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International Mathematics A-Level - Sitting information

I would like to sit the International Maths A-Level. Does anyone know the dates for it?
I've chosen to do units C12, C34 & S1 & D1
Are they the correct choice for someone wishing to do computer programming?

They will be sat outside the UK. My understanding is that A-Levels generally require 2 years of study. As I work, I can't study full time so this isn't a problem. I would like to know though, if I can sit say 2 of the modules one year and the other 2 the following year and still achieve the A-Level. Is this allowed? Or do all exams have to sat at the the end of the 2nd year?
(edited 4 years ago)
Reply 1
Original post by DJFearRoss
I would like to sit the International Maths A-Level. Does anyone know the dates for it?
I've chosen to do units C12, C34 & S1 & D1
Are they the correct choice for someone wishing to do computer programming?

They will be sat outside the UK. My understanding is that A-Levels generally require 2 years of study. As I work, I can't study full time so this isn't a problem. I would like to know though, if I can sit say 2 of the modules one year and the other 2 the following year and still achieve the A-Level. Is this allowed? Or do all exams have to sat at the the end of the 2nd year?

I don’t really know how it works when you’re sitting it internationally but in the UK you have to sit the A level at the end of 2 years and those exams make up your entire grade. Here you can sit the AS level after one year but if you carry on to get the full a level (which i’m assuming you’ll want to do) that grade gets wiped, as in it doesn’t count towards your final grade.
What exam board is this?? Or is there only one way to take it internationally, sorry i’m not 100% sure about it all.
Reply 2
Original post by e2002!
I don’t really know how it works when you’re sitting it internationally but in the UK you have to sit the A level at the end of 2 years and those exams make up your entire grade. Here you can sit the AS level after one year but if you carry on to get the full a level (which i’m assuming you’ll want to do) that grade gets wiped, as in it doesn’t count towards your final grade.
What exam board is this?? Or is there only one way to take it internationally, sorry i’m not 100% sure about it all.

The rules are completely different internationally so I'd advise the OP to ignore this post as it will just confuse things.

OP, you can find most of what you want here: https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/Support/Information-manual/3%20-%20International%20Advanced%20Level%20-%20International%202019.pdf
Reply 3
Original post by e2002!
I don’t really know how it works when you’re sitting it internationally but in the UK you have to sit the A level at the end of 2 years and those exams make up your entire grade. Here you can sit the AS level after one year but if you carry on to get the full a level (which i’m assuming you’ll want to do) that grade gets wiped, as in it doesn’t count towards your final grade.
What exam board is this?? Or is there only one way to take it internationally, sorry i’m not 100% sure about it all.


Thanks so much for the reply, much appreciated. I would like to sit Edexcel A-Level Mathematics
Reply 4
Original post by Compost
The rules are completely different internationally so I'd advise the OP to ignore this post as it will just confuse things.

OP, you can find most of what you want here: https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/Support/Information-manual/3%20-%20International%20Advanced%20Level%20-%20International%202019.pdf

Thanks for that. I don't know how you found that information as I spent a lot of time looking.

These are the available units with dates;
http://prntscr.com/s0fznq

And here is the text below it;

The units candidates must take to be eligible for a cash-in (award) are outlined below. ( http://prntscr.com/s0g1ih ) They can be taken in the same exam series, or can be banked under the candidate’s UCI if taken in a number of series. No grade can be issued unless the appropriate cash in code is entered. Once a candidate certificates a Mathematics subject, the units that have been used to generate the award are 'locked' to that title (even if the candidate retakes them). Units 'locked' to a subject title through a previous certification may be 'unlocked' by re-entering for that same title.

For example,
if a candidate who has already certificated AS Mathematics wishes to resit one of these units they should be entered for that unit and AS Mathematics to ensure the other units that contribute to AS Mathematics are available for certification.

Mathematics subjects certificated before the end of a course should be re-certificated at the end of the course. For example, if a candidate who has already certificated A level Mathematics takes three more units and certificates AS Further Mathematics without re-entering A level Mathematics, the grade for AS Further Mathematics will be generated from those three units. Re-entering A level Mathematics ensures that all units are available for re-use and that the grades for both titles are based on the optimum combination of units.

----------

Not sure I fully understand this, in particular the 1st example.
From my understanding, I can sit these exams whenever I want (based on their available dates).
What is 'banked under the candidates UCI?'
So I can sit whatever units I want and resit whatever units I want. Resit grades wipe the previous grade for that unit. Once I have sat all the required units I can then ask for my Title which are based on the best grades for each unit.

Am i reading this correctly?
Reply 5
Original post by DJFearRoss
Thanks for that. I don't know how you found that information as I spent a lot of time looking.

These are the available units with dates;
http://prntscr.com/s0fznq

And here is the text below it;

The units candidates must take to be eligible for a cash-in (award) are outlined below. ( http://prntscr.com/s0g1ih ) They can be taken in the same exam series, or can be banked under the candidate’s UCI if taken in a number of series. No grade can be issued unless the appropriate cash in code is entered. Once a candidate certificates a Mathematics subject, the units that have been used to generate the award are 'locked' to that title (even if the candidate retakes them). Units 'locked' to a subject title through a previous certification may be 'unlocked' by re-entering for that same title.

For example,
if a candidate who has already certificated AS Mathematics wishes to resit one of these units they should be entered for that unit and AS Mathematics to ensure the other units that contribute to AS Mathematics are available for certification.

Mathematics subjects certificated before the end of a course should be re-certificated at the end of the course. For example, if a candidate who has already certificated A level Mathematics takes three more units and certificates AS Further Mathematics without re-entering A level Mathematics, the grade for AS Further Mathematics will be generated from those three units. Re-entering A level Mathematics ensures that all units are available for re-use and that the grades for both titles are based on the optimum combination of units.

----------

Not sure I fully understand this, in particular the 1st example.
From my understanding, I can sit these exams whenever I want (based on their available dates).
What is 'banked under the candidates UCI?'
So I can sit whatever units I want and resit whatever units I want. Resit grades wipe the previous grade for that unit. Once I have sat all the required units I can then ask for my Title which are based on the best grades for each unit.

Am i reading this correctly?

I found it because I'm an exams officer :smile: I'm in England so not that familiar with IAL but there are a lot of similarities.

You can take units in any order you want, with as many in an exam session as you want. When you have enough for a qualification (e.g. AS Maths) then you can 'cash-in'. It's just an admin process - you ask the exam centre to enter a cash-in code for the qualification and that triggers the exam board to add up the marks for your best attempt at each unit to calculate your overall grade. If you want to re-sit a unit in order to try to improve your grade then you just enter for the re-sit unit(s) and cash-in again. They'll then use your best attempt at each unit to calculate a new grade.

(Maths and Further Maths are a bit messy because the applied units can move around between qualifications if it will improve your grades so it's best to re-cash previously cashed in Maths qualifications every time you want to cash anything in as that allows units to be move to maximise all your grades.)

'Banked under UCI.' A UCI - unique candidate identifier - is just the exam board's way of uniquely identifying you. It's surprising how often candidates share names and dates of birth so when you are first entered for exams the centre will allocate you a UCI. You should keep that all through GCSEs, A levels, even if you change centres, so all your results are held in a single record. If you swap centres and get a new UCI part way through an A level the system will see you as 2 different people and not be able to calculate the correct grade.
Reply 6
Thanks a lot.
That REALLY helped me out. I have a feeling i'll be contacting you again in the not so distant future. I hope that's ok.

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