The Student Room Group

Igcse

Is it true that if I do igcse I can go straight to university without a-levels
Reply 1
Hi- No. It's best to think of IGCSEs as an exam board, like edexcel or aqa (Although they will be done through an exam board like this themselves). Sometimes they are easier, and they can be used to apply to A-Levels/ further education in many different countries, so they are very useful if you're planning to move country.
Some of my GCE (The level of qualification that a GCSE is) were IGCSEs, and they make no difference on your application to UK sixth forms. They give you exactly the same qualification as a regular GCSE.

Is it possible you're confusing IGCSEs with something like IBs? These are alternatives to A-Levels that you can use to get into universities, but might be more vocational or hands-on, depending on what you do.
Good luck!
IGCSEs are essentially the same as GCSEs, so no.
Original post by Lil_Student
Hi- No. It's best to think of IGCSEs as an exam board, like edexcel or aqa


That's not at all how to think of them :eyeball:
Reply 4
Original post by PinkMobilePhone
That's not at all how to think of them :eyeball:

I was just using that as a comparison point, because it can be hard to wrap your head around IGCSEs. I did state that they aren't actually an exam board of themselves, just a different type of GCSEs.
I did French, Eng lit, and Eng lang IGCSEs (All the rest as GCSEs). How about you?
Original post by Lil_Student
I was just using that as a comparison point, because it can be hard to wrap your head around IGCSEs. I did state that they aren't actually an exam board of themselves, just a different type of GCSEs.
I did French, Eng lit, and Eng lang IGCSEs (All the rest as GCSEs). How about you?


It's not hard to wrap your head around. They're just like GCSEs

I personally did all AQA GCSEs, many years ago.

My home educated daughter did Biology, History, Maths, Computer Science, English Lit, and English Language as IGCSEs - two different exam boards (CIE and Edexcel).
She also did OCR GCSEs in Ancient History and Classical Civilisation.

My home educated son number 1 has so far done IGCSE Computer Science (CIE), and is currently doing IGCSE English Language (Edexcel) and GCSE Classical Civilisation.

My home educated son number 2 has so far done IGCSE Computer Science, and is currently doing IGCSE Environmental Management - both CIE.
(edited 11 months ago)
Reply 6
Well, it is pretty hard from the pov of someone doing this for the first time. I was on the courses for three years (My school started early) and it wasn't until yr11 that I really understood what they were.
It's cool that you have so much experience- I'm sure you'd be better at explaining them than I am.


Original post by PinkMobilePhone
It's not hard to wrap your head around. They're just like GCSEs

I personally did all AQA GCSEs, many years ago.

My home educated daughter did Biology, History, Maths, Computer Science, English Lit, and English Language as IGCSEs - two different exam boards (CIE and Edexcel).
She also did OCR GCSEs in Ancient History and Classical Civilisation.

My home educated son number 1 has so far done IGCSE Computer Science, and is currently doing IGCSE English Language and GCSE Classical Civilisation.

My home educated son number 2 has so far done IGCSE Computer Science, and is currently doing IGCSE Environmental Management.
Original post by Lil_Student
Well, it is pretty hard from the pov of someone doing this for the first time. I was on the courses for three years (My school started early) and it wasn't until yr11 that I really understood what they were.
It's cool that you have so much experience- I'm sure you'd be better at explaining them than I am.

Maybe you were just overthinking it? They're exactly like GCSEs, except whilst GCSEs are only taken in the UK, IGCSEs can be taken anywhere. That's why they are International GCSEs.
That's the only difference.
(edited 11 months ago)
Reply 8
tbf, no-one really ever explained it to me. School doesn't give you a choice, so it's just "You're taking this as an IGCSE. It's like a regular GCSE with an extra letter before it".
Either way, they definitely don't let you skip A-Levels. I wish!
(edited 11 months ago)
Reply 9
Oooh I would love to hear about your experiences with sorting igcses out. My child is home ed. I have previous past papers for igcse math, English and Science. How have your children been prepping for there igcses? How have you gone about arranging this? Thanks so much for any info you can share
Becki x
Reply 10
Original post by PinkMobilePhone
It's not hard to wrap your head around. They're just like GCSEs

I personally did all AQA GCSEs, many years ago.

My home educated daughter did Biology, History, Maths, Computer Science, English Lit, and English Language as IGCSEs - two different exam boards (CIE and Edexcel).
She also did OCR GCSEs in Ancient History and Classical Civilisation.

My home educated son number 1 has so far done IGCSE Computer Science (CIE), and is currently doing IGCSE English Language (Edexcel) and GCSE Classical Civilisation.

My home educated son number 2 has so far done IGCSE Computer Science, and is currently doing IGCSE Environmental Management - both CIE.


Oooh I would love to hear about your experiences with sorting igcses out. My child is home ed. I have previous past papers for igcse math, English and Science. How have your children been prepping for there igcses? How have you gone about arranging this? Thanks so much for any info you can share
Becki x

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