Marine Science A-Level
An entire Cambridge International A-Level in 16 weeks, taught where the subject actually is.
Marine Science A-Level (MSAL)
Fast-track your A-Level in paradise
SORCE's Marine Science A-Level is an intensive four-month course accredited by Cambridge International, recognised worldwide and designed for those with a passion for the ocean.
Based at our field centre on Lombok, you will study alongside professional marine scientists, gain hands-on field experience and train as a scuba diver, all while completing a full A-Level in just 16 weeks.
Our immersive course means you eat, sleep and breathe marine science until exam day. Here there are no distractions, no competing subjects and no long gaps between lessons. It is just you, the ocean on your doorstep, and the full support of SORCE's academic and conservation team.
Tuition, accommodation, meals, diving and fieldwork, all in one fee. Unlike a typical UK college classroom, the ocean you are studying is on your doorstep.
- Minimum age
- 18
- Duration
- 16 weeks
- Start dates
- January and July
- Entry level
- Open to all
- From
- £5,200
The course
Course overview
The Cambridge International Marine Science A-Level is a rigorous and engaging introduction to the marine environment. Teaching emphasises problem-solving, critical thinking and practical application, and fieldwork is built into the course.
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AS Level
The scientific study of the sea, its ecosystems, and the abiotic factors that shape them.
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A2 Level
How humans interact with the ocean, from the benefits we gain to the impacts we cause.
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Assessment
There is no separate coursework or practical exam, but practical activities are central to the teaching throughout.
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PADI dive training
The standard course includes the PADI Open Water and Advanced Open Water courses, so students qualify as divers alongside their A-Level.
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Beyond the syllabus
Far more field experience than the qualification asks for: our own methods, and hands-on work across every one of our conservation projects.
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Where it leads
A strong foundation for higher education in marine biology or environmental science, and for careers in conservation, shipping, fisheries, aquaculture and tourism.
AS Level
The foundation year, and at SORCE, the ecosystems in the syllabus are the ones you work in.
- Coral reef, mangrove, sandy shore, rocky shore and open ocean: studied on the page and in the water
- Sampling techniques practised on our real surveys, not only described
- Practical Skills taught first, so the scientific method runs through everything after it
- The AS examinations at the end of the year: Paper 1 (Theory) and Paper 2 (Data-handling and investigative skills)
- The full list of modules is set out below, under What you will study
A2 Level
The second year goes deeper into how marine life works, and how people change it.
- Physiology and energy: how marine organisms live, grow and survive
- Fisheries and aquaculture, studied alongside the fishing communities on our coast
- Human impacts and conservation, beside our own work in the Marine Protected Area
- The A Level examinations: Paper 3 (Theory) and Paper 4 (Data-handling and investigative skills)
- The full list of modules is set out below, under What you will study
Where it leads
What the qualification opens up afterwards.
- A recognised Cambridge International A-Level
- UCAS tariff points towards university entry
- Preparation for marine biology and related degrees
- Field experience that strengthens an application
- A personal statement with something real in it
Assessment
Four written papers, set and marked by Cambridge International.
- Paper 1: AS Level Theory
- Paper 2: AS Level Data-handling and investigative skills
- Paper 3: A Level Theory
- Paper 4: A Level Data-handling and investigative skills
- No coursework and no practical exam: practical skills are assessed through the data-handling papers
PADI dive training
Two internationally recognised dive qualifications, built into the standard course.
- PADI Open Water Diver course
- PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course
- Taught by PADI-certified instructors on our team
- The diving skills that make the fieldwork possible
- Qualifications that last a lifetime, well beyond the A-Level
Beyond the syllabus
The syllabus sets the practicals, and most are laboratory experiments. Our students also do the real thing in the field.
- SORCE's own survey methods and field techniques
- Hands-on work across all of our conservation projects
- Real research and monitoring, not only textbook practicals
- Practical field experience well beyond what the syllabus requires
- Skills that universities and employers notice
Module breakdown
What you will study
AS Level Modules
- Practical Skills (The Scientific Method)Experimental planning and techniques Presenting data and observations Evaluating methods and data quality
- WaterParticle theory and bonding Solubility in water Density and pressure
- Earth processesTectonic processes Weathering, erosion and sedimentation Tides and ocean currents
- Interactions in marine ecosystemsInteractions Feeding relationships Nutrient cycles
- Classification and biodiversityThe classification of marine organisms Key groups of marine organisms Biodiversity Populations and sampling techniques
- Examples of marine ecosystemsThe open ocean The tropical coral reef The rocky shore The sandy shore The mangrove forest
A2 Level Modules
- Physiology of marine organismsGeneral cell structure Movement of substances Gas exchange Osmoregulation
- EnergyPhotosynthesis Chemosynthesis Respiration
- Fisheries for the futureLife cycles Sustainable fisheries Marine aquaculture
- Human impacts on marine ecosystemsEcological impacts of human activities Global warming and its impact Ocean acidification Conservation of marine ecosystems
Optional bonus module
- Marine biotechnologyTaught from the textbook for interest, not part of the examined syllabus
Why SORCE
Why study it with us
Why students choose to do it here rather than at home.
