WSET Certification Courses in Wine, Spirits, Sake and Beer
Levels 1 to 4, taught online and in person in the United States by a WSET Approved Programme Provider.
- Four WSET subjects — wine, spirits, sake and beer — from Level 1 to the Level 4 Diploma
- Study live online with an instructor, fully on demand, or in person
- Level 3 wine exams sat in person at eight locations across the United States
- We publish our pass rates with the candidate numbers behind them
WSET Global Wine Educator
of the Year — 2016 & 2019
WSET Approved Programme Provider
Four Masters of Wine on faculty
What is WSET?
WSET stands for the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, the London awarding body behind the WSET qualifications. It certifies in four subjects — wine, spirits, sake and beer — running from Level 1, which assumes no prior knowledge, to the Level 4 Diploma. Napa Valley Wine Academy is a WSET Approved Programme Provider, which means WSET approves the courses we teach, the educators who teach them and the way we run exams.
The levels are cumulative rather than interchangeable. Level 1 is an introduction. Level 2 is the working knowledge most drinks-trade roles ask for. Level 3 is the analytical tasting and theory qualification that sommeliers, buyers and educators tend to hold. The Level 4 Diploma is WSET's highest qualification and the usual step before the Master of Wine programme.
You can enter at Level 1, 2 or 3 in wine — there is no formal prerequisite below Level 4 — but the Level 4 Diploma requires a pass in the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines, with no equivalence route.
Evidence
What is Napa Valley Wine Academy's WSET pass rate?
By level, over the same period and on the same first-attempts-only basis: Level 1, 96.5% from 1,269 candidates; Level 2, 95.1% from 1,106 candidates; Level 3, 73.8% from 859 candidates. The Level 4 Diploma is measured differently, by unit rather than by candidate: 77.6% of 558 graded unit sittings.
WSET does not publish per-provider pass rates, and there is no industry benchmark to compare these against. Most providers publish nothing at all. We publish ours with the denominators and the date range so you can judge them yourself — including Level 3, which is the hard one, and where the drop from Level 2 is the honest picture of what that qualification asks. See the full figures and our method.
Wine
WSET wine courses, Level 1 to Level 4
Four levels, each available in more than one format. TQT is Total Qualification Time — WSET's own estimate of the total study hours, taught and private, that the qualification takes.
Level 1 · Award in Wines
6 h TQTFrom $289The starting point, designed for people beginning from zero. Main wine styles, the principles of food and wine pairing, and the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting. The instructor-led route runs four weeks with three live 60-minute webinars; an on-demand route opens immediately with no cohort and no fixed dates.
Exam: a 30-question paper sat online. · Requires: nothing — no prior wine knowledge is assumed. Minimum age 21.
Level 2 · Award in Wines
28 h TQTFrom $599The working knowledge most drinks-trade roles ask for: the principal grape varieties and the regions they come from, production and labelling, storage and service. Twelve wines carry you through the Level 2 Systematic Approach to Tasting. Available instructor-led over five weeks, on demand, in person, or as a bootcamp.
Exam: a 50-question paper sat online. · Requires: no formal prerequisite, but the course assumes some basic wine knowledge.
Level 3 · Award in Wines
84 h TQTFrom $1,135The analytical qualification — why a wine tastes as it does, and how to write that down under exam conditions. Ten weeks instructor-led, also offered in person and as a harvest bootcamp in Napa. Theory, not tasting, is what fails most candidates at this level.
Exam: sat in person — multiple choice, a written theory paper, and a blind tasting. · Requires: WSET recommends holding Level 2 or an equivalent level of wine knowledge.
Level 4 · Diploma in Wines (DipWSET)
500 h TQT$7,330 across six unitsWSET's highest qualification, taken as six units over 18 months to three years. All teaching is online; every examination is sat in person in Napa. Tuition is paid unit by unit as you progress rather than upfront, and WSET charges a separate one-time candidate registration fee.
Exams: five units by examination, one by a 3,000-word research paper. · Requires: a pass in the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines. There is no equivalence route.
Formats
Which format should you take?
Online, instructor-led
A fixed start date and a real cohort, anchored by live webinars that are always recorded. A dedicated WSET-certified educator for the length of the course.
Online, on demand
The whole course opens on purchase and stays open for 12 months. No cohort, no start date, no webinars. The cheapest route to the same qualification.
In person
Classroom teaching with guided tastings poured for you. Offered at Levels 1, 2 and 3 in wine.
Bootcamp
The same syllabus compressed into consecutive days, built for people travelling in. Level 2 in wine, and a Level 3 harvest bootcamp in Napa.
12 months of access, whichever you choose
Every format keeps the online learning material open for 12 months from your course start date, so the material outlasts the course.
Exam registration included
Your WSET exam registration and exam fee are included in the course price. Tasting samples are not — a recommended list is provided, and sample kits are available separately.
Spirits
WSET spirits courses
Three levels in spirits. Levels 1 and 2 are fully on demand; Level 3 is instructor-led with live webinars.
