How Long Are A-Level Exams?

The A-Level exam period can be an incredibly stressful time for students. It represents the culmination of 2 years of hard work, and often the end of school too. However, it is not only the pressure that many students find stressful. The length of exams, as well as the number for each subject and the overall length of the exam season can be confusing to try and work out. With many different exam boards, and lots of subjects to consider, understanding the length and number of exams you have can be difficult. In this article we will explain the key details about exams for the most common A-Level subjects.

The A-Level exam period lasts around 6 weeks. It spans from the middle of May to the end of June. Most A-Level exams last from 2-3 hours, with some much longer ones for subjects such as Art and Design. Most subjects have several exams, held on different days according to a timetable set by the JCQ. Everyone must sit the same exam for the same subject at the same time. On average, A-Level exams last around 2 hours per paper, although this varies dramatically based on subject.

While this should have given you a short answer to your questions, please read on for details of specific A-Level subjects, and different exam boards.

How long is the A-Level exam period?

The A-Level exam period typically lasts around a month and a half. It is scheduled by the JCQ (which is the government body in charge of examinations) and is the same for all exam boards.

It typically begins in mid-May (around the 16^th) and finishes at the end of June. More details on when A-Level exams start and finish can be found in this helpful Think Student article.

Within this period, the JCQ try to schedule each subject with around a week between each exam, ideally. This is to ensure that short term illness and other circumstances do not prevent students from taking any exams for their subject, and also to allow for revision.

Therefore, if you are ill for one of your exams for a subject, you will not be marked down for this but instead your overall mark will be based on the exams that you are able to take. Results from these exams are then released in August, after the marking and moderation process has taken place.

More details about the 2023 A-Level exam series and key dates, including results day, can be found here, from the JCQ.

What is a contingency day?

There is also a “contingency day” scheduled just after the exam period finishes. If an exam faces national disruption and nobody can sit the paper on that day, the exam will likely be moved to that day to be sat instead. There are also contingency afternoons throughout the period, again for cases of significant national or local disruption to exams.

Exams can also be moved to any other date during the period if there is significant disruption, but this is highly unlikely and rarely happens.

The JCQ stresses the importance of being available for the whole exam period, including the contingency day. If any of your exams do not go ahead as planned, then you may need to take them on a different day. For example, you should avoid booking holidays or committing to plans which cannot be changed during the exam period.

What is the duration of the A-Level exam season in weeks?

The duration of the A-Level exam season is typically 6 weeks. This varies each year, as half terms and bank holidays can sometimes mean that exams are stretched over a longer period. However, it is always around the same amount of time, due to needing a similar number of exams.

In 2023, the first written exams will be on the 15^th of May. The period will then run until the 27^th of June, with a contingency day on the 28^th of June.

What happens if you miss an A-Level exam?

The prolonged period of A-Level exams can be incredibly stressful, and with stress often comes illness. Many students worry about getting sick during their exams, or even having to miss an exam due to being ill. Other situations such as not being able to get to your exam centre (for example, traffic), or forgetting an exam, are also on many student’s minds.

The reason A-Level exams are so spread out is to allow for illness to run its course. Hopefully, with the way exams are arranged, students should be able to take at least one paper for each subject even if they are ill during the period.

Furthermore, if you do not perform to your best due to illness during an exam, it is best to let the exam board know. Systems such as special consideration allow this, and other emergencies such as bereavement that may affect your performance, to be taken into account when marking your paper.

However, missing an A-Level exam with no good reason, such as forgetting, does not get any consideration. You only get one chance to sit the exam, and if you are more than half an hour late, you will likely not be allowed to sit the paper, although this varies at different centres. Therefore, do your best to attend every exam, as that is the only way to ensure you gain the marks you deserve.

Read this Think Student article to learn more about what happens if you miss an A-Level exam.

How long are exams for each subject?

Of course, the length of individual exams varies depending on the subject and exam board. As a rough guide, you can expect A-Level exams to last around 2 hours each, normally with 3 exams to sit per subject.

Keep reading for more information about how long exams last, and how they are structured, for some of the most common A-Level subjects.

How long are A-Level Maths exams?

