Finding an exam centre
Find your nearest centre
The first thing you need to do to book your exams is to find the centre nearest to you. These are many centres in the UK that take private candidates.
Work out fees
Private centres are all individual organisations and therefore have different fee structures. You can contact them to find out the prices for sitting an exam paper.
Book your exam
Once you are happy with the location and fees to be paid, you can book your examination. To do this you will need to know the paper codes you are studying.
Find a centre on an interactive map
The first thing to consider when booking your examinations is finding an exam centre that is conveniently located near you. There are many different exam centres throughout the UK so it is highly likely that there will be one close to where you live. We strongly advise making a list of the closest centres to you and contacting each one of these. Prices for exams can vary so it is worth checking the prices of all centres where you could possibly sit your exams and then choose the cheapest.
Even if you are unable to find a centre on the Edexcel map that is close to you, it does not necessarily mean you have to travel far. The map shown is not extensive so some centres may not be listed. Therefore, it is worth calling your local schools and colleges to ask if they will accept private candidates.
Click the link below to open up an interactive map and find a center for private candidates near you.
Open mapWorking out the fees for your exams
There are many different centres in the UK where you could take your exams. The prices between each of these will vary as they include a fee paid to the awarding body as well as an admin charge by the centre itself. These admin charges can be small or large depending on the individual centre as well as when you book your examination.
The best way to ensure a cheap price for your examinations is to book early. Try to book around 6 months prior to the exam date and you will get the best deal, however, if you leave it too late, the costs can be much higher.
Please be aware- as a private candidate you are expected to book your own exams and the OLC are not able to do this on your behalf. Read more about entries for private candidates by clicking the link below.
Information for private candidatesBooking your exams
Once you have found a centre close to you and are happy with the fees involved, you can book your examinations. As mentioned earlier, we strongly recommend that you so this as early as possible.
The centre will need some information from you when you book your exam. This will include your full name, address, telephone number and the subjects that you wish to sit a paper for. When booking your exams you should give the full name of the paper that you wish to study as well as the course code. This is a unique number that each qualification has. The last thing that you want is to be entered in for the wrong paper so please make sure you are very clear about the exam you wish to be entered for.
You can find the codes for each of the courses we offer by clicking the link below.
Find paper codes