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IGCSE at EdQuest
IGCSE at EdQuest: Pearson Edexcel & OxfordAQA
A plain-English guide for parents: what the IGCSE is, how UK exams are governed, how the exam boards compare, and why your child can choose between two of them at our school in Ipoh.
Approved IGCSE International SchoolPearson Edexcel & OxfordAQAPearson Excellence Award 2020Year 1 – Year 11
What is the IGCSE?
The IGCSE, or International GCSE, is the international version of the GCSE, the exam that students in England take at around age 16. It is usually a two-year course for students aged about 14 to 16, in the British system's Year 10 and Year 11. At EdQuest, students are placed by readiness rather than age, so the timing can vary from child to child.
Each subject is a separate qualification, so students build a set of IGCSEs, often including English, Mathematics and the sciences, along with subjects they choose.
Grades 9 to 1
Pearson Edexcel and OxfordAQA International GCSEs are graded 9 (highest) to 1, the same scale as GCSEs in England. As a rough guide from the boards, a 7 is about the old A, a 4 about the old C, and a 9 sits above the old A*.
Why it matters
IGCSE results are the stepping stone to A Levels, foundation programmes and pre-university courses. Universities and colleges often look closely at IGCSE grades, especially in English and Mathematics. Entry requirements vary, so always check the course your child is aiming for.
Who's who in UK exams
British qualifications involve three kinds of organisation. Knowing who does what makes it easier to understand what an IGCSE certificate really means.
Ofqual: the regulator
The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation regulates qualifications, exams and assessments in England, including GCSEs and A Levels. It was set up in 2010, is independent of government and reports to Parliament. Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland have their own regulators.
JCQ: the shared rulebook
The Joint Council for Qualifications brings the UK's main awarding bodies together. Since 1998 it has published common rules for running exams: how exams are invigilated, access arrangements such as extra time, and how malpractice is handled.
Full members: AQA, Cambridge OCR, CCEA, City & Guilds, NCFE, Pearson and WJEC.
Awarding bodies: the exam boards
An awarding body (or exam board) writes the syllabus and the exam papers, trains examiners, marks the scripts, sets grade boundaries and issues the certificates. It also approves the schools that can run its exams.
How it fits together
UK GCSEs & A Levels (England)
Ofqual
The regulator for England. Sets the rules and checks standards. Independent of government; reports to Parliament.
Awarding bodies (exam boards)
e.g. AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR, WJEC Eduqas. They write the papers, mark them and award the grades.
JCQ
Joint Council for Qualifications. Members agree one shared rulebook for running exams: invigilation, access arrangements, malpractice.
Schools & exam centres
Follow the rules when they run exams.
Students
Sit the exams and receive grades 9–1.
International GCSEs (worldwide)
No national regulator
Ofqual does not regulate today's International GCSEs. Each board sets and quality-assures its own, benchmarked to UK standards.
Pearson Edexcel
International GCSE
OxfordAQA
International GCSE
Cambridge
Cambridge IGCSE
Each board's exam rules
Pearson: JCQ rules, worldwide. OxfordAQA: its own regulations. Cambridge: the Cambridge Handbook.
Approved centres
Schools approved by each board, like EdQuest for Pearson Edexcel and OxfordAQA.
Students
Sit the exams and receive grades (9–1, or A*–G for most Cambridge IGCSEs).
The important nuance for international families. Ofqual regulates GCSEs in England. It does not regulate today's International GCSEs: in 2019 it said it expected to regulate none of them by April 2020. Instead, each board designs, marks and quality-assures its own International GCSEs and benchmarks them to the UK GCSE standard.
JCQ's rules are written mainly for UK centres. Pearson requires all its international centres to follow JCQ rules, and JCQ's General Regulations cover Edexcel International GCSEs. OxfordAQA runs its exams under its own General Regulations. Cambridge uses its own Cambridge Handbook.
Our two exam boards
Pearson Edexcel International GCSE
- From Pearson, the awarding body behind Edexcel GCSEs and A Levels in England. Pearson is a JCQ member.
- 37 subjects. Pearson says they are studied in over 80 countries and are equivalent, grade for grade, to UK GCSEs.