A-Level Maths exams last 2 hours, the same across all exam boards. They are mainly based on problem solving skills and longer questions with many steps. They test the application of mathematical skills learned through the course, often to practical problems.

Students may have a calculator in all their exams, as well as a sheet of formulae. There is no coursework for A-Level Maths.

Check out this Think Student article to achieve the best grade possible in your A-Level Maths exams.

How long are A-Level Psychology exams?

A-Level Psychology exams last 2 hours, with all the exam boards having 3 exams at the end of the course. They are mainly based on essay skills and recall of key facts for shorter answers.

Some of the papers also test mathematical and data analysis skills. A-Level Psychology students are allowed a calculator for the maths skills in their exams.

There is no coursework for A-Level Psychology, although some teachers may ask students to carry out an extended psychological investigation in class to help with understanding.

How long are A-Level Chemistry exams?

A-Level Chemistry exams typically last around 2 hours, and all exam boards have 3 papers. They are mainly based on knowledge application, and understanding of practical skills, with a mixture of essay and mathematical questions.

There is no coursework for A-Level Chemistry, but students are expected to pass a practical requirement. This includes completing required practical experiments in class, and being observed by your teacher, but does not affect your actual A-Level grade.

Check out this Think Student article to learn how to achieve the highest grade possible in your chemistry exams.

How long are A-Level Biology exams?

A-Level Biology exams typically last around 2 hours, and all exam boards have 3 papers. They are mainly based on written skills, testing application of the content learned in lessons.

Mathematical skills are also needed, as some questions involve in-depth analysis of data. Students will be expected to know and apply knowledge of practical skills too.

There is no coursework for A-Level Biology, but students are expected to pass a practical requirement. This includes completing required practical experiments in class, and being observed by your teacher, but does not affect your actual A-Level grade.

Think Student has articles on how to achieve top marks in your biology exams as well as what to expect at A-Level compared to GCSE. You can check them out here and here.

How long are A-Level Physics exams?

A-Level Physics exams typically last around 2 hours, and all the exam boards have 3 papers. They are mainly based on a mixture of long and short answer questions and have an emphasis on practical problem solving. Students are also expected to apply maths skills using equations, some of which are given and some memorised.

There is no coursework for A-Level Physics, but students are expected to pass a practical requirement. This includes completing required practical experiments in class, and being observed by your teacher, but does not affect your actual A-Level grade.

Check out this Think Student article to help you achieve the top marks in A-Level Physics.

How long are A-Level History exams?

A-Level History exams typically last around an hour and a half, although some are significantly longer. They are based on essay skills and knowledge of specific studied periods, including the use of source analysis. All of the exam boards require study of both world and British history, and usually both in-depth and wide ranging study of different periods.

A-Level History for all exam boards requires coursework of around 3000-5000 words, based on an area of history that is the student’s choice. It is marked by your school, but externally moderated.

More information about A-Level History can be found here, from Think Student.

How long are A-Level exams for other common subjects?

Some other common A-Level subjects are explained in this table. The statistics are taken from the AQA exam board. Information for other exam boards can be found in the links to their websites, by using their search tools.

Subject information from Pearson Edexcel can be found here. The OCR website is available at this link. AQA has more information available from their subject hub, here.

The subjects with the longest exams are Art and Design subjects, which are 15 hours of observed work in exam conditions to create an art piece on a brief. Meanwhile, the shortest exams are modern languages speaking exams, which can last just 20 minutes according to the exam board.

However, both subjects have other requirements which balance these exam times, so do not make your subject choices based on this.

Many students feel concerned about the length of your exam or feel like you may have issues with focus and writing. The best thing to do if you are worried about this is to contact your school’s exam office, as they may be able to assess you for access arrangements.

This can include rest breaks and extra time, as well as many others. If you are eligible, it can make exams much fairer as a method of assessment for you.

Of course, if you are taking a subject with a different exam board, you can find the same information as in this article by finding your specification on the exam board website. All have this easily available via their search tools.

Furthermore, if you have other questions, contact your school or college. They will be able to help you with specific questions, as they know which exam boards you do and the precise details you will need.