Hardest A-levels: what the grade data really shows
Most "hardest A-level" lists are made up. This one uses the real 2025 results: the share of each subject's entries awarded an A or A*. But read it carefully — a low top-grade rate usually means a subject is taken by a broad range of students, not that its content is harder.
Sorted by the percentage awarded A* or A in summer 2025 — lowest first. The all-subject average was 28.2%.
| Subject | % A*/A (2025) | Entries |
|---|---|---|
| English LanguageA broad cohort; the low A* rate is about intake, not the subject being hard. | 12.8% | 12,734 |
| Accounting | 13.7% | 2,361 |
| Media / Film / TV | 14.8% | 23,320 |
| Business Studies | 16.6% | 45,235 |
| Law | 17.0% | 14,973 |
| PE / Sport | 18.6% | 13,494 |
| Sociology | 19.2% | 43,875 |
| Design & Technology | 19.2% | 10,576 |
| PsychologyOne of the largest, broadest cohorts — a low A* rate reflects a near-comprehensive intake, not difficulty. | 19.4% | 75,943 |
| Philosophy | 22.2% | 3,814 |
| Drama | 22.7% | 8,038 |
| Geography | 24.4% | 34,336 |
| English Literature | 24.6% | 37,931 |
| Music | 24.7% | 5,418 |
| History | 24.9% | 44,717 |
| Computing | 25.1% | 19,796 |
| Religious Studies | 25.5% | 16,439 |
| Biology | 28.0% | 71,400 |
| Political Studies | 28.0% | 22,185 |
| Economics | 29.6% | 42,667 |
| Physics | 32.1% | 44,957 |
| Chemistry | 32.6% | 63,538 |
| Classical Subjects | 34.1% | 6,422 |
| Art & Design | 35.3% | 43,124 |
| Spanish | 36.1% | 8,325 |
| French | 39.1% | 6,858 |
| MathematicsThe largest A-level; still a comparatively strong, able cohort. | 41.6% | 112,138 |
| GermanSmall language cohort, often with heritage/native speakers. | 47.8% | 2,224 |
| Further MathematicsA tiny, self-selecting cohort of strong mathematicians — high A* rate reflects who takes it, not easy content. | 58.2% | 19,390 |
Source: JCQ — A-level results by subject (UK), summer 2025 (subject figures are UK; the 28.2% all-subject average is England, from Ofqual/GOV.UK). Aggregate categories like "Other Modern Languages" are excluded.
The honest takeaway
Pick subjects you'll be motivated to work hard at and that meet the requirements of the degrees you're considering — not the ones with the friendliest-looking grade stats. See how to choose your A-levels and what mark each grade actually took.