What is the IGCSE Certificate? Advantages of Students with IGCSE Certificates

There are several internationally recognized high school qualifications today, such as A Levels, IB (International Baccalaureate), and AP (Advanced Placement). Among them, the IGCSE certificate is gaining increasing attention from parents from parents and students. So, what is the IGCSE certificate and what are the advantages for students who hold it? Let's find out with VAS through the information below!

1. What is the IGCSE Certificate?

The IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) is an internationally recognized secondary school qualification.. This certificate is equivalent to the O-Level, GCSE (UK), and Fifth Form (secondary education program in the UK, Wales, and Northern Ireland) for students at the end of their secondary education, and is recognized globally.

IGCSE is also considered a solid stepping stone for students thanks to its a broad and flexible curriculum that fully equip them with the knowledge and skills to prepare for higher levels of education, such as: the A Level Program, the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program, and the Advanced Placement (AP) Program.

2. The global value of the IGCSE certificate

IGCSE is equivalent to globally valued certificates such as:

GCE O Level: A secondary school graduation exam organized by the Singapore Ministry of Education and the Cambridge University Examination Board. This exam is also equivalent to the 10th-grade program in Vietnam.
GCSE: The UK's high school education certificate.

In addition, universities and colleges around the world, especially in the UK, Canada, and Australia, accept the academic records of applicants with an IGCSE certificate. Furthermore, if applicants get good grades (C or above) in IGCSE English as a Second Language, it will be a plus for students because IGCSE is a prestigious program in the community of universities and colleges worldwide.

Moreover, after graduation, having an IGCSE certificate also helps students score points in the eyes of employers, bringing opportunities for career advancement.

The IGCSE program helps students expand their knowledge through the research process

3. Who is the IGCSE program for?

Depending on each country, the IGCSE program will last for one or two years, and there is no official age requirement for students. However, in Vietnam, the IGCSE program usually lasts for 2 years and is designed for students aged 14 to 17. Students can choose between core and extended programs for their subjects, which provides a diverse education tailored to individual levels.

4. IGCSE Program Structure

Students must study a minimum of 5 subjects and a maximum of 14 subjects out of the 70 subjects in the IGCSE program. The core subject group of the program includes:

English
Mathematics
Science

The elective subject group includes:

Social Sciences: Accounting, Business Studies, Economics, Sociology
Art & Design
Technology: Computer Science, Information & Communication Technology (ICT)

After completing the program, students will have to take exams in at least 7 subjects from the 5 main subject groups of the program:

Group 1: Languages
Group 2: Humanities and Social Sciences
Group 3: Sciences
Group 4: Mathematics
Group 5: Creative, Technical, and Vocational

Students who pass at least 7 exam subjects (must include 2 subjects from Group 1 and 1 subject from any other group) will receive the Cambridge ICE international education certificate.

5. IGCSE Exam Schedule

The IGCSE exam is usually held in 2 sessions annually for students completing the 2-year IGCSE program:

May or June
October or November

Students will receive their results in August and February of the following year.

6. Why should I choose the IGCSE program?

IGCSE is not only an international academic certificate, but it is also an important foundation for students to develop comprehensively, opening up global learning and career opportunities.

6.1. The program is suitable for students of all levels

The lessons in the IGCSE program are distributed from easy to increasingly difficult, and the assessment exam will take place at the end of the course, so students have plenty of time to practice foreign languages and knowledge before officially entering the exam. In particular, this program is suitable for students at different academic levels because IGCSE creates conditions for students from alternative education backgrounds to take the exam to support individual learning lprogress.

The IGCSE program is suitable for all levels, from 14 - 17 years old

6.2. A foundation for reaching higher levels of knowledge

The IGCSE program also provides a strong foundation for students to continue studying international high school education programs and build a pathway to international universities. On the other hand, students who have studied IGCSE usually firmly grasp basic concepts and knowledge to form a foundation for absorbing programs at higher education levels. Therefore, IGCSE is an excellent stepping stone for students to continue pursuing any international program, including A Level, IB, or AP.

6.3. Flexibility in choosing subjects

In addition to the 3 compulsory subjects in the program as mentioned above, students can flexibly choose other subjects they love in fields such as arts, humanities, STEM programs (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), and sports. Or, choose subjects related to the upcoming program they wish to study to align with their future studies, as well as equip themselves with solid background knowledge. However, it should be noted that most universities will usually rely on the quality scores of the IGCSE program that the student completed rather than the number of subjects taken.

7. VAS and our achievements in the IGCSE certificate

At Vietnam Australia International School (VAS), middle and high school students have the opportunity to access the IGCSE program, which helps them have many opportunities to study abroad and integrate into global education. In addition, when participating in the IGCSE program at VAS, students also get to:

Develop important skills such as research, teamwork, communication, public speaking, etc.
Develop strong knowledge in fields such as economics and science with subjects like Computer Science, Global Perspectives, Economics, and Business, creating a premise to pursue "hot" careers in the future.
Participate in diverse extracurricular and community activities, and career counseling programs continuously from grades 8 to 12, helping them gain a competitive advantage when hunting for scholarships.

Some achievements that VASers have gained in the IGCSE program

The 2020 - 2021 school year was a successful year that made historical marks for VAS in the IGCSE program (A-A* and B-A* grading scale) because the average score of students was significantly higher compared to 2019, specifically:

85% of students achieved Good to Excellent grades (C-A*)
66% achieved Very Good to Excellent grades (B-A*), an increase of 25% compared to 2019 (41%)
47% achieved Perfect scores (A-A*), an increase of 17% compared to 2019 (30%)
Especially, across VAS, 38 students achieved Perfect A-A* scores in all exam subjects.

In 2020, students at VAS achieved records such as:

93% of students achieved Good to Excellent grades (C-A*), an increase of 20% compared to the previous school year
30% of students achieved Very Good to Excellent grades (A-A*)
27 students achieved A-A* grades in all exam subjects
5 students achieved perfect A* scores in all exam subjects

In 2019: 100% of 10th-grade students achieved Good to Excellent grades (B - A*) in the early IGCSE exam in Mathematics.

With the above information, VAS hopes to have brought useful information for parents and students to better understand what the IGCSE certificate is. In addition, to learn more about the study programs at VAS, parents and students can visit: vas.edu.vn - 0911 26 77 55.