Retaking GCSE exam for University Entry Requirements

I have recently finished my A-Levels and have achieved a higher grade than I had initially targeted for. However due to health concerns, I am unable to attend University for the 2016 start date. Therefore I am looking to start in 2017 instead. I am really interested in studying Psychology at Loughborough University, however I am set back by my GCSE English Language result. Loughborough require a B grade and I have only achieved a C.

Now I am happy to retake or do whatever is necessary to change the grade from a C to a B, but really have no idea where to even start. I sat my GCSE's in 2011 - 2012 so its been a few years.

Mainly just wondering who to contact and where to look to complete a short GCSE course. Is it possible to just resit the exam, or will I need to do an entire year course?

If your controlled assessment was good then you can just carry it forward and re-sit the exam with the same exam board at any exam centre that will accept you as a private candidate. Get looking asap if you want to take it in November as the entry deadline is right at the start of October. If the controlled assessment let you down then you need to enrol on a course or take an IGCSE option that doesn't have any coursework.

Not sure as to what you mean about controlled assessment. It's been a good few years since my GCSE's and am not aware of having already taken one. Is this something I can do now to make me applicable for the November exam?

Coursework was tightened up and re-named controlled assessment for GCSE exams from 2011 though I think English didn't change until 2012. It is still quite often called coursework so it's possible that's what your school called it. It's next to impossible to take as an external candidate (as the work has to be supervised) hence you either need to carry it forward or to find a specification without controlled assessment or coursework.

Do you know the exam board and code of the English specification you took?

To be honest it all seems a blur to me now trying to think back as to what I was doing through my English Assessments. I do remember that the examination board was WJEC and I sat through a Higher Paper. That's about the extent of my knowledge of it though. Would you recommend an iGCSE course for applying to University with? Appreciate the help btw

IGCSE is fine as a GCSE for university and both Edexcel and CIE have an option which is just turn-up-and-take-the-exam which makes it much more feasible for private candidates not at a school, I think the Edexcel Option http://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-international-gcses-and-edexcel-certificates/international-gcse-english-language-a-2011.html is available in January (entry deadline in mid October), see timetable here: http://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/Support/Examination-timetables-for-Edexcel-International-GCSE/International_GCSE_January_2017_final_Timetable.pdf

Perfect, do you know where I can apply to take the exam? Do I just go to the exam centre? Also, I contacted Loughborough University to confirm that the iGCSE was okay and they responded with:

"As long as it is an iGCSE English as a First Language you will be fine."

Does First language have anything to do with a course type or do they literally mean if its your first language?

Any exam centre (i.e. any secondary school or college) can accept private candidates but few do. If you look on exam board websites there is some advice for private candidates, including centres, you could also try your old school (we take former students but no one else) or ringing local centres and asking. There are centres than specialise in private candidates - e.g. 3A tutors in Bristol, Tutors and Exams in Coventry, but they tend to be pricey.

As an international exam board, CIE offers English (First Language) and English (Second Language) - exactly what they sound like. The Edexcel one is one for native speakers so would be fine.

I think it'd be worth contacting them. I'm in a similar situation so I sent an email to Lancaster and they told me that based on my overall GCSE profile they would encourage me to apply.