What is the difference between IGCSE and GCSE programmes?

What are GCSE and IGCSE?

The General Certificate of Secondary Education or GCSE is a subject-specific academic qualification that pupils in the UK achieve at the end of compulsory education in Year 11 (aged 16). It is usually studied over 2 or 3 years, starting in Year 9 or 10, depending on the subject, exam board or school, and culminating in end-of-course examinations.

The IGCSE was conceived in 1988, 2 years after the GCSE, to be more relevant to pupils studying in international or non-UK schools. The 'I' in IGCSE stands for 'International'.

Is the IGCSE equivalent to the GCSE?

The IGCSE is recognised as the international equivalent of the GCSE. Both programmes are studied and taken at the same stage in the British education system. Neither programme has an age limit, so many students younger and older take them. Both GCSEs and IGCSEs influence a student's subsequent educational trajectory and serve as a prelude to academic study in the Sixth form (i.e. Years 12 and 13 in a UK school) to obtain A Levels or IB qualifications.

Do schools offer both GCSEs and IGCEs?

It depends on where you are.

In the UK, it is technically possible for both state (i.e. government-run) and independent schools to offer GCSEs and IGCSEs. However, IGCSEs are becoming less common in state schools, as in 2014 the UK government stopped including IGCSE results in national performance data (ie league tables) which rank state schools on their performance in standardised national exams (ie SATs, GCSEs and A Levels). In response, most state schools have reverted to offering GCSEs only.

In independent schools in the UK, you are likely to be offered both qualifications. However, whether a subject will be considered a GCSE or IGCSE is decided by the Head of Department in conjunction with the school's Director of Studies. This leaves parents and pupils with a choice of programmes. Therefore, a student at a private school can study both GCSE and IGCSE at the same time.

Schools outside the UK are likely to offer IGCSE only, as GCSE exams are only taken in the UK (although the programme is offered in a very small number of Commonwealth countries, such as Canada and India).

How to choose GCSE/IGCSE subjects?

If you study at a state or independent school in the UK, the following subjects in Years 10 and 11 (according to the British educational system) are compulsory:

• English (English is compulsory in all schools, but in most schools English Literature is also compulsory).
• Mathematics.
• Sciences: physics, chemistry, biology.

These subjects are often called "core subjects". In the UK, students are required to achieve a grade 4 or above (out of 9) in maths and English at GCSE or IGCSE, depending on which subject they take. Until they do, students will have to resit the exams.

In UK state schools, performance is assessed by what is known as the EBacc (short for English Baccalaureate). This is a set of subjects that is designed to maximise a student's future opportunities and therefore increase their chances of going to university. The EBacc consists of the following subjects at GCSE level:

• English Language and Literature.
• Mathematics.
• Science: Physics, Chemistry, Biology.
• Geography or History.
• Foreign Language.

While studying all of these subjects is optional, the UK Government aims for 90% of pupils to study a combination of EBacc subjects at GCSE by 2025. Therefore, most UK state schools will aim to ensure that their pupils take all EBacc subjects if this is necessary for the individual pupil.

Outside the 'core' or 'compulsory' subjects, pupils can choose a range of 'optional' subjects from four subject groups:

• Arts (eg Art, Music or Drama).
• Technical subjects (eg Design and Technology or Computer Science).
• Humanities (eg History, Geography or Religious Studies).
• Modern Foreign Languages ​​(eg French, German, Spanish).

The choice of electives often depends ont depends on the school, so check with your school to see what they offer.

How many GCSE/IGCSE subjects do pupils have to take?

The core subjects require 4 or 5 GCSE or IGCSE qualifications:

• English Language.
• English Literature.
• Mathematics.
• Science (either individually in the form of biology, chemistry and physics, or as a combined science worth 2 grades).

It's also worth noting that most UK jobs require a minimum of 5 GCSE grades (at grade 4 or above), and this will usually dictate the minimum requirements.

That said, on average, UK pupils take 9 GCSE or IGCSE subjects.

When should students choose their GCSE subjects?

In the UK, this usually happens in the spring term of Year 9 – the academic year in which a student turns 14. In Years 7, 8 and 9 of the British education system, students typically study a wide range of subjects, allowing them to discover their interests before they have to choose their GCSE or IGCSE subjects.

Which is harder: GCSE or IGCSE?

Historically, IGCSEs have been considered by many to be more difficult than GCSEs. This is mainly because IGCSEs have tended to rely less on coursework than GCSEs. However, under Michael Gove's (former UK government education secretary) GCSE reforms, coursework elements were removed from many subjects, leading to GCSEs being seen as much more rigorous. Some even believe that IGCSE is "easier" than GCSE, although this is debatable.

What do universities prefer: IGCSE or GCSE?

Both GCSE and IGCSE are recognised and accepted by UK universities, they do not differentiate between the two qualifications and therefore regard them as equivalent.

Information taken from https://www.keystonetutors.com/