What Are the Easiest A Levels?

There is no such thing as an easy A-level. Each A-level that you sit, regardless of subject, requires 360 hours of guided teaching time, so sitting an A-level is not a small commitment. If you’re studying an A-level full-time alongside other subjects, then you can expect it to take two years to complete. Having said that, some A-levels are considered statistically easier than others. By this we mean that they have higher pass rates, working to the natural strengths that each student brings to the table. With that in mind, here we will answer the question ‘what are the easiest A-levels’:

What Makes a Subject Easy?

There are two distinct ways of assessing what makes an A-level subject easy: its pass rate, and its ranking with other students. If an A-level has an incredibly high pass rate, then it stands to reason that this A-level is much simpler than one where the pass rate is lower. The pass rate for A-level maths, for example, is just 96% which means that it is a harder subject to pass than religious studies, which boasts a 99% pass rate. Using this metric, Mathematics, Further Mathematics, History, Chemistry, Biology and Physics are considered to be the hardest subjects to pass. Religious studies, IT, and film studies are considered to be the easiest subjects to pass.

The ranking of a subject with other students is a more subjective metric, but it is still interesting to assess how students that have taken a subject feel about it, and how easy or hard they found it during their study period. Both of these approaches to assessing what makes a subject easy have merit, therefore.

Personal Preference

It’s important to note that what makes an A-level easy will vary from one student to another, and much of this falls down to personal preference. Some A-levels involve a high percentage of assessment via coursework, for example, whilst others will be assessed solely on the strength of the final examination. Which of these approaches best suits you will depend on your own strengths and weaknesses. Similarly, if you have an analytical brain, you’re likely to find studying maths or science much easier than studying art. By contrast, writers are likely to favour essay subjects and struggle with any subjects requiring strong numerical skills. Personal preference really is key here, so whilst the following lists will outline which A-levels are considered the easiest either statistically or by the majority of students, that doesn’t necessarily mean that these are the right A-levels for you.

Ranking of Best Pass Rate

When defining the ‘easiest’ A-levels, many people will look at the pass rate that a subject holds, working on the basis that a subject with a high pass rate is likely to be easier than a subject with a low pass rate. With that in mind, here we will look at the five A-level subjects with the highest pass rate in 2022:

1. A-Level Religious Studies. With a pass rate of 99%, if we use pass rate as our definition of easy then religious studies is the easiest A-level you can take. The reason that the pass rate for this subject is so high is that much of it is subjective: when it comes to religion there is rarely a right or wrong answer. Instead, the focus is on holding your own opinion and being able to voice that opinion articulately. What’s more, religious studies is one of the few subjects that does not require its students to submit any coursework. You simply complete the course in full and then sit the final exam. Religious studies may not be the subject you wish to go on and study at university level, but it is a great complementary subject and one that remains valued by university admissions officers.
2. A-Level IT. Information Technology boasts an A-level pass rate of just under 99%, and the reason for this is simple: we live in an increasingly computer-literate age, and the ability to use computers and process information technology is nothing more than common sense for most modern teenagers. You get three exams for A-level IT, two in the first year and one in the second. There is some coursework involved in an information technology A-level, but that coursework is also relatively straightforward and comprises just 20% of your final grade. If you can already operate your phone and your laptop, and you read the course material thoroughly, this A-level is pretty hard to fail.
3. A-Level Food Studies. Regularly topping the list of the easiest GCSEs, A-level food studies has a pass rate of 98.5%. The course is straightforward and very similar in format to its GCSE counterpart. It involves both coursework and examination, but its simplicity is reflected in the fact that 22% of students achieved an A grade in food studies in 2022. Unlike religious studies and IT, it is not recommended as a primary subject. Food studies makes a handy third subject, to ensure you get the UCAS points you need for your chosen university place, but it is not a highly regarded A-level unfortunately.
4. A-Level Sociology. This A-level boasts a pass rate of 97.9% and is a very straightforward and easy-to-understand science A-level (in fact, it is by far the easiest science A-level to pass). Sociology is easy to pass provided you read and understand the course material, and put in the time when it comes to revision. A-level sociology is graded based on a mixture of examination and coursework, and what makes this qualification so attractive is its versatility. Whether you want to go on to study arts or sciences at university, sociology is a good all-rounder that will fit with any other subjects you choose to study.
5. A-Level Archaeology. Finally, one of the more unusual A-levels on our top five list, A-level archaeology boasts a 97.8% pass rate, making it only marginally harder to pass than sociology. Archaeology is a vocational A-level, and many schools and colleges no longer offer it because of the dwindling number of students who want to go into an archaeological profession. If you are interested in archaeology though, this A-level should offer you an easy pass. The course is graded on a mixture of independent study and a final examination.

