Top 10 Easiest A Levels To Study In 2025

Choosing the right A Levels can be tough. Whether you're looking for a slightly lighter workload or a less stressful student experience, this guide breaks down the A Levels that students may find the most manageable. 

While the difficulty of an A Level subject shouldn’t be the only factor influencing your decision, it’s always a good idea to be prepared and gain an understanding of the level of work that may be required. 

What Are The Easiest A Levels?

To figure out some of the easiest A Levels to study in 2025, we analysed Ofqual’s 2024 A Level results data. This shows which subjects had the highest pass rates last year. Pass rate is the percentage of students achieving a grade E or above.

Check out the table below for the results, which we’ve ranked in order of pass rate percentage:

The Top 10 Easiest A Level Subjects 

1. Drama 

Pass rate: 99.5% 

With the highest pass rate in 2024, Drama may be considered one of the less challenging A Levels you can study. However, something important to note is that just because it may be easier to pass than other A Levels, it still isn’t easy to achieve a high grade. 

In 2024, just 21.8% of students achieved a grade A or above in Drama, while 32.2% achieved a grade A or above in Chemistry – an A Level traditionally considered to be quite challenging. 

With that being said, you should choose Drama if:

• You enjoy subjects that combine both practical and theoretical study (e.g. acting and analysing plays)

• You’re passionate about acting, directing or costume/set designing 

• You love collaborating with other students 

• You’re creative and enjoy expressing yourself 

2. Art and Design subjects

Pass rate: 99.1% 

A Level Art and Design subjects (i.e. Art & Design, Textiles, Photography) also have some of the highest pass rates, however you have to be very talented in your chosen area to achieve the best results. 

You should choose to study Art & Design subjects at A Level if: 

• You have a creative flair and are skilled in painting, drawing, designing, photography, sculpture or mixed media

• You prefer practical coursework and timed assignments over written examinations 

• You’re highly independent 

3. Media/Film/TV Studies

Pass rate: 99.1% 

Media/Film/TV Studies A Levels are ideal for students who are looking to go into careers such as journalism, digital marketing, PR, film directing/producing or broadcasting. 

With a high pass rate, these A Level subjects may be considered easier than traditional A Levels such as Maths and Physics, however they still require a lot of hard work and determination. 

You should choose to study Media/Film/TV Studies at A Level if: 

• You enjoy deconstructing and analysing different forms of media such as films and TV shows 

• You’re a critical thinker 

• You want to develop your writing, communication and/or research skills 

4. English Literature 

Pass rate: 99.2% 

With a high pass rate and a whopping 57.2% of students achieving a grade B or above in 2024, English Literature is another A Level that may be deemed less challenging than others, according to this data. 

You should choose to study English Literature at A Level if: 

• You love studying texts across a range of genres and time periods, from Shakespeare to Margaret Atwood 

• You’re keen to develop transferable skills such as analytical skills, critical thinking skills and communication skills 

• You may be considering a career in journalism, publishing, teaching, PR, communications or copywriting

Despite English Literature having an impressive pass rate, it’s worth noting that this A Level can be quite content-heavy with a high workload – you’ll be studying a range of different literary works across different time periods and genres including prose, poetry and drama. 

Start learning with our A Level English Literature revision resources. 

5. German

Pass rate: 99.2% 

Some students may find A Level German relatively easy because they already have a strong foundation in the language, having achieved a grade 6 or higher in GCSE German.

You should choose to study German at A Level if:

• You want to continue studying one of the most widely spoken native languages in Europe

• You love the idea of working or studying abroad 

• You’re great at learning languages and thrive in speaking exams 

Factors Influencing How ‘Easy’ An A Level Is

Remember, no A Level is ‘easy’. This guide is simply here to give you an idea of the A Level subjects that currently have the highest pass rates and therefore may be considered some of the easiest to pass. But what other factors can influence how easy or difficult you may find an A Level?

Personal Interests and Strengths

Your personal interests and skills should be at the forefront of your decision-making when it comes to choosing which A Levels you’d like to study. It goes without saying that choosing a subject you enjoy and have a genuine interest in will be far easier to study than a subject you have to force yourself to engage with. 

Not only this, you should take your individual skill set into consideration too. If you know you perform better in subjects that are coursework-led as opposed to exam-based, you may want to consider A Levels with higher coursework components. Ask yourself these questions to get an idea of your own skills and academic strengths:

• Which subjects do I enjoy the most, and which subjects am I the best at? 

• Do I prefer being tested via exams, coursework or practical work? 

• Does this subject suit my learning style?

Learning Style 

Again, what makes an A Level ‘easy’ is extremely subjective. It’s important to understand how personal preferences can impact the difficulty of an A Level. 

Your learning style and preferred method of assessment can impact how easy you find a specific A Level. 

