Is is possible to start A levels at 18 for free?
Been having a lot of family issues lately and didn't manage to get too GCSES twice and it's been making me very stressed, So if I resat them all again at 17 then could I start A levels at the age of 18? And would I still be government funded?
I'll probably be 20 when I finish. Is this possible? I won't have any a levels before starting them at 18 obviously. I personally think i won't be ready until I'm 18 due to the amount of stress and panic attacks that happen to me. Ended up in hospital once.
I'll probably be 20 when I finish. Is this possible? I won't have any a levels before starting them at 18 obviously. I personally think i won't be ready until I'm 18 due to the amount of stress and panic attacks that happen to me. Ended up in hospital once.
Reply 1
Hey, I'm in a sort of similar situation (except with A-levels and personal issues).
I may be wrong but I think if you were to sit A-levels at age 18, your first year would be funded but not the second. I say this because there are people at my sixth form who have had to resit a year and their third year has been government funded.
What is it about the exams that has been stressing you out? I.e. the school environment, fear of failing, pressure to succeed, lack of motivation but still having high expectations etc?
If it's the school environment, then you might want to consider doing A-levels via an online distance learning course. These can be quite expensive (around £400 per subject) but good if you are more of an independant learner.
If it's one of the other reasons, or perhaps a completely different reason, then I strongly suggest focusing on your mental health before going onto A-levels. Of course, it is possible to do well in A-levels if you have poor mental health but if exams worsen your stress and panic attacks to an extreme level, they are not worth it. It is the norm in our society to start A-levels at age 16, go to university when we are 18, but you do not have to follow this path if you are not ready. There are people who work in a supermarket until they are 25 and then choose to do A-levels, and that's fine!
I wish you the best of luck for your gcses and recommend that you focus on those for now instead of the prospect of A-levels. Also, if you are doing quite a lot of subjects, it might be helpful to drop some. At the end of the day, the minimum amount of gcses you need is 5.
I may be wrong but I think if you were to sit A-levels at age 18, your first year would be funded but not the second. I say this because there are people at my sixth form who have had to resit a year and their third year has been government funded.
What is it about the exams that has been stressing you out? I.e. the school environment, fear of failing, pressure to succeed, lack of motivation but still having high expectations etc?
If it's the school environment, then you might want to consider doing A-levels via an online distance learning course. These can be quite expensive (around £400 per subject) but good if you are more of an independant learner.
If it's one of the other reasons, or perhaps a completely different reason, then I strongly suggest focusing on your mental health before going onto A-levels. Of course, it is possible to do well in A-levels if you have poor mental health but if exams worsen your stress and panic attacks to an extreme level, they are not worth it. It is the norm in our society to start A-levels at age 16, go to university when we are 18, but you do not have to follow this path if you are not ready. There are people who work in a supermarket until they are 25 and then choose to do A-levels, and that's fine!
I wish you the best of luck for your gcses and recommend that you focus on those for now instead of the prospect of A-levels. Also, if you are doing quite a lot of subjects, it might be helpful to drop some. At the end of the day, the minimum amount of gcses you need is 5.
Reply 2
I started 6th form 2 years ago at 18 a month before I turned 19! I've just sat my a level exams at 20, both years fully funded☺️
(edited 7 years ago)
Further education (FE) is free if you're under 19 (or possibly 19; I'm a little vague on that but I think it's only under, not or) at the start of the course and I believe this is grandfathered for the length of your course.
To be completely certain though I would recommend getting in touch with your local education authority (LEA) who are the ones who organise and fund this education.
To be completely certain though I would recommend getting in touch with your local education authority (LEA) who are the ones who organise and fund this education.
Reply 5
Hey mate, i recommend you do a BTEC business or something because it requires you to only focus on assignments for Two day out of 7 (even less if you know the topics) and you get 5 days free time to do anything,
I am suggesting this because most of the people who do well in A level have a continous progress from GCSE to a levels and do not miss time out and remain focused, not saying you dont have these qualities but you can find yourself trapped when you come to relise the amount of stress a levels gives you. I also think you would benefit from doing your GCSES along with your BTEC, that is if you know most the topics
You get funded until you are 18 and after that you have the option of taking out a loan, but i think if its your first time doing level 3 it might be free
I am suggesting this because most of the people who do well in A level have a continous progress from GCSE to a levels and do not miss time out and remain focused, not saying you dont have these qualities but you can find yourself trapped when you come to relise the amount of stress a levels gives you. I also think you would benefit from doing your GCSES along with your BTEC, that is if you know most the topics
You get funded until you are 18 and after that you have the option of taking out a loan, but i think if its your first time doing level 3 it might be free
Reply 6
Original post by LeCroissant
There are people who work in a supermarket until they are 25 and then choose to do A-levels, and that's fine!
STOP making fun of people working at the supermarket aged 25, you think you know everything don`t yer, you will die and cease to exist so will every other human being on this planet, some feel the need to get rich and they study so they can have their ass wiped but others like to wipe it themselves because we are animals after-all. So i don`t get your obsession with someone needing qualifications to fit into society or a exclamation mark to make a rude comment sound nice. I bet your fat IRL
Reply 7
Original post by Anonymous
STOP making fun of people working at the supermarket aged 25, you think you know everything don`t yer, you will die and cease to exist so will every other human being on this planet, some feel the need to get rich and they study so they can have their ass wiped but others like to wipe it themselves because we are animals after-all. So i don`t get your obsession with someone needing qualifications to fit into society or a exclamation mark to make a rude comment sound nice. I bet your fat IRL
It sounds like I hit a nerve with you, but if you had the capability to READ, you'd see that straight after saying that, I said "and that's fine".
