for UK centres:

Other boards set their own fees, so ask your centre for a full quote before you register.

A-levels or Access to HE: which is better for adults?

Both are Level 3 routes into university, and both count as a full level 3 in the funding rules. UCAS notes that some mature students with few or no previous qualifications take an Access to HE Diploma instead.

A-levels make most sense when your degree asks for named A-level subjects, or when you only need one or two to add to what you already have. Access to HE suits people who need a complete Level 3 qualification in one go. Either way, check your target course page to see exactly what it accepts.

If Access sounds like the better fit, read about studying Access to HE online and how to pay for an Access course.

Do A-levels taken as an adult get the same UCAS points?

Yes. The UCAS Tariff turns a qualification and grade into points, and your age isn't part of that sum. An A-level A* is worth 56 points at 17 and at 47:

If a course asks for a points total, see what your expected grades are worth with the A-level UCAS points calculator, or add in other qualifications you already hold with the UCAS points calculator. If you took some A-levels years ago, our guide on whether UCAS points expire explains how older results are treated.

Is it worth doing A-levels as an adult?

Often, yes, but it depends on what you need them for. Ask yourself these questions first:

• Does your course need specific subjects? If a degree asks for A-level Maths or Chemistry, taking that A-level is the most direct way to meet it.
• How many do you actually need? You may only need one or two on top of what you have. Our guide on how many A-levels you need covers this.
• Could your experience count? UCAS says your original education or work experience may be enough for some courses, so talk to admissions teams before you commit to more study. Our guide to going to university without A-levels sets out the other routes.
• Can you cover the costs? Add up tuition, exam fees and time off work.

If you're redoing a subject you've already sat, our guide to retaking A-levels for UCAS points looks at whether a resit is worth it.

How do adults apply to university with A-levels?

Through UCAS, like everyone else. UCAS says a mature student is typically someone over 21 at the start of their undergraduate course. For full-time courses, you research and apply online through UCAS. For flexible and part-time courses, you apply directly to the university or college.

For 2027 entry, UCAS gives these deadlines:

If you've left school, our UCAS reference guide explains who can write your reference as an independent applicant. If you'll be sitting A-levels in summer 2027, applying for 2027 entry means applying before your results arrive. You can also wait and apply for 2028 entry once you have them.

What should I do next?

1. Pick your target course and check exactly what it asks for.
2. Choose your route: college, online or self-study.
3. Check your funding with the college or provider before you enrol.
4. Secure an exam centre early if you'll be a private candidate.

Work out your A-level UCAS points