Which A Levels Are The Easiest For Visual Learners?

If you’re a visual learner who finds it easier to absorb information through diagrams, maps, charts and images, you may find subjects such as Art & Design, Sciences and Maths easier to study. You’ll likely find subjects which involve heavy text-based learning such as English Literature more difficult. 

Generally speaking, the A Level subjects that visual learners may find the easiest include:

• Geography

• Art & Design subjects 

• Maths

• Physics

• Social Sciences

Which A Levels Are The Easiest For Kinaesthetic Learners?

If you’re a kinaesthetic learner, it means you’re somebody who learns best through hands-on activities, whether that’s physical movement or participating in practical work. 

The A Level subjects that kinaesthetic learners may find the easiest include: 

• Physical Education

• Drama

• Dance

• Subjects with laboratory work or practical components, such as Biology or Chemistry

Which A Levels Are The Easiest For Reading/Writing Learners?

Also known as textual learners, reading/writing learners find it easiest to learn by reading notes and textbooks and through rewriting and rereading their own notes. 

The A Level subjects that reading/writing learners may find the easiest include: 

• English Literature

• English Language

• History

• Philosophy

• Sociology 

Exam Format

As mentioned, the method of assessment can also impact how easy you may find a certain A Level subject. 

If you know that you perform better in subjects that mostly use timed written exams or practical exams to assess your skills and knowledge, you’ll likely find these easier than subjects requiring a lot of coursework. 

If you thrive under timed conditions and perform well under pressure, you may find subjects such as Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry, Physics, Law and Psychology easier to study and succeed in, whereas students who prefer ongoing assessment such as coursework may find the likes of English Literature, Media Studies/Film Studies and Art and Design easier. 

Workload

If you’re choosing A Level subjects that are all coursework-led, you may find your workload throughout the year is pretty intense. Essay-based subjects such as English, Philosophy, Politics, Law and History require frequent long-form essays, which take time to plan and write. 

Similarly, some A Levels require lots of memorisation and revision for exams such as Biology, Psychology, Chemistry, Geography and Economics, so it just depends on which assessment format you feel you’d manage the best. 

To help with high content A Levels that require a lot of memorisation, Save My Exams provides the best revision resources with efficiency in mind! We can help you to achieve the best grades with the least amount of effort, making sure that your revision isn’t wasted time. With our handy flashcards, concise revision notes and extensive collection of past papers, you’ll find revising more enjoyable and more effective. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are The Most Popular A Levels?

According to JQC, the top 10 most popular A Level subjects in 2024 were: 

1. Maths

2. Psychology

3. Biology

4. Chemistry

5. History

6. Business Studies

7. Sociology

8. Art & Design subjects

9. Physics 

10. Economics

As you can see, the most popular A Levels aren’t necessarily those with the highest pass rates, so it’s important to make the decision based on your own personal strengths, interests and future ambitions. 

Which A Level Exam Board Is The Easiest?

In the UK, the primary exam boards for A Levels are AQA, OCR, Edexcel and WJEC. Each exam board designs its own syllabus, however they all adhere to national standards set by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual). 

That being said, both teachers and students may have their own opinions on which exam board is easier or harder for specific subjects. Our comprehensive grade boundaries resource may be helpful here, as you’ll find the grade boundaries for each A Level exam board by year.  

Grade boundaries are set each year by examiners based on how students have performed overall, as well as looking at marked papers from previous years to determine what the minimum mark for each grade should be. 

If students across the country have found a certain exam paper to be difficult, then the grade boundaries will be slightly lower – this means it takes fewer marks overall to achieve a higher grade. Comparing grade boundaries across exam boards can give you an idea of how easy or difficult students have found past exam papers from each exam board, however, this doesn’t necessarily mean one exam board is harder or easier than another. 

Will Choosing Easier A Levels Impact My University Application?

Some universities have lists of preferred A Level subjects for certain degrees, but this isn’t always the case. So-called ‘facilitating’ or ‘hard’ subjects such as Maths, English, Physics, Biology and Chemistry may be preferred by certain universities, however many Russell Group universities welcome subjects across a range of disciplines, including those that may be considered ‘soft’ subjects. 

The important thing is to choose A Levels that are relevant to the degree you may be hoping to pursue and that will give you a great foundation for studying at higher education. 

Improve Your Grades with Save My Exams

At Save My Exams, we focus on crafting high-quality, affordable revision materials. Teachers and examiners with expert subject knowledge create our resources, and we take pride in offering exam-board specific content, ensuring you receive the most relevant information for your course. 

Our A Level revision resources include everything from exam-style questions and past papers to concise revision notes, helping you to master your subject in no time. 

Explore Our A Level Revision Resources

References

A level outcomes in England 

JCQ A level trends – Summer 2024