You've just made yourself look really dumb and insecure because I wasn't making fun of people who work in supermarkets at all.
You think I'm fat in real life? Just because my avatar is a croissant, it doesn't mean I'm fat lmao. I'm far from it.
Sounds like there's a bit of hostile attribution bias going on with you.
Edit: Also try being brought up in a generation that overemphasises the importance of qualifications. Try going to a school and sixth form that make you feel worthless if you get below an A in anything.
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 8
Original post by erewr39
Hey mate, i recommend you do a BTEC business or something because it requires you to only focus on assignments for Two day out of 7 (even less if you know the topics) and you get 5 days free time to do anything,
I am suggesting this because most of the people who do well in A level have a continous progress from GCSE to a levels and do not miss time out and remain focused, not saying you dont have these qualities but you can find yourself trapped when you come to relise the amount of stress a levels gives you. I also think you would benefit from doing your GCSES along with your BTEC, that is if you know most the topics
You get funded until you are 18 and after that you have the option of taking out a loan, but i think if its your first time doing level 3 it might be free
I am suggesting this because most of the people who do well in A level have a continous progress from GCSE to a levels and do not miss time out and remain focused, not saying you dont have these qualities but you can find yourself trapped when you come to relise the amount of stress a levels gives you. I also think you would benefit from doing your GCSES along with your BTEC, that is if you know most the topics
You get funded until you are 18 and after that you have the option of taking out a loan, but i think if its your first time doing level 3 it might be free
I agree,BTECS maybe better for you as A levels are extremely stressful especially when you've took time out when leaving school. I struggled so much, however it is possible to do if it's something you are determined about achieving! I live independently, have a daughter with not much family support and still managed to do my a levels after taking 2 years out after school, if it's something you want don't give up, you can do it!☺️
Reply 9
Im planning to start A levels this September at 18 due to family issues and personal reasons as well. Two years ago after finishing high school, A levels was something I couldn't even think about but I think I can safely say I'm ready for them now and can't wait to just put my head down and work hard 
I hope two years from now you'll feel the same! 
As for funding, I phoned up a few colleges and explained my situation and they've told me I should be funded and not to worry about it. I'm not too clear right now on whether it'll just be my first year that is funded but I'll edit this post once I find out.
I hope two years from now you'll feel the same! As for funding, I phoned up a few colleges and explained my situation and they've told me I should be funded and not to worry about it. I'm not too clear right now on whether it'll just be my first year that is funded but I'll edit this post once I find out.
Reply 10
Original post by basicallyshrek
Im planning to start A levels this September at 18 due to family issues and personal reasons as well. Two years ago after finishing high school, A levels was something I couldn't even think about but I think I can safely say I'm ready for them now and can't wait to just put my head down and work hard I hope two years from now you'll feel the same!
As for funding, I phoned up a few colleges and explained my situation and they've told me I should be funded and not to worry about it. I'm not too clear right now on whether it'll just be my first year that is funded but I'll edit this post once I find out.
I hope two years from now you'll feel the same! As for funding, I phoned up a few colleges and explained my situation and they've told me I should be funded and not to worry about it. I'm not too clear right now on whether it'll just be my first year that is funded but I'll edit this post once I find out.
I was 18 when I stared and both years were fully funded😊 Good luck!🙂Xx
Original post by Anonymous
Been having a lot of family issues lately and didn't manage to get too GCSES twice and it's been making me very stressed, So if I resat them all again at 17 then could I start A levels at the age of 18? And would I still be government funded?
I'll probably be 20 when I finish. Is this possible? I won't have any a levels before starting them at 18 obviously. I personally think i won't be ready until I'm 18 due to the amount of stress and panic attacks that happen to me. Ended up in hospital once.
I'll probably be 20 when I finish. Is this possible? I won't have any a levels before starting them at 18 obviously. I personally think i won't be ready until I'm 18 due to the amount of stress and panic attacks that happen to me. Ended up in hospital once.
Moved this to Advice on Everyday Issues cos it's not a health question. You can post anon in the everyday issues forum.
From what others have said, you should be fine. This link may also help you:
https://www.gov.uk/further-education-courses/overview
I think it's a good idea to be focusing on your mental health and making sure you feel well enough for it. Loads of people study late for various reasons so don't be embarrassed or anything either. You're making a responsible decision.
Reply 12
Hi, I'm currently 18 (19 this November) and I'm set to start a-levels this September- for free. But due to my age I can only take 3 options, which is fine as you only carry through with 3 of them anyway in the second year. I also did not take my GCSE exams at the proper time; was due to retake the year but ill-health prevented me from that, so I recently sat my maths and english GCSE. So yes, it is possible to still start a-levels at 18 and not having to pay, you have to be under 19 in sometime of august of the year you are planning to start them- I think, I can't remember the day but I'm sure that's the correct month.
Reply 13
Original post by Harperblu12345
I was 18 when I stared and both years were fully funded😊 Good luck!🙂Xx
Did you already have a level 3?
Reply 14
Did you have a level 3 before you started?
Reply 15
Original post by Harperblu12345
I started 6th form 2 years ago at 18 a month before I turned 19! I've just sat my a level exams at 20, both years fully funded☺️
Reply 16
Original post by Tiger Rag
Level 3 courses are free as long as you're under 25 and don't already have a level 3 course. But you may have to pay a materials cost.
Original post by Harperblu12345
I started 6th form 2 years ago at 18 a month before I turned 19! I've just sat my a level exams at 20, both years fully funded☺️
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