Study wine online with Napa Valley Wine Academy

How our online wine school works: live or self-paced courses taught by our own faculty, tasting at home, and a recognised WSET qualification at the end.

  • Live, instructor-led cohorts, or on-demand courses that start the day you enroll
  • WSET wine, spirits, beer and sake, from Level 1 to the Level 4 Diploma, plus specialist certificates
  • The same WSET qualification as our classrooms: the certificate does not record how you studied
Browse online coursesSee how it works
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WSET Educator of the Year
2016 & 2019

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WSET Approved Programme Provider

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Pass rates published
for every WSET level

Online wine school

What is Napa Valley Wine Academy's online wine school?

Napa Valley Wine Academy's online wine school is how we teach WSET qualifications and our own specialist courses to students who cannot, or would rather not, come to a classroom. Our WSET courses are taught by NVWA faculty through our online classroom, either as a live instructor-led cohort or as an on-demand course you start the day you enroll.

The WSET qualification you earn online is the same one awarded in our classrooms in Napa, Nashville and Tampa. Napa Valley Wine Academy is a WSET Approved Programme Provider, approved to deliver WSET qualifications in wines, spirits, sake and beer, and we publish our pass rates for every WSET level with candidate numbers.

Two formats

Live cohort or on-demand: how the two formats differ

Both lead to the same qualification and the same exam. Choose the format that matches how you actually study.

Live, instructor-led

Fixed dates

You join a cohort with a fixed start and end date, led by an NVWA instructor. At WSET Level 2 that means five weeks with four live 90-minute Zoom webinars; at WSET Level 3, ten weeks with five. Between webinars you work through video lectures, activities and quizzes on your own time.

Best for: people who study best with a timetable, classmates and an instructor to question. Webinars are recorded, and attending live is encouraged but not mandatory.

On-demand, self-paced

Start today

The whole course unlocks when you enroll: no cohort, no start date and no scheduled sessions. Graded tasting and theory assignments give you instant feedback, a student discussion community keeps you company, and one-to-one mentoring can be arranged on request.

Best for: travel, shift work or a schedule that changes week to week. Offered for WSET Level 1 and Level 2 in Wines and in Spirits. The course is on-demand; the exam is still booked for a scheduled sitting.

How it works

How studying online works, from enrollment to exam

1

Enroll and log in

Course access arrives by email after checkout, so you can start reading before a live cohort begins.

2

Study in the online classroom

Video lectures, interactive activities, quizzes and a mock exam. Our WSET Level 2 and Level 3 wine courses include 12 months of platform access.

3

Taste along at home

Wines are not included in WSET wine course fees. Source them from our recommended list, or order a matched sample kit from our partner Small Lot Bottles.

4

Get help when you need it

Live cohorts have a dedicated instructor. On-demand students have a discussion community and one-to-one mentoring on request.

5

Sit your WSET exam

WSET Level 1 and Level 2 wine exams are taken online with remote invigilation. Level 3 is sat in person because it includes a blind tasting, and Diploma exams are sat in Napa.

6

Share your result

WSET issues a digital certificate and badge when you pass, ready to add to LinkedIn or send to an employer.

Subjects

What you can study online

Pick a subject to see every online course in it, with current dates and prices.

WSET Wine · Levels 1–3

Wine

The WSET Level 1, 2 and 3 Award in Wines. Levels 1 and 2 run live or on-demand; Level 3 runs as a ten-week live cohort.

Exams: Levels 1 and 2 online with remote invigilation · Level 3 in person.

WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines

Wine

Six units taught online through live Zoom classes, all recorded, with graded practice answers and mock exams.

Exams: sat in person in Napa · Requires: a pass in WSET Level 3 Award in Wines.

WSET Spirits

Spirits

WSET Level 1 and Level 2 Award in Spirits on-demand, and the WSET Level 3 Award in Spirits online.

Each course page states its exam arrangement before you enroll.

WSET Beer

Beer

The WSET Level 1 and Level 2 Award in Beer, taught online.

Each course page states its exam arrangement before you enroll.

WSET Sake

Sake

The WSET Level 1 and Level 2 Award in Sake, taught online.

Each course page states its exam arrangement before you enroll.

Specialist courses

NVWA

Shorter online courses including American Wine Expert™, Napa Valley Wine Expert™, Oregon Wine Expert™, Bordeaux Wine Specialist and the Certificate in Scotch Whisky.

Questions

Studying online: frequently asked questions

Is an online WSET qualification the same as one earned in a classroom?

Yes. A WSET award is a single global qualification, set by WSET in London and examined to one standard worldwide. The certificate does not record whether you studied online, on-demand or in a classroom. What differs between formats is how you are taught and how you taste, not the credential.

What is the difference between instructor-led and on-demand courses?

Instructor-led courses run to fixed dates with a cohort and live Zoom webinars led by an NVWA instructor, with self-paced study in between. On-demand courses have no cohort, start date or scheduled sessions: the whole course unlocks when you enroll. Both lead to the same qualification and the same exam.

Do I have to attend the live webinars?

No. On our instructor-led courses, attendance is encouraged but not mandatory, and every webinar is recorded and posted for later viewing. Attending live is the only way to ask your instructor questions in real time and taste alongside them.

What support do online students get?

On a live, instructor-led course you have a dedicated NVWA instructor, four live webinars at Level 2 or five at Level 3, and a recording of every session. On-demand courses have no scheduled teaching; instead you get graded assignments with instant feedback, a student discussion community and one-to-one mentoring on request. Any student can also book a private 30- or 60-minute session with one of our instructors, including a Master of Wine, from $75. Before you enroll, our Student Success team at support@napavalleywineacademy.com will help you choose a level and format.

How do tastings work when I study online?

Wines are not included in WSET wine course fees. Each of our WSET wine courses publishes a list of recommended wines you can buy locally, or you can order a matched sample kit from our partner Small Lot Bottles: 12 × 100 mL for WSET Level 2 Wine and 24 × 100 mL for Level 3. Allow 7 to 10 days for delivery; because webinars are recorded, you can taste along later if your wines arrive late.

Where do I take the exam?

It depends on the level. WSET Level 1 and Level 2 wine exams are taken online with remote invigilation at scheduled sitting times. The WSET Level 3 Award in Wines exam is sat in person at one of our US exam locations, because it includes a blind tasting that cannot be invigilated remotely. WSET Level 4 Diploma exams are sat in person in Napa. Every course page states its exam arrangement before you enroll.

What do I need for an online exam?

A laptop or desktop computer with a working webcam, microphone and speakers; tablets are not permitted as the main device. For most sittings you also need a mobile phone to act as a second camera, photo ID, a reliable internet connection and a quiet room where you will not be interrupted.

Can I study from outside the United States?

You can take the taught part of any online course from anywhere, and webinar times are published in Pacific time. In-person exams, including WSET Level 3, are held at US locations, so if you are based overseas, email support@napavalleywineacademy.com before you enroll to check your exam options.

Is there an age requirement?

Yes. All students on our WSET wine courses must be at least 21 years of age.

Can I talk to someone before I enroll?

Yes. Email support@napavalleywineacademy.com and our student support team will help you choose a level, decide between live and on-demand, and check which cohort or exam date fits your schedule.

Find your online course

Every online course and upcoming date on one page.

Browse online coursesCompare WSET levelsStudy in person instead