How Long Are A Level Religious Studies Exams

A Level Religious Studies gives you the chance to explore big questions in philosophy, ethics, and religion. This means that in your exams, you’ll be writing in great detail to explain and evaluate complex ideas. The essays are longer than at GCSE, which means it’s easy to lose track of time if you’re not prepared. Knowing exactly how long your papers are and how many essays you’ll need to complete makes it much easier to stay focused and structure your answers clearly.

So, how long are A Level Religious Studies exams? The answer depends on your exam board, but most involve 2-3 hour papers with several essays in each. In this guide, we’ll break down timings for AQA, OCR, Edexcel, and Eduqas/WJEC, look at how AS exams compare, and share tips on managing time so you can make the most of every essay.

Key Takeaways

• A Level Religious Studies is assessed entirely by written exams; there’s no coursework.

• Most exam boards set either two longer papers (around 3 hours each) or three papers of about 2 hours each.

• You’ll write multiple long essays in every paper, with a strong focus on critical analysis and evaluation.

• AS Level exams are shorter (usually 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes each) and test fewer components.

• Good planning and time management are essential to keep essays clear, detailed, and within the time limit.

Overview of A Level Religious Studies Exams

A Level Religious Studies is assessed entirely through written exams at the end of Year 13. Unlike subjects that include coursework or practical elements, your grade depends on how well you can explain, analyse, and evaluate ideas under timed conditions.

Across all exam boards, the subject is divided into broad areas such as:

• Philosophy of religion: Classic arguments for and against God’s existence, the problem of evil, and religious experience

• Ethics: Theories like utilitarianism and natural law, plus how they apply to issues such as euthanasia or business ethics

• Religion and society/developments in thought: How religions respond to modern issues, or in some cases, a focused study of a particular religion or text (e.g. Christianity, Buddhism, or New Testament studies)

For a full list of what you’ll be examined on, consult our guide to A Level Religious Studies topics.

Because the exams are essay-based, you’ll spend most of your time writing in depth about these themes. Each paper usually includes several extended questions worth 25-40 marks, meaning you’ll need to think carefully about how to manage your time so that you can give equal care to planning and writing each essay.

A Level Religious Studies Exam Lengths by Exam Board

The length of your exams varies according to the exam board you’re studying with. It also determines how many papers you’ll need to sit. For further details, check our guide on how many A Level Religious Studies papers there are for each exam board.

AQA A Level RS (7062)

• Number of papers: 2

• Length of each paper: 3 hours

• When taken: Papers are sat on separate days

• Weighting: Each paper is worth 50% of the final grade

• AS Level option (7061): Two papers, Paper 1 is 2 hours, worth 67% and Paper 2 is 1 hour, worth 33% of the grade 

OCR A Level RS (H573)

• Number of papers: 3

• Length of each paper: 2 hours

• When taken: All three papers are usually sat on separate days

• Weighting: Each paper is worth one-third of the final grade

• AS Level option (H173): 3 papers, each 1 hour 15 minutes

Edexcel (Pearson) A Level RS (9RS0)

• Number of papers: 3

• Length of each paper: 2 hours

• When taken: Papers are usually sat on separate days

• Weighting: Each paper is worth one-third of the final grade

• AS Level option (8RS0): 3 papers, each 1 hour

Eduqas / WJEC A Level RS

• Number of papers: 3

• Length of each paper: 2 hours

• When taken: Papers are usually sat on separate days

• Weighting: Each paper is worth one-third of the final grade

• AS Level option: 3 papers, each 1 hour 30 minutes

Quick Comparison Table (Full A Level)

AS Level Religious Studies Exam Lengths

Not all schools or colleges offer AS Religious Studies, but where it is available, the exams are shorter and cover fewer topics than the full A Level. An AS is a standalone qualification (worth 40% of a full A Level). It can be taken after Year 12, but many students only sit it if they are not continuing the subject into Year 13.

Here’s how the timings compare across exam boards:

Quick Comparison Table (AS Level)

How Much Writing Is Expected?

A Level Religious Studies is essay-based, so the length of the exams directly affects how much writing you’ll need to do. In most boards, each paper consists of long essay questions, each worth 25-40 marks.

You’ll typically write 3 or 4 essays per paper, depending on the exam board and question choice. Each essay needs to:

• Show strong knowledge of the topic (philosophy, ethics, or religious thought).

• Analyse and evaluate different viewpoints.

• Reach a clear, well-argued conclusion.

Because the essays are long and detailed, it’s easy to drift off track or run out of time if you don’t plan properly. With exams lasting 2 or 3 hours, managing your writing pace is essential. Spending too long on one essay can cost you marks on the next.

Tips for Managing Time in RS Exams

Time management is vital. It can make the difference between a top grade and a disappointing result. Here are some tried-and-tested strategies I’ve used with A Level RS students:

• Plan before you write: Spend about 5 minutes sketching a quick plan for each essay. This keeps your points focused and prevents you from running out of ideas mid-way.

• Divide time equally across essays: If you have three essays to write in a 3-hour paper, aim for about 55 minutes each. This leaves time for checking your work at the end. It may help to write the timings at the top of the paper before you start, so you don’t lose track once you’re underway.

• Use the mark scheme as a guide: A 40-mark essay should take longer than a 25-mark one, so always match your time to the marks available.

• Practise under timed conditions: Build exam stamina by writing full essays with the clock running. It’s the best way to prepare for long papers.

• Stay concise: Make your points clearly, support them with evidence or quotes, and move on. Long-winded answers eat up time without adding marks.

• Use quality resources: Save My Exams’ A Level RS past papers with mark schemes let you see the exact questions previous students have faced, and how examiners marked them. They’re an excellent guide for your A Level RS revision.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many essays do you write in RS A Level?

It depends on the exam board, but most papers require three to four essays per exam. 

Across all papers, that means you’ll usually write 9-12 essays in total for the full A Level.

Does A Level Religious Studies include coursework?

No. A Level RS is assessed entirely by written exams at the end of Year 13. There is no coursework or non-exam assessment (NEA).

References

• AQA A Level Religious Studies Specification (7062) (opens in a new tab)

• OCR A Level Religious Studies Specification (H573) (opens in a new tab)

• Edexcel A Level Religious Studies Specification (9RS0) (opens in a new tab)

• Eduqas A Level Religious Studies Specification (opens in a new tab)

• WJEC A Level Religious Studies Specification (opens in a new tab)