WSET Level 2 Wine Online | Instructor-Led Course

Your Registration Fee Includes:

• 12 months of access to the online course platform, counted from your course start date. You receive your login within 30 minutes of purchase, so any time between buying and your cohort starting is extra.
• 4 (Four) LIVE instructor-led webinars of 90 minutes each, with instructor support throughout. All webinars are recorded and posted for later viewing.
• 20+ recorded video lectures with interactive activities.
• A quiz with mock exam questions at the end of each week, so you can practise and check your understanding of that week's topics.
• Tasting activities to build your fluency with the WSET Level 2 Systematic Approach to Tasting®.
• A 50-question mock exam to prepare you for the real thing.
• Free access to the WSET eBook textbook via the WSET Global Reader (online, iOS, and Android) for 1 year from purchase.
• Online exam registration and exam fee. Register at least 30 days before your chosen date, within 12 months of your course start.
• Pass the Exam and Display Your Credentials Instantly! As soon as you pass, you'll get a digital badge and certificate to celebrate your accomplishment. Share it instantly on LinkedIn, social media, or with your professional network to showcase your achievement!

Not included: tasting wines. See the optional wine kit below, or source the recommended wines locally.

Optional Add-Ons:

• Wine kit: use our list of recommended wines to source bottles locally, or purchase a 12 x 100ml wine kit from our trusted partner, Small Lot Bottles. Please allow 7-10 days for delivery when choosing a course start date; all webinars are recorded in case your wines arrive late.
• Hardcopy version of the textbook may be purchased at checkout or later in this link.
• Study Tools: Complete Exam Prep Package for additional exam practice (included in NVWA Membership).

This is a five-week, semi-synchronous (combination instructor-led and self-paced) course with a fixed start/end date. However, you will have 12 months of access to the online learning material, allowing you to study wine in a way that fits your schedule.

➡️ Click here for Course Webinar Timetables

Exam Registration
You need to register for your WSET online exam at least 30 days before your chosen exam date, and this must be done within 12 months of your course start date. To view available exam dates and register, visit: WSET Level 2 Exam Dates.

Q: Is this course self-paced, or does it run to a schedule?

A: Both, and the distinction matters when you are planning. It is a five-week semi-synchronous course with a fixed start and end date: the study material - over 20 recorded video lectures, interactive activities and weekly quizzes - is available 24/7, but four live instructor-led webinars happen at set dates and times. You are part of a cohort rather than studying entirely alone. You also get a full 12 months of access to the online course platform, so the material stays with you long after the five taught weeks finish.

Q: When are the webinars, and do I have to attend live?

A: Four instructor-led Zoom webinars of 90 minutes each, with dates listed under the Webinar tab in the first module of your online course. Attendance is not mandatory and every session is recorded and posted afterwards, so a work conflict will not put you behind. Attend live where you can, though - the webinars include guided tastings and are the only chance to ask your instructor questions in real time.

Q: How does the exam work?

A: You sit it online with remote invigilation, meaning a proctor observes you for the full hour. It is 50 multiple-choice questions in 60 minutes, and there is no tasting exam at Level 2. Your registration and exam fee are included in the course price, but the sitting is not part of the five weeks - you book it yourself for a date that suits you.

Q: What equipment do I need for the online exam?

A: More than people expect, so check this before you book. You need a laptop or desktop computer - tablets are not permitted - with a working webcam, microphone and speakers, plus a reliable broadband connection. You will also need a mobile phone to act as a secondary camera for most sittings, and photo ID, and a quiet room where you cannot be interrupted or overlooked. Test your setup in advance rather than on exam morning.

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 online will not work for you - unreliable internet, no suitable second device, a disability or an accommodation - email support@napavalleywineacademy.com before you enroll so we can tell you what is possible and what it would cost. It cannot be arranged at short notice.

Q: When do I need to book my exam by?

A: Register at least 30 days before your chosen exam date, and your sitting must fall within 12 months of your course start date. You have a full year, so there is no need to rush - but pick your date while the material is fresh rather than leaving it to the last month. If the 12-month window closes unused, the included registration expires and you would pay a fresh exam fee.

Q: What is the pass mark, and how are Merit and Distinction awarded?