- Graded 9–1. Many subjects can be taken in a modular route at international centres, so units can be sat across different sessions.
- Leads naturally to Pearson Edexcel International A Levels (IAL).
OxfordAQA International GCSE
- A partnership between Oxford University Press (a department of the University of Oxford) and AQA, which describes itself as the UK's largest provider of GCSEs and A-levels. It was founded in 2015, with first teaching in 2016.
- International GCSEs and AS/A-levels designed for international students and benchmarked to UK standards. OxfordAQA says its exams test subject ability, not English-language skill or cultural knowledge.
- Graded 9–1.
- Leads naturally to OxfordAQA International AS & A-levels.
Cambridge: the other major international board
Cambridge International Education is part of Cambridge University Press & Assessment, a department of the University of Cambridge. Cambridge created the IGCSE: it was first taught in 1986 and first examined in June 1988, at the same time as the GCSE began in the UK. That is why "IGCSE" is so often used for every International GCSE, even though "Cambridge IGCSE" is Cambridge's own name. Pearson and OxfordAQA call theirs "International GCSE".
Cambridge IGCSEs are graded A* to G around the world, with 9–1 versions in some regions. Exams run in June and November. Cambridge is a separate awarding body with its own centres.
Cambridge at EdQuest. Our IGCSE pathways are Pearson Edexcel and OxfordAQA. The one exception is Malay, which is taken as a Cambridge IGCSE. After IGCSE, students on our Law School pathway take three Cambridge International AS & A Level subjects: Law, Psychology and Business. Explore the Law School pathway.
How the boards compare
| Pearson Edexcel | OxfordAQA | Cambridge | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who runs it | Pearson, a UK-based education company | OxfordAQA: a partnership of Oxford University Press and AQA | Cambridge International Education, part of Cambridge University Press & Assessment (University of Cambridge) |
| Qualification name | International GCSE | International GCSE | Cambridge IGCSE |
| Grading | 9–1 | 9–1 | A*–G worldwide (9–1 versions in some regions) |
| IGCSE exam sessions | May/June (all subjects) and November (selected subjects) | May/June and November | June and November (plus a March session, mainly in India) |
| Exam rules | JCQ rules, applied worldwide | OxfordAQA General Regulations | Cambridge Handbook |
| Regulated by Ofqual? | Not the international versions | No | No (deregulated in 2019) |
| Next step offered | International A Level (IAL) | International AS & A-level | Cambridge International AS & A Level |
| At EdQuest | ✓ IGCSE pathway | ✓ IGCSE pathway | AS & A Level (Law, Psychology, Business) on our Law School pathway |
Swipe sideways on a phone to see the whole table. Correct as of October 2026, from each board's published information. Subject lists and session dates change, so we confirm each year's entries with families.
Why we offer two boards
Pearson Edexcel and OxfordAQA are both well-established, internationally recognised boards with 9–1 grading. Offering both gives families choice and flexibility: we can match each child with the syllabus and exam style that suits them best, and pick the right session for them.
Our teaching is modular and mastery-based, so students move on once they have truly understood a topic. Pearson's modular International GCSE route fits that approach well. See how linear and modular exams work.
Pearson Excellence Award 2020
EdQuest received the Pearson Excellence Award in 2020, recognition from the awarding body behind Pearson Edexcel. Read about the award.
Subjects offered
We offer 17 IGCSE subjects, chosen for the skills students will need next: communication in more than one language, maths and science, digital skills, business, and understanding people and society. Most are Pearson Edexcel International GCSEs; Psychology, Sociology and Media Studies are OxfordAQA, and Malay is taken through Cambridge. Some subjects run subject to demand, so please check availability with our admissions team.
LanguagesMathematicsSciencesHumanities & social sciencesBusiness & technology
See all subjects offered →
Linear or modular? Two ways to sit Pearson Edexcel IGCSEs
For many subjects, Pearson Edexcel now offers a choice between two ways of taking the exams: the traditional linear route, and a newer modular route. Pearson is the only exam board that offers a modular route for International GCSEs, and it is available to schools outside the UK, like ours.