Level 1 · Award in Spirits
On demand$299The basic principles of spirit production, the main types and styles, what drives flavour, service and the basics of cocktail construction, described with the Level 1 Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits. Fully self-paced — the course opens within about 30 minutes of purchase and stays open for 12 months.
Exam: sat online; registration and fee included. · Requires: nothing. WSET does not require candidates to taste alcohol to qualify.
Level 2 · Award in Spirits
On demand$629How pot and column distillation shape purity and flavour, then the world category by category — Scotch, bourbon, Canadian and Japanese whisky, rum, Tequila and Mezcal, vodka, gin, Cognac and brandy, liqueurs. Reading a label for what it legally means, the classic cocktail families, and the Level 2 Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits®.
Exam: sat online; registration and fee included. · Written and recorded by our head spirits educator, a WSET Diploma holder and Master of Baijiu.
Level 3 · Award in Spirits
9 weeks$1,490Nine weeks with a dedicated spirits instructor across five live webinars, taught on the Issue 3 curriculum with its reworked tasting framework emphasising texture and quality. Scotch whisky, whiskey in the USA, Cognac, Armagnac, Caribbean rum, Tequila, Mezcal, vodka, gin, Calvados, Baijiu and Genever.
Assessment: theory and blind tasting, through the Level 3 Systematic Approach to Tasting®.
Sake
WSET sake courses
Two levels in sake, both taught online on WSET Global's sake learning platform.
Level 1 · Award in Sake
4 weeks$357An introduction to sake for the drinks trade and for personal interest, taught over four weeks on WSET Global's own learning portal. The main styles and types of sake, how rice, water, yeast and brewing choices shape flavour and aroma, and how to read a sake label and know what it is telling you.
Exam: registration and fee included. · Requires: no previous sake, wine or beer knowledge.
Level 2 · Award in Sake
5 weeks$725Five weeks, with no live webinars — you work through the course when it suits you inside the cohort window, and a WSET educator reads and responds to the tasting notes you submit. Rice varieties, koji, water and yeast, then polishing ratios, fermentation, dilution and packaging, and how each choice creates a style. The printed textbook is included and mailed on registration.
Exam: registration and fee included. · Tasting: trains on the Level 2 Systematic Approach to Tasting Sake®. Sakes are not included.
Beer
WSET beer courses
Two levels in beer, both instructor-supported and taught online.
Level 1 · Award in Beer
4 weeks$325Four weeks and six modules on WSET Global's learning platform, plus three live 90-minute webinars with our beer educator. The main styles, how malt, hops, yeast and water shape flavour and aroma, and a systematic approach to tasting beer.
Exam: registration and fee included. · Requires: no previous beer, wine or spirits knowledge.
Level 2 · Award in Beer
5 weeks$725Five weeks with a real instructor and a real cohort: six modules on WSET Global's portal plus four live 60-minute Zoom webinars covering theory and guided tasting. Ingredients, brewing and fermentation, then the world's key styles by what drives them — malt, hops, yeast and mixed fermentation — plus storage, service and off-flavours.
Exam: registration and fee included. · Taught by a WSET Certified Beer Instructor and Advanced Cicerone.
Exams
Where do you sit a WSET exam?
It depends on the level. Level 1 and Level 2 exams are sat online, at a date you book yourself. Level 3 wine exams must be sat in person, and every Level 4 Diploma examination is sat in person in Napa, California.
We run Level 3 wine exams at eight locations across the United States: Napa CA, Buellton CA, Denver CO, Chicago IL, Nashville TN, Jersey City NJ, San Antonio TX and Tampa FL. Napa has two exam dates every month; the other seven locations each hold at least one exam per quarter.
Level 3 registrations close 30 days before the exam date. Level 2 has the same 30-day rule; Level 1 simply has to be registered within 12 months of your course start date.
Why us
Why study for a WSET qualification with us?
Expert industry instructors
Masters of Wine, winemakers, Diploma graduates, an Advanced Cicerone and a Master of Baijiu — experts on the subjects they teach and on teaching them.
Our own online classroom
Beyond WSET's material: vocabulary lists, quizzes, mock exams and guidance on how to read what an exam question is actually asking.
Feedback on your answers
Instructors mark practice answers and tasting notes individually, which is what calibrates a palate and an exam technique.
Published pass rates
We publish our first-attempt pass rates for every level, with the candidate numbers and date range behind them.
Built around working people
Evening and weekend classes, all recorded, and 12 months of material access — so a work conflict never puts you behind.
A student support team
A dedicated team to help you pick a level, plan a route through the qualifications and sort out exam logistics.
Students
Hear from our students
“I've been drinking and enjoying wine for over 20 years but really knew very little about wine. The WSET level one course gave insight into why I liked certain wines, helped make sense of the various flavors and aromas associated with different grapes and left me thirsting to learn more.”
“I have been in the wine/spirit business a long time and the WSET Level 2 certificate is my most important achievement to date. The course was very comprehensive, detailed and tailor-made for learning. The tastings and instructions were right on point.”
