Past papers are available free of charge from the exam boards’ websites. Exam boards also have study guides and Specimen Assessment Materials (SAMs) for new courses.

You’ll sit the same GCSE exams at the same time as all the other students in the UK, and you’ll receive the same results, transcript and qualification. Your GCSE course will be accepted by colleges, universities and employers worldwide.

All written exams will take place at the college: 18 Mansel St, Swansea, SA15SG. Occasionally, exams may be sat at an external site. You will be told in advance if this is the case.

All morning exams start at 9.00 am and afternoon exams start at 1.30pm. Please note you must to arrive 30 minutes prior to your exam.

No, parents and guardians are not allowed to wait in the college during exams. This is to ensure the quietness of the college when exams are taking place. We there ask all parents to arrange to collect the candidates after the exam has finished. The reception door will remained locked during the exams.

Free parking is available outside the college for a maximum of one hour (all day with a blue badge).  There are fee-charging car parks available nearby.

We provide small lockers for candidates to leave their belongings while they sit the exam.

• Valid photo ID (the same photo ID provided when booking the exam)
• Black pen and pencil
• Calculator and other maths equipment (ruler, protractor, compass etc.) if allowed

We provide every candidate with water for each exam.

Candidate may bring their own water bottle, but they must bring a clear, plastic bottle with the label removed.

Candidates with medical reasons may bring other drinks or exams such as Lucozade or Lucozade tablets. Candidates will need to provide the college with medical evidence prior to the exams.

You may, however, this is not encouraged as it can disturb other candidates. Candidates leaving the room must be supervised.

Please let us know as soon as you can. If you don’t attend an exam you will be marked as absent. However, if there is a good reason for your absence, such as sudden illness, we can apply for Special Consideration for you. Please be aware that special consideration is awarded on the awarding body’s discretion and fees may apply for this. See our section on this above.

If illness or injury prevents you from doing your best then we can apply for Special Consideration on your behalf. Please be aware that special consideration is awarded on the awarding body’s discretion and fees may apply for this. See our section on this above.

Please call us as soon as you can. You may be allowed to enter the exam as a late arrival. You will still get the full amount of time allowed for the exam. However, please be aware that if you arrive more than 1 hour late (after 10.00 am for morning exams or 2.30pm for afternoon exams) your mark may not stand. This is up to the exam boards.

• Valid photo ID (the same photo ID provided when booking the exam)
• Black pen and pencil
• Calculator and other maths equipment (ruler, protractor, compass etc.) if allowed

No. The exam dates are set by the awarding bodies, and exams can only take place on those dates and at the times specified. We recommend checking dates of exams on the exam board websites.

There may be different reasons for this. Some subjects are not made available for private candidates by the exam boards. Other subjects may involve coursework or non-exam assessments. In this case we may be able to provide bespoke assessments (see fees section for more details). Please contact us or complete an application to find out if the subject you are interested in is available.

Swansea College cannot advise you on this issue. You are advised to check:

• That the exam/qualification is available for private candidates
• That you meet the age requirements or any other requirements
• That the qualification is accepted by your chosen University or other prospective institution or employer. We strongly recommend contacting your institution or employer before committing to exams.

iGCSEs (International GCSEs) were originally developed by Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) for students overseas who wanted a UK style education. They have proved very popular with UK based private candidates as they usually do not involve coursework. They are accepted by UK universities and other institutions as equal to standard GCSEs. We offer iGCSEs through Pearson/Edexcel.

A level and GCSE Science qualifications may require you to demonstrate your abilities in practical laboratory techniques. Please contact for more details on sitting exams with practicals.

Please note: iGCSEs in science do not have a practical requirement.

Some A level and GCSE language qualifications may require you to demonstrate your speaking and listening abilities. Please note: many iGCSEs in languages also have this requirement.

The Maths and Numeracy GCSE was developed by WJEC to allow students who are not particularly strong at theoretical maths to focus on the practical aspects of maths and still achieve a GCSE.

The Maths and Numeracy GCSE is accepted as an entry qualification by some HE and FE colleges and Universities, but not all. You are strongly advised to check with your intended institution before you decide which route to take.

Please see the section above and click the link to our online application form.

UCI stands for Unique Candidate Indicator and is a 12 digit number with a letter at the end. If you have taken an exam before a UCI will have been created for you. You may find it on your previous exam paperwork or you can ask your previous exam centre for it. If you don’t have one, we can create one for you.

We can withdraw you from an exam any time before the entry deadline. We can also change the details of your entry (e.g. from Foundation to Higher) before the deadline. Changes made after the deadline count as new entries and have to be charged as such. Refunds are not given after the entry deadline.

You can apply to have the exam checked or remarked. Or you may be able to re-sit the exam, depending on the subject.

You can see a copy of your completed exam paper (unmarked) after the results are released. There will be a fee for this service.

If you provide us with a stamped addressed envelope we can post the results and/or certificate to you. You can ask someone you know to collect them on your behalf, provided you let us know in advance and provide written statement authorising them to pick up your certificates.

Yes. Candidates are welcome to visit the college ahead of time (please email us in advance to arrange a time). Mock assessments can be taken at the centre for an additional charge. Alternatively, we can arrange for a separate exam room. Extra fees will apply.

WJEC exams are available in Welsh. Please use the codes for the Welsh language papers when you apply.