Top Ten Easiest A-Levels

Whilst some people choose to rank A-levels based on the pass rate offered by the subjects, others prefer to rely on anecdotal evidence: the opinions of students that have already taken the course, as well as the teachers that teach them. Using this as our benchmark, here is an alternative perspective of the top ten easiest A-levels you can take:

1. The easiest A-level, as ranked by students in the UK, is Film Studies. Students suggest that if you already enjoy watching films, you’re likely to have already seen much of the course material for your film studies A-level. Film studies students are asked to watch a selection of films and then analyse their themes, characters and other aspects of the film’s creativity. This is considered an incredibly easy subject for movie lovers, but even if you don’t enjoy films, evaluating your work in a film studies A-level is much simpler than essay writing, as you’ll be dissecting your own work rather than reviewing the work of others.
2. Food Studies is considered an incredibly easy subject by students due to its lack of formal assessment. Rather than sit a final exam, much of your food studies assessment will involve practical assessments. Students who don’t enjoy essay writing or exams favour this approach. Students point to the fact that you can rehearse your assessments as a reason it is so easy to pass, and that the A-level is very similar in style and structure to the GCSE. There are very few facts to remember when you study food studies, making this an ideal option for practically-minded students.
3. Religious Studies boasts a pass rate of 99%, but this isn’t the reason why it is considered an easy A-level by students. They point to the opinion-based nature of the assessment (meaning that you have limited facts and figures to remember) and that the course doesn’t involve any coursework. Simply turn up and sit the exam and provided you have read and understood the course material you should be guaranteed to pass. Students are required to study the different aspects of religious beliefs, testing, values and practices of around five religions, and many students report that this is interesting and valuable learning.
4. The simplicity of the exam and the way in which the course has been designed explains why so many students feel Information Technology is the easiest A-level. Most young people use IT from a very early age and find its use intuitive. For this reason, they find it an easy subject to understand. You will need to assess and understand the wider uses of IT, and the way it enriches everyday life: something most students are already engaging with. Many students also feel IT is a simple subject because the A-level is so similar to the GCSE, albeit with more depth.
5. One of the more unusual A-levels on our list, Classical Civilisation is considered to be an easier subject than history or art history for students with an interest in history-based subjects. A lot of the assessment revolves around understanding and learning the stories behind some of these disciplines, which can be easy to wrap your head around. However, there are far fewer facts and figures to remember and, contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to learn either Latin or Greek to study this subject. Many students suggest that classical civilisation is such an easy A-level because it is so engaging. Put simply, you enjoy the course material so much that you want to learn it.
6. With a pass rate of 98%, Sociology is considered to be an easy A-level using both of our metrics. Many students refer to sociology as the easy version of psychology and it certainly involves less content than the traditional science subjects of chemistry, physics and biology. You do need to have a good memory to excel at sociology, as you cannot pass this A-level without knowing the right sociology-specific terminology and studies. This is an essay subject, so students who find essay writing easy also feel that sociology is an easy A-level to pass.
7. Media studies is considered by its students to be a particularly easy A-level. Students that feel media studies is easy, tend to be creative and enjoy expressing themselves. This is also a good option for those who enjoy coursework, as around 25% of your final grade will be awarded based on a single piece of media you have created based on what you’ve learnt. Another reason students find media studies easy is because they are used to being exposed to the media on a daily basis: they are familiar with it and if you find the world of the media interesting, then you’re likely to enjoy this course. Students tend to perform better when taking courses they enjoy.
8. Another subject that appears on both of these lists, Archaeology isn’t considered easy by students simply because of its almost 98% pass rate. It is also popular because A-level archaeology is so similar to GCSE archaeology, meaning that students don’t have to study the subject from scratch. It is also one of the project-style A-levels, which are often favoured by students that freeze under pressure or don’t cope well in stressful exam environments. If you like in-depth examinations and exploring a range of resource materials, then archaeology might be a great choice for you. If you’re new to archaeology, it is similar in style and content to subjects such as history, geology and biology: only easier!
9. Law might not immediately come to mind when you think of easy subjects, but it is rated as easy by those who have studied it and boasts a pass rate of just over 96%. In general, law is only easy if you have good memory retention skills because so much of the exam relies on simply remembering and regurgitating facts, rather than sharing your opinions or critical thinking skills. If you have a good memory, therefore, this is a very easy subject to pass. Some students also feel law is an easy A-level because the assessment is entirely exam-based, meaning there’s no need to complete any coursework for this subject.
10. Geography not only has a very high student pass rate (at 98.7%) it is considered easy by many students because the course content is so engaging. Students experience field study so that they can complete a field data assessment. This forms part of their final grade, alongside two written examinations. Students enjoy this opportunity to get out of a traditional classroom environment, and when you are engaged and enjoying yourself, your performance tends to be better. It is for this reason that geography is rated such an easy subject.