- Complete an A-Level that UK colleges typically teach over two years, in one immersive 16-week term, with accommodation, meals and diving included
- Study the syllabus ecosystems on your doorstep: coral reef, mangrove, sandy shore, rocky shore and open ocean
- Learn from practising marine scientists actively engaged in conservation research
- Get hands-on in real conservation work: our coral, mangrove and monitoring projects, not only textbook practicals
- Train as a certified diver while earning an internationally recognised qualification
- Study in a small group, with a cohort that starts together
- Build a strong foundation for university and a career in marine science, with field experience universities notice
- Can't come to Lombok? The same A-Level is available to study online
Fees
What it costs
For non-divers: both PADI courses included
£5,750
Included
- Marine Science A-Level tuition and exam preparation
- Cambridge exam fees, through our partner school Sekolah Nusa Alam
- PADI Open Water and Advanced Open Water certification
- Transport for field trips and to exam centres
- Training and survey dives, typically one to two a day on lecture days and two to three on other days, Tuesday to Saturday, weather permitting
- Scuba equipment rental: tanks, BCD, regulator and weights
- All necessary research and field equipment
- A private room in a traditional bamboo lodge, or a shared room on request
- Three meals a day, seven days a week
- Unlimited drinking water, tea and coffee
- Sunday Funday: an extra fun dive, team social and dinner
- Access to the outdoor gym, yoga space, and volleyball and basketball courts
- 24-hour in-country support
- A visa information pack, and contact details for a recommended visa agent
Not included
- Marine Park entrance fee, Rp. 800,000 for six months, payable on site
- Flights and transfers
- Visa costs
- Travel and diving insurance
- Personal dive gear: mask, fins and wetsuit or rashsuit
- Dive computer rental, available on site
- Internet: there is no Wi-Fi on site. Buy an Indonesian SIM card with mobile data, for your phone or a portable hotspot
- Additional food, drinks and excursions
A 20% deposit holds your place, with the balance due ten weeks before you arrive. Extra weeks either side of the course are £225 each. Your Cambridge exam fees, through our partner school Sekolah Nusa Alam, are included.
Book NowBefore you book
What we ask of you
Everything you'll need to join us 
Not a diver yet? No problem: PADI Open Water and Advanced Open Water are part of the standard course.
Not sure you qualify? Ask us- Age
- 18 or over
- Diving
- Advanced Open Water, included in the standard course. Already certified? Choose a package without it See the fees
- Medical
- Fit to dive, confirmed on our medical form
- Length
- A 16-week commitment on site
- Start
- Mid-January or July
Study online
The same A-Level, from wherever you are
If you cannot spend 16 weeks in Indonesia, you can still achieve your Marine Science A-Level with us through our online course.
It is self-study, built around your life: you work through the course from home, with every teaching material we use on site. Most online students are studying around work, so you decide how much support you want, from a weekly supervision session with one of our team to go over your progress, or simply checking in when you have a question. Many choose to work independently and get in touch when they need us.
At the end of the course you sit your exams at a Cambridge exam centre near you. We help you find schools in your area and can tell you what to ask them, or help you write to them, but you book your exams and pay the centre's fees directly. If you live outside the UK, please contact us before booking so we can check there is a Cambridge school near you that can host your examinations.
Once you have finished, you may wish to join our Eco-Venture expedition, to put your new knowledge into practice and train in a broad range of marine research and conservation field skills.
Is it right for me?
This expedition could be right for you if you want to
Complete a Cambridge International A-Level, recognised worldwide, in one intensive four-month course.
The coral reef, mangrove and shore ecosystems in the syllabus are the ones you study in the water.
The standard course includes the PADI Open Water and Advanced Open Water courses, so you qualify as a diver alongside your A-Level.
Earn UCAS tariff points and field experience that strengthen an application for marine biology and related degrees.
No competing subjects and no long gaps between lessons. Just you, the ocean on your doorstep and the full support of our team.
01 of 05
Complete a Cambridge International A-Level, recognised worldwide, in one intensive four-month course.
02 of 05
The coral reef, mangrove and shore ecosystems in the syllabus are the ones you study in the water.
03 of 05
The standard course includes the PADI Open Water and Advanced Open Water courses, so you qualify as a diver alongside your A-Level.
04 of 05
Earn UCAS tariff points and field experience that strengthen an application for marine biology and related degrees.
05 of 05
No competing subjects and no long gaps between lessons. Just you, the ocean on your doorstep and the full support of our team.
Ready to start your Marine Science A-Level?
Spaces are limited, so book early.
Book online and tell us your dates, and we'll come back to you about availability. If you have questions first, just get in touch.