A: The pass mark is 55%, which is 28 correct answers out of 50. Merit is awarded for 70 to 84% and Distinction for 85% or above. Because it is multiple choice with no negative marking, answer every question - a guess costs you nothing.

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 achievable for anyone who does the reading and takes the weekly quizzes seriously. For contrast, our Level 3 theory pass rate is 60.2%, which is worth knowing if you are tempted to skip ahead.

Q: When will I get my result and certificate?

A: WSET releases results roughly four weeks after your exam. As soon as you pass you receive a digital certificate and badge you can share on LinkedIn or send to an employer immediately - WSET no longer ships paper certificates or physical pins.

Q: Are the wines included, or do I buy them?

A: Wines are not included in the course fee - budget for them separately. We publish a list of 12 recommended wines you can source locally, covering styles such as Chablis, Rioja Reserva, Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, Mosel Riesling, Chianti Classico and Late Bottled Vintage Port. Alternatively you can buy a 12 x 100 mL sample kit from our partner Small Lot Bottles, which is far cheaper than 12 full bottles and matches the tastings exactly.

Q: What if my wine kit arrives after a tasting webinar?

A: You have not missed anything - every webinar is recorded, so you can taste along with the recording once your wines land. Allow 7 to 10 days for kit delivery and factor that in when choosing a cohort start date. Ordering as soon as you enroll is the simplest way to avoid the problem.

Q: How does this compare with the two-day in-person course?

A: Same qualification, same exam, different experience - and a real difference in wine. Online is $679 over five weeks with four live webinars and 12 wines you supply yourself. In-person is $935 across two consecutive days in Napa, Nashville or Tampa, with around 30 wines poured for you and an instructor in the room. Choose online if you want to spread the study and save money; choose in-person if tasting breadth and immersion matter more than the $256 difference.

Q: What is included in the $679 price?

A: Twelve months of platform access, four live instructor-led webinars with instructor support, over 20 recorded video lectures with interactive activities, weekly quizzes, a 50-question mock exam, 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, the wine kit, and our Complete Exam Prep Package at $79 - included free with NVWA membership. Group discounts apply: 5% for two students, 8% for three, 10% for four.

Q: How long do I keep access to everything?

A: You get a full 12 months of access to the online course platform, and one year of WSET eBook access through the WSET Global Reader on web, iOS and Android. That is a generous window: the taught portion is only five weeks, so the videos, quizzes and mock exam stay available for months of revision afterwards, and it lines up with the 12 months you have to sit your exam.

Q: When do I get access after I buy?

A: Email links arrive within 30 minutes of purchase, so you can start reading before your cohort formally begins. If you add the printed textbook it ships within about 5 to 8 business days within the US; the digital textbook is available immediately inside your course.

Q: How much study time should I budget?

A: WSET specifies a Total Qualification Time of 28 hours - 17 guided learning hours plus around 11 hours of private study. Across a five-week cohort that is roughly five to six hours a week, which most people fit around a job comfortably. It is a modest commitment next to Level 3's 84 hours.

Q: Do I need a qualification before Level 2?

A: No formal prerequisite, but Level 2 assumes some basic wine knowledge rather than starting from nothing. If you are beginning from scratch, consider the WSET Level 1 Award in Wines or our TasteCoach™ Wine Fundamentals 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 figures argue against it: 96.1% pass Level 2 against a 60.2% Level 3 theory pass rate. Level 2 builds the systematic tasting method and the regional grounding Level 3 assumes on day one. If you already work in wine and know the classic regions well, talk to us. 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 usual outcome, but it is worth knowing the route exists.

Q: Can I cancel or move to a later cohort?

A: Yes, if you act at least 14 business days before your cohort start date. Cancellations in that window are refunded as store credit after a $50 administration fee plus the cost of any study materials, exam fees and wine kits already committed, and one transfer per person per course is permitted on the same deadline and fee. Within 14 business days of the start, or once the course has begun, no refunds or transfers are available. Our General Policies page carries the full terms.

Q: Can I speak to someone before enrolling?

A: Yes. Email support@napavalleywineacademy.com and our student support team will help you judge whether Level 2 suits your starting point, whether online or in-person fits you better, whether an in-person exam sitting can be arranged, and which cohort works with your schedule.