The Student Room Group
Reply 1
IGCSE = International GCSEs

Most schools abroad do IGCSEs and they are often considered to be harder than GCSEs. However, UCAS recognises GCSEs to be the equivalent to IGCSEs.

I got this from wikipedia: The IGCSE allows teaching to be placed in a localised context, making it relevant in different regions. It is suitable for students whose first language may not be English and this is acknowledged throughout the examination progress.

GCSEs are what most students in the UK take as they are the most widely available qualification.
I'm repping you because you're from HK and it's the best place ever.
Reply 3
They're officially viewed as the same, but really regarded as harder than a GCSE. :smile: Maths IGCSE is particularly popular in the UK, becoming common amongst the top league-table schools, as it has no coursework and an extra module instead it's viewed as a much more challenging and overall harder course. Science IGCSE is also gradually becoming more common.
Reply 4
This is right. I don't think state schools can take IGCSEs though - I'm not sure why. I think it is something to do with the fact that they receieve funding from the government. I'm not sure where I read this - perhaps on the BBC news websites. IGCSEs are becoming popular with private schools though.
Reply 5
i did IGCSEs.

and i think there the same as the GCSE but it just sounds better

International GCSE

thats just my thought..
I know people at a local independent school which has just switched over to IGCSE who are annoyed at not being able to get the resources, but one would think there would still be good resources for revision and stuff...
Reply 7
I always thought it was a course with no coursework, didn't know it was international though :smile:
It is that as well... as far as I know, there is no coursework but it is definitely international. Hence the name; it isn't NCGCSE (for No Coursework)... :p:
Of course it would be no coursework, how dop ypu expect the examiners to mark a whole load of pieces and send them all back to their relative countries?

The cost would be enormous.
Reply 10
The IGCSE is not a QCA qualification so it recieves no government funding (and neither do schools for offering it to students).
Reply 11
magicbuspass
Of course it would be no coursework, how dop ypu expect the examiners to mark a whole load of pieces and send them all back to their relative countries?

The cost would be enormous.


actually you can chose if you want coursework or not in the IGCSEs, but you have to do an extra paper if you don't
Reply 12
Jules is right. if you don't do coursework, you need to take a "coursework" paper as an exam. It's a bit like doing practicals on paper (at least for science)
I did the Ecexcel IGCSE Maths this year, and maybe it's cos it's not the CIE one, but we didn't have an extra paper instead of coursework...
Reply 14
Hi, im in year 10-thailand international school
im doing IGCSE for every single subject and yes there is coursework.
i do it for english, history and art. why wouldnt there be coursework, its just the same.and ur right, it does cost alot, but hey...its international, ofcourse the price would be high. =='
personally, i have tried alot of papers from GCSE and IGCSE and IGCSE is way harder. thats my opinion anyways.
Reply 15
im filling in my ucas form at the moment and it lists both IGCSE and International GCSE, is there a difference??
Reply 16
im from hong kong too :smile: igcse is actually harder cuz im taking them next yr but my teacher is already asking me to consider the options. gcse is more standard though but they are recognised as exactly the same
Reply 17
im from hong kong too :smile: i think a igcse is harder... thats what everybody in my skl says. im taking them nxt yr >< but they are recognised as the same I think.

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