Q: Do I sit the exam on the second day of the course?
A: Not any more, and this changed recently, so it is the thing most people get wrong. For courses from 1 August 2026 onwards the WSET Level 2 Award in Wines exam is normally taken online with remote invigilation - you sit it from home on a date you choose, rather than in the classroom on day two. Your exam registration and fee are included in the course price, and you must book your sitting within 12 months of your course date.
Q: Can I sit the exam in person instead?
A: Not as standard, but it is not impossible. In-person sittings are available only by prior request, and additional fees may apply. If sitting in person matters to you - because of a disability, an accommodation, unreliable internet or simple preference - email support@napavalleywineacademy.com before you enroll rather than afterwards, so we can tell you what is possible and what it would cost. It cannot be arranged at short notice.
Q: How do I book my online exam, and what if I leave it too long?
A: You register through the Exams Management page inside your online prep course, choosing from the published sitting times. The deadline is 12 months from your in-person course date. Do not drift: if that window closes unused, your included exam registration expires and you would need to pay a fresh exam fee. Most students who struggle at Level 2 are not defeated by the material - they simply let the booking slide.
Q: What do I need for the online exam?
A: A computer with a working webcam and microphone, a reliable broadband connection, photo ID, and a quiet room where you will not be interrupted and cannot be overlooked. Remote invigilation means a proctor observes you for the full hour, so treat the setup seriously - test your equipment beforehand rather than on the day. If your internet is unreliable, that is a good reason to ask us about an in-person sitting before you enroll.
Q: What is the exam format, and what do I need to pass?
A: Fifty multiple-choice questions in 60 minutes. The pass mark is 55%, which means 28 correct answers out of 50. Merit is awarded for 70 to 84% and Distinction for 85% or above. There is no tasting exam at Level 2 - the tasting you do on the course builds your palate and your vocabulary, but it is not separately assessed.
Q: What is Napa Valley Wine Academy's WSET Level 2 pass rate?
A: 96.1% - that is 3,061 passes from 3,186 graded exam sittings between 2024 and 2026. Level 2 is a genuinely achievable qualification if you do the reading, and our figure reflects that. For context, our Level 3 theory pass rate is 60.2%, so if you are weighing up whether to skip straight to Level 3, that gap is worth knowing about.
Q: When will I get my result and certificate?
A: WSET releases results roughly four weeks after your exam - much faster than Level 3, which is graded in London and takes 10 to 12 weeks. As soon as you pass you receive a digital certificate and badge you can post to LinkedIn or send to an employer straight away, rather than waiting for anything to arrive by mail.
Q: Where does the in-person course run?
A: Three locations. Napa at our headquarters, 2501 Oak St, Napa CA 94559, nearest airports San Francisco (SFO) or Sacramento (SMF). Nashville at 1715 West End Avenue, Nashville TN 37203, nearest airport BNA. Tampa at The Epicurean, 1207 S Howard Ave, Tampa FL 33606, nearest airport TPA. Napa runs monthly; Nashville and Tampa run a couple of times a year, so book early if you need one of those.
Q: What are the two days actually like?
A: Two consecutive days, 9 AM to 5 PM local time, in a classroom with an instructor and a glass in front of you. You work through the principal grape varieties and the styles they make, sparkling and fortified wines, label terminology and the WSET Level 2 Systematic Approach to Tasting®, with group activities, mock questions and around 30 wines poured across the two days. It is taught rather than lectured - expect to be talking and tasting, not just listening.
Q: How many wines will I taste, and should I spit?
A: Around 30 across the two days, chosen to illustrate the varieties and styles the syllabus covers. Spitting is standard practice and actively encouraged - you are learning to assess wine analytically, and 30 wines is a great deal of alcohol if you swallow. We recommend arranging transport rather than driving after a tasting day.
Q: How much does it cost and what is included?
A: $935, covering two days of live in-person instruction, your online prep course available from the moment you enroll, guided tastings of around 30 wines, the WSET digital textbook via the WSET Global Reader for one year, and your online exam registration and fee. Optional extras are a printed textbook and our Complete Exam Prep Package at $79, which is included free with NVWA membership. Group discounts apply when booking together: 5% for two students, 8% for three and 10% for four.
Q: How long do I keep the textbook and course materials?
A: The WSET eBook is yours for one year from purchase through the WSET Global Reader on web, iOS and Android. Note that this is shorter than the two years given at Level 3, and it runs alongside your 12-month exam booking window - so if you delay your exam to the end of that window, your textbook access is expiring at the same time. Sit the exam sooner rather than later.
Q: Do I need to do anything before I arrive?
A: Yes, and it makes a real difference. Your online prep course unlocks on enrollment and is self-paced with videos, hands-on experiments and interactive quizzes. Budget at least four hours in it before day one. Students who arrive having done the prep spend the two days deepening what they know rather than meeting it for the first time.
Q: How much study time does Level 2 need in total?
A: WSET specifies a Total Qualification Time of 28 hours: 17 guided learning hours, which the two classroom days more than cover, plus around 11 hours of private study. That is a modest commitment compared with Level 3's 84 hours, and it is one reason Level 2 suits people who want a real qualification without rearranging their lives.
Q: Do I need any qualification before Level 2?
A: No formal prerequisite, but Level 2 assumes you already have some basic wine knowledge - it does not start from what a grape is. If you are beginning from scratch, consider the WSET Level 1 Award in Wines at $425 or our TasteCoach™ Wine Fundamentals online course at $99 first. All students must be at least 21 years of age, and WSET advises candidates sitting in English as a second language to have IELTS 6.0 or above.
Q: Should I skip Level 2 and go straight to Level 3?
A: WSET permits it, but our own numbers argue against it. Level 2 builds the systematic tasting method and the regional grounding that Level 3 assumes from day one, and our Level 3 theory pass rate is 60.2% against 96.1% at Level 2. If you already work in wine and know the classic regions well, a conversation with our team is worth having. If you are honestly unsure, Level 2 first is the cheaper route to a Level 3 pass.
Q: What happens if I do not pass?
A: You can resit without retaking the course. A Level 2 resit costs $220 and is booked the same way as your first attempt. With a 96.1% pass rate this is not the common outcome, but it is worth knowing the route exists before you sit.
Q: Can I cancel or move to a different cohort?
A: Yes, if you act at least 60 days before your course start date. Cancellations in that window incur a $50 administration fee plus the cost of study materials and exam fees already committed, with the balance issued as store credit. One transfer per person per course is permitted on the same 60-day deadline and the same $50 fee. Inside 60 days, or once the course has begun, no refunds or transfers are available without documented medical evidence. Our General Policies page carries the full terms.
Q: What can I do with the qualification, and what comes next?
A: Level 2 is the qualification the trade generally treats as evidence you can talk about wine credibly - useful in retail, hospitality, sales and tasting-room roles, and the level many employers ask for. It also feeds directly into the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines, which is the required entry point for the Level 4 Diploma. Plenty of students stop at Level 2 perfectly happily; it is a destination as well as a step.
Q: Can I speak to someone before booking?
A: Yes. Email support@napavalleywineacademy.com and our student support team will help you judge whether Level 2 matches your starting point, which location and date suit you, whether an in-person exam sitting can be arranged, and whether Level 1 or TasteCoach™ Wine Fundamentals would serve you better first.
