What's the difference between GCSE and IGCSE?

GCSE is the General Certificate of Secondary Education, equivalent to the Junior Secondary School Leaving Certificate in China, and is generally applicable to students aged 13-16. The course is a two-year course, the GCSE course examination is divided into two levels are advanced class (Higher) and foundation level (Foundation), the course requires students to study 8 to 10 courses in two years, for Chinese students, 1. can be integrated into the British education system, students are free to choose subjects according to their own interests. 2. GCSE courses are mainly for the local students in the United Kingdom, so the English language requirements are higher, and students' English proficiency is higher than the English language requirements. The GCSE program is mainly for British native students, so the English requirement for students is higher, and students with weak English proficiency will be more difficult to learn.

IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) refers to the International General Certificate of Secondary Education. It is the international version of the GCSE program and is designed for students all over the world. It is suitable for domestic junior high school graduates or senior high school students (14-16 years old). It is also a two-year course of study and offers a curriculum of over seventy subjects. Students are required to study a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 14 subjects. Most schools require students to study a minimum of 5-14 subjects at IGCSE level, with Mathematics, English and Science being the compulsory core subjects. In addition, students can choose from other electives that interest them.

In fact, the GCSE program of British education is a course of study for the 10th and 11th grades of British secondary schools, and the degree and requirements are higher than those of domestic junior high school graduates. After two years of GCSE study, students can enter the next stage of study into the A-Level stage. GCSEs are recognized in more than 100 countries around the world, and in the UK, some private schools offer IGCSEs, while public schools in the UK do not offer IGCSEs.

Besides the UK, IGCSEs are available in more than 100 countries around the world, and are equivalent to traditional GCSE qualifications in the UK. IGCSE courses are available in more than 100 countries around the world, and are equivalent to traditional GCSE qualifications in the UK after completion. For some students in China, the IGCSE program is crucial.

From the content point of view, the core subjects of GCSE are English, Mathematics and Science (Biology, Chemistry and Physics). At the GCSE level, students usually have to study 8-12 courses in two years, some of which are compulsory and some of which are optional. Compulsory subjects include English, Mathematics, Design and Technology, French or German, Biology, Chemistry or Physics, History or Geography; electives include Art, Biology, Business Studies, Chemistry, Economics, French, Geography, German, History, Humanities, Italian, Music, Physics, Religious Studies, Russian, Spanish and many other vocationally oriented subjects are available.

The core subjects for IGCSE are English math and science. It is worth noting that in IGCSE, there is a distinction between EFL (English as First Language) and ESL (English as Second Language) for English subjects, with ESL being relatively easier and most international students choosing it.

For UK-based students and for children who traveled to the England before the age of 14, the GCSE program is the right choice. For international students, especially those studying in the UK in the second year of their GCSEs, the IGCSE option is preferred.If studying the one-year IGCSE, international students will be taught together and will have English language tutorials as part of their weekly timetable.

From the start, the exam boards in the UK plan the syllabus and exam content according to the scope of teaching given by the government.Overall, the content offered by the exam boards varies a little, but is generally the same.CIE (Cambridge International Examinations) and Edexcel both offer IGCSE exams, which have a similar content to the GCSEs, but the exam boards do not have to strictly adhere to the syllabus as it is an exam for international students.

The GCSE exams are held in June and November each year (make-up exams are available), but only students studying English and math can take make-up exams.

The IGCSE exams are held in May and June each year.

The grading system for GCSEs is a 1-9 scale, with 9 being the highest grade, and students who fail are awarded a grade U (Unclassified), which is designed to differentiate between different levels of students.

The IGCSE grading system, on the other hand, is A*-G and U, with U being Unclassified.

Finally, there is a pass standard, after two years of British education GCSE course, you need to take the GCSE unified examination, the student's performance depends mainly on the examination, only a few subjects are based on the student's learning throughout the year to assess, GCSE need to be the end of the final grade at grade 4 or above.

At the end of the IGGSE course, students are also required to sit for the GCSE exams, which require at least five subjects to be graded C or above. It's worth noting that IGCSE subjects are often assessed only by exams, and the completion of normal homework is not counted as part of the total score.