FAQs

FAQs

IGCSE
1. What is IGCSE?
2. Where is IGCSE accepted and recognized?
3. Who can take IGCSE?
4. How is IGCSE taught?
5. How does IGCSE compare to GCSE? Are they equivalent? How might they differ in? Content/assessment? Are grades equivalent to UK GCSE grades?
6. Should a student have completed his IGCSE ( year 11) and wishes to proceed to India to study further which class will he/she be admitted into?

AS and A LEVEL
1. What do AS and A level mean?
2. Is it true that AS level is a fairly new curriculum?
3. Where are Cambridge A and AS level accepted and recognized?
4. Which universities help for further study in the US?
5. Who can take A and AS level?
6. When are the examinations held?
7. How can I find out more about A and AS level?

FAQs - IGCSE

1. What is IGCSE?

The International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) is one of the most recognized qualifications around the world.
IGCSE courses are renowned for developing vital educational skills, including recall of knowledge, oral skills, problem solving, initiative, team work and investigative skills.
The resulting qualification provides a foundation for higher level courses, such as A and AS Levels, the Advanced International Certificate of Education, the North American Advanced Placement programme and the International Baccalaureate.

IGCSE caters for different levels of ability with a choice between core and extended papers in any subjects. The core curriculum is based on an overview of the subject and is suitable for students expected to achieve grades C to G. The extended curriculum is more challenging and designed for students who are expected to achieve grades A* to C. Grades achieved through either route has the same value.

IGCSE offers a flexible course of study that gives candidates the freedom to choose subjects that are right for them, whilst providing them with a broad knowledge base and lifelong skills.

2. Where is IGCSE accepted and recognized?

IGCSE is a high profile qualification. It has exactly the same value in admitting students to institutes of further education and employment as the UK equivalent - GCSE.
" IGCSE is comparable with GCE O Level and the UK GCSE
" IGCSE has an excellent reputation amongst international schools worldwide
" IGCSEs are recognized as a reliable record of attainment which counts towards entry to universities and colleges around the world
" A good grade (i.e. C or above) in IGCSE English as a Second Language is accepted for entry by almost all universities in the UK and many in the USA, Canada and Australia as evidence of adequate competence in the English language.

3. Who can take IGCSE?

IGCSE is designed to be taught as a two year course for students aged 14 to 17 years. In some countries IGCSE courses last just one year and there are no formal age regulations.

In most subjects there is a choice between core and extended curricula, making IGCSE suitable for a wide range of abilities. Students can enter for the level that is most appropriate for them and this need not be the same across all subjects.

4. How is IGCSE taught?

At school, students are encouraged to study a wide range of subjects at IGCSE level, at the same time. In order to follow a broad and balanced curriculum, many students take courses from each of the IGCSE groups (see subjects listed overleaf), particularly if they're aiming to go on to further education. This can lead to the award of the International Certificate of Education - an additional qualification that recognizes students who pass exams in seven or more subjects, including two
languages and one subject from each of the other groups. However it is also possible to study a free choice of IGCSE subjects.

The syllabus is set by Cambridge, but the exact way it is taught will depend on your school or college. The course differs for each subject, but throughout there will be a mix of assessment methods, including coursework, practical exercises, and oral and listening tests, projects and written examinations.

5. How does IGCSE compare to GCSE? Are they equivalent? How might they differ in? Content/assessment? Are grades equivalent to UK GCSE grades?

The starting point for any answer to these questions is to understand that IGCSE was created as a GCSE examination for international use, specifically because the UK GCSE examination was perceived as unsuitable, primarily because of its anglo-centricity, by international schools. It follows from this that, whilst the academic demands ('standards') of IGCSE are equivalent to those of GCSE, significant differences exist in syllabus content and schemes of assessment. For example, it was recognized that many international Centres would not, for a variety of reasons, be able to offer coursework; in most IGCSE subjects it is therefore optional. It was also appreciated that the majority of IGCSE candidates would not have English as their first language. This, and broader issues of possible cultural bias, led to the use of IGCSE teachers in many subjects as moderators of question papers.
In short, IGCSE examinations are tailored for a multi-cultural, multi-lingual audience in a way that UK GCSE examinations are not. Grade for grade, though, they are aligned to the standards of the UK GCSE, and this has always been recognized as the case by 'users' of qualifications such as UCAS.

6. Should a student have completed his IGCSE ( year 11) and wishes to proceed to India to study further which class will he/she be admitted into?
Year 11
The S.S.C results are declared in June and junior colleges reopen in July. The IGCSE results are declared in the second week of august. Which means that when they go back to India, college would have begun.

What skills, encouraged by IGCSE, will be particularly useful to an employer?
IGCSE courses encourage the development of practical and oral skills including the ability to communicate clearly in speech and writing. There is greater emphasis on independent and small group learning, which should help to foster initiative and the ability to work as part of a team. Students will have an international perspective and will be able to apply what they have learned to the everyday world.

FAQs – AS and A LEVEL

1. What do AS and A level mean?

International A Level is recognised worldwide as a requirement for entry into higher education. Study and examination at A Level give students in-depth knowledge and lifelong skills that prepare them for success in higher education and employment.
International AS Level is typically taken at the mid-point of an A Level programme and is optional. Schools can offer AS Level as a qualification in its own right to increase breadth in the curriculum and allow students to complement other subjects they are studying.

2. Is it true that AS level is a fairly new curriculum?

True. the AS level has recently been introduced. Students have already found that the course offers a great way to find that they can study a broader range of subjects.

3. Where are Cambridge A and AS level accepted and recognized?

International A Level and AS Level have widespread international recognition as educational qualifications. This recognition is because:
     • International A and AS Level qualifications are recognised by universities as equivalent in value to UK A and AS Levels.
     • Good grades at A and AS Level can result in one full year of advanced standing or credit at universities in the USA and Canada and Australia.
     • Good A and AS Level grades are vital for admission to all the world's major English-speaking universities and many non-English speaking universities.
     • A and AS Levels are rigorous programmes that encourage high academic standards.
A and AS Levels have a high profile amongst English-medium international schools around the world.

4. Which universities help for further study in the US?

     • Yale University (Credit for grades A and B)
     • Harvard University (Credits 3 A level subjects at grades A and B)
     • Luther College (Credits 3 A level subjects with a grade of D or above)
     • New York University (Credits 3 A level subjects with a minimum grade C)

5. Who can take A and AS level?

AS level examinations are usually taken at age 17 and A level examinations at age 18.
Of course, you should have passed your IGCSE or O level.

6. When are the examinations held?

Twice a year i.e. in the May / June session and November / December session.
Results are issued in August and February respectively.

7. How can I find out more about A and AS level?

Contact via email: international@ucles.org.uk
Website: www.cie.org.uk