“I just finished the WSET Level 2 course and having completed the exam, I plan to further my wine education with the academy. Every time I had a question or concern, the friendly and helpful staff at the academy was immediately right there to help and encourage me.”
“The course is what it says it is: intensive. The teachers made it worth the time. The exam was a challenge, but the course really prepared me for it — both by solidifying the theory and tasting techniques and by helping me navigate the exam.”
“Hands down the best WSET prep option you'll find anywhere. Napa Valley Wine Academy prepped me for WSET Levels 1, 2 and 3 … The instruction is top-notch. I've had the privilege of learning under five different instructors and all of them bring to the table a deep understanding of the wine industry.”
“My experience over the last few years with NVWA has been exceptional — engaging classes led by top industry professionals, thought-provoking webinars, and immense academic resources that helped me pass WSET Levels 2, 3 and Diploma.”
Choosing
Which WSET level should you take?
- New to wine and starting from zero — begin at Level 1, or at Level 2 if you already drink and read about wine seriously
- Working in the trade and want the credential employers recognise — Level 2 is the usual answer
- Already confident and want to explain why a wine tastes as it does — Level 3
- Holding a Level 3 pass and aiming at the top of the profession — the Level 4 Diploma
- Specialising in spirits, sake or beer — those ladders run separately and you can start at Level 1 in any of them
- Still unsure — talk to our student support team before you buy, not after
Questions
Frequently asked questions about WSET
Choosing a level
Do I have to start at Level 1?
No. There is no formal prerequisite for WSET Level 1, 2 or 3 in wine, so you can enter at whichever level matches your knowledge. Level 2 assumes some basic wine knowledge, and WSET recommends holding Level 2 or equivalent knowledge before Level 3. The one hard rule is at the top: the Level 4 Diploma requires a pass in the Level 3 Award in Wines, with no equivalence route.
What is the difference between WSET Level 2 and Level 3?
Level 2 teaches what a wine is — the principal grape varieties, where they are grown, how wine is made and labelled. Level 3 teaches why it tastes as it does, and asks you to argue it in writing under exam conditions. The Level 3 Systematic Approach to Tasting is considerably more demanding, the exam includes a written theory paper and a blind tasting, and the time commitment roughly triples: 28 hours of Total Qualification Time at Level 2 against 84 at Level 3.
Is WSET the same as becoming a sommelier?
No. WSET is a knowledge and tasting qualification awarded by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust. Sommelier certifications, such as those from the Court of Master Sommeliers, additionally assess service and hospitality skills on the floor. Many sommeliers hold WSET qualifications, and WSET Level 2 or 3 is a common foundation for that route, but passing a WSET exam does not by itself make you a sommelier.
Do I need to buy wine to take a WSET course?
WSET does not require candidates to taste alcohol in order to qualify. Tasting samples are not included in any course fee. For the wine qualifications we publish a recommended list so you can source the wines locally, and 100 ml sample kits are available separately through our partner. Allow seven to ten days for kit delivery.
Cost and what's included
What is included in the course price?
Tuition, the WSET study materials for that qualification, access to our online classroom, and your WSET exam registration and exam fee. Access to the online learning material lasts 12 months from your course start date. Tasting wines, spirits, sakes and beers are not included, and nor is travel to an in-person exam.
Why is the on-demand course cheaper than the instructor-led one?
Because it has no cohort, no fixed dates and no live webinars. You get the same WSET qualification and the same exam; what you give up is the live instruction, the scheduled pace and the group. On-demand purchases open within about 30 minutes and are final.
Does the Level 4 Diploma have to be paid upfront?
No. Diploma tuition is paid unit by unit as you progress through the six units rather than in a single payment. WSET separately charges a one-time candidate registration fee, valid for three years, which is not part of tuition.
Exams and results
Are WSET exams taken online or in person?
Both, depending on the level. Level 1 and Level 2 exams are sat online. Level 3 wine exams must be sat in person, and we run them at eight locations across the United States. Every Level 4 Diploma examination is sat in person in Napa, California.
What happens if I fail?
You can resit. There is no limit on the number of attempts at any level, and at Diploma a resit in one unit does not stop you progressing to others. Resits carry a fee, which is not included in the original course price.
How long does a WSET qualification take?
WSET sets a Total Qualification Time for each: 6 hours at Level 1, 28 at Level 2 and 84 at Level 3, counting both taught and private study. Our instructor-led wine courses run four weeks at Level 1, five at Level 2 and ten at Level 3. The Level 4 Diploma is 500 hours and cannot be completed in 12 months because of how WSET schedules the unit exams — 18 months is the realistic minimum and two to two and a half years is typical.
Is there a minimum age?
Yes. All attendees must be at least 21 years of age.
Faculty
Who teaches WSET at Napa Valley Wine Academy
Experts not only on the topics they teach, but on teaching. Four Masters of Wine, two MW candidates and a faculty of DipWSET holders across wine, spirits, sake and beer. Every card links through to a full profile.
Not sure which WSET course is the right one?
Browse the full catalogue, or talk to our student support team before you enrol.