Online A Levels: Can You Sit A Level Exams From Home?

Yes, you can sit A Level exams from home if you choose the Pearson Edexcel International A Level, which is taken online with a live Pearson invigilator supervising you from start to finish. UK A Levels and Cambridge International A Levels can be studied remotely, but their exams are always sat at an exam centre. For adult learners comparing online A Levels, this means the exam itself can happen at your own desk, not only the studying.

At Online Exams, we know that being watched through a webcam by someone you never meet can feel unfamiliar, so this guide explains the process from Pearson’s side. If you are considering this route, we recommend looking for a provider who enters you with Pearson as a remote invigilation candidate and guides you through the ID check and familiarisation.

What Remote Invigilation Means for an International A Level

Remote invigilation replaces the exam hall with a supervised session over the internet. Pass Learn enters you with Pearson as a remote invigilation candidate, Pearson runs the familiarisation and invigilates live, and Pass Learn guides you through the ID check and familiarisation.

The route is open to anyone, and students need no evidence or reason to sit at home. Pass Learn is one of the only providers in the world offering this, and you can sit from anywhere Pearson offers remote invigilation in your country. Its guide to sitting A Level exams online explains that you book through its online checkout and that the exams team contacts you within one working day.

The Live Invigilator and the Chat Box

According to Pearson, the live invigilator can see and hear you during setup, throughout the exam and while you submit your answers. You, however, cannot see or hear the invigilator, and each invigilator supervises a limited number of students.

Invigilators communicate only by typing in a chat box, so any instruction during the session appears as text on your screen. Pearson sets out more on how Pearson invigilates exams remotely, including the role of the adult who supports the candidate at home.

Recording, Monitoring and Safeguarding

Pearson records and monitors every session for quality and safeguarding. Before each series, it issues each student with a unique username and password, and candidates write their centre and candidate numbers on the answer booklet.

A parent, guardian or other responsible adult, who must not be your tutor or teacher, needs to be present when you log in. Pearson asks this adult to sign a declaration accepting its Terms of Use, then to leave the room during the live exam and stay within earshot. They supervise any toilet break, during which the exam clock keeps running, and call Pearson’s helpline if the connection drops.

Proving Your Identity and Completing Familiarisation

There are two ID checks. After you book, the exams team asks for a photo of your valid, in-date photo ID with the details Pearson needs and sends them with your entry, since Pearson will not give access without proof of identity. Then, at the start of each familiarisation session and each exam, you hold your ID up to the camera for Pearson’s invigilator. A passport, national identity card, driving licence or UK citizenship card is accepted.

Pearson’s familiarisation, which includes a technical check, is compulsory, and without it Pearson removes the entry with no refund. It is not a mock exam and your answers are not marked.

Setting Up the Space Pearson Will Watch

You need a quiet, private room rather than a shared space. You also need three devices: a laptop with a webcam, kept on mains power; a phone running Pearson’s app; and a charged backup recorder with enough storage. For paper-based subjects, a printer and scanner with plenty of ink and paper complete the set-up.

Onscreen and Paper-Based Papers

When you press Start, the questions appear onscreen. In English Language, English Literature and History, you type your answers into Pearson’s assessment player. If you book International A Level History online, you sit four onscreen papers of two hours each, from a depth study to an international study.

Every other subject is paper-based: you download a PDF answer booklet, print it, handwrite your answers, then scan and upload every page. Psychology spans four units, from social and cognitive psychology to clinical psychology, and you can book International A Level Psychology online for the Summer series.

Law has two three-hour papers, each with five compulsory 20-mark questions. Anyone planning to sit International A Level Law online should note that it runs in the Summer series only.

Choosing a Series and Start Time

Pearson offers the Pearson Edexcel International A Level online in the January, Summer (May/June) and October series, depending on the subject. You can review the International A Level exam series on Pearson’s site before you plan.

Geography covers four paper-based units, including Global Challenges and Contested Planet, and International A Level Geography online is booked for the Summer series.

Economics offers more flexibility. You can take International A Level Economics online in the Summer or October series, with units mixing multiple-choice, data response and essay questions.

The same two series apply to International A Level Business online, which has four two-hour papers with source-based sections and 20-mark essays. Exams start at 07:00 or 10:00 UK time, so candidates abroad should check the time zone.

Results, Certificates and Recognition

Pearson releases results on the results day for your series and issues a Pearson certificate. These are internationally recognised qualifications, and UK universities accept International A Levels grade for grade, though it is wise to check your course’s entry requirements.

For anyone returning to A Levels later in life, Pass Learn notes that the certificate does not mention private candidate status. Pass A Level, which offers distance learning A Levels, adds that universities accept A Levels gained through online or private study.

Conclusion

Remote invigilation is a carefully controlled process. Pearson’s invigilator sees and hears you throughout, speaks only through the chat box and records every session, backed by two ID checks, a compulsory familiarisation and a responsible adult nearby. To compare subjects and courses before you book, Pass Learn’s page on online A Levels is a useful starting point.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see the person invigilating my exam?

No. Pearson’s invigilator can see and hear you, but you cannot see or hear them. They contact you only through the chat box.

Why are remote exam sessions recorded?

Pearson records and monitors every session for quality and safeguarding purposes.

Can I skip the familiarisation session if I am confident with technology?

No. Pearson’s familiarisation is compulsory, and without it Pearson removes the entry with no refund.

What happens if my internet connection drops during the exam?

Your responsible adult calls Pearson’s helpline, which is why they must stay available outside the exam room for the whole exam.

Written by

Online Exams Team

We help thousands of students each year with revision, courses and online exams.