The traditional route
Linear: everything at the end
- How it works: all papers are sat together in one exam series, at the end of the two-year course.
- Joined-up learning: students are examined once they have studied the whole subject, so they can bring all the topics together.
- One exam period: no International GCSE exams in Year 10 for that subject, so the first year stays focused on learning.
- Resits: to improve a grade, students resit all the papers together in a later series.
- Available: for every Pearson Edexcel International GCSE, and OxfordAQA International GCSEs are linear.
The newer option
Modular: unit by unit
- How it works: the course is split into units, usually two units worth half the grade each. Each unit can be sat in any International GCSE series (May/June or November).
- Smaller, spread-out exams: students can focus on one part of the course at a time, which Pearson says helps reduce exam stress.
- Early feedback: a unit result part-way through shows what is going well and what needs work.
- Resit a single unit: any unit can be resat in any series, without redoing the whole subject. The better of the two most recent attempts counts.
- Then “cash in”: once every unit is done, the unit results are combined into one final 9–1 grade.
Same course, same standard
Whichever route a student takes, Pearson says the subject content, number of papers, total marks, exam time and teaching time are the same, and both lead to the same International GCSE graded 9 to 1. Each unit is set at the same standard, with no step up in difficulty from Unit 1 to Unit 2.
What modular can look like
- Sit units early: for example, one unit at the end of Year 10 and the other at the end of Year 11, with the option to resit the first unit in November if needed.
- Sit everything at the end, keep the safety net: both units in the May/June series of Year 11, then resit just the unit that needs improving in November or the following June.
Which of our subjects can be taken modular?
Of the subjects we offer, Pearson has a modular route for English Language A (English First Language), English as a Second Language, Mathematics A, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Commerce. Further Pure Mathematics, Chinese, Human Biology, ICT, Business and Global Citizenship are linear only, as are our OxfordAQA subjects (Psychology, Sociology and Media Studies) and Cambridge IGCSE Malay – Foreign Language. See all subjects offered.
Why modular suits EdQuest. Our teaching is modular and mastery-based: students move on once they have truly understood a topic. Pearson’s modular route lets exams follow the same rhythm. The right route depends on the subject and the student, so our academic team advises each family on which route and exam series suit their child.
Based on Pearson’s published information on modular International GCSEs, October 2026. Modular routes were first taught from September 2023 (English Language A and Commerce, among others) and September 2024 (Mathematics A, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and English as a Second Language, among others).
Exam sessions
May / June
The main session for all three boards, with every subject available. OxfordAQA's summer session can start in late April.
October / November
A second chance to sit or resit. Pearson Edexcel offers a selection of subjects (24 in recent years), OxfordAQA runs International GCSE exams, and Cambridge holds its November session.
January
No International GCSE exams with these boards. Pearson's last January International GCSE session was in 2023. January sessions are for International AS/A Levels (Pearson and OxfordAQA).
Cambridge also runs a March session, mainly for schools in India. Exact dates and subject availability are published by each board every year.
Frequently asked questions
Is "IGCSE" the same as "International GCSE"?
In everyday use, yes: both mean the international version of the GCSE. Strictly, "Cambridge IGCSE" is Cambridge's name, while Pearson Edexcel and OxfordAQA use "International GCSE". All three are qualifications for students aged about 14–16.
Are International GCSEs recognised by universities?
The boards say their International GCSEs are accepted by universities around the world. OxfordAQA, for example, lists Oxford, Cambridge and the UK Russell Group among them. Requirements differ by university and course, so check the entry requirements for the courses your child is interested in.
Ofqual doesn't regulate International GCSEs. Should I worry?
No. Ofqual's job is to regulate qualifications taken in England. International GCSEs are designed for students around the world, so each board sets and checks its own, benchmarked to the UK GCSE standard. They are run by the same organisations that offer GCSEs and A Levels in the UK (Pearson, and AQA through OxfordAQA).
What is JCQ, and does it affect my child?
JCQ publishes the common rules UK exam boards use for running exams: how papers are kept secure, invigilation, access arrangements such as extra time, and what counts as malpractice. Pearson applies these rules to its exams worldwide, and OxfordAQA has its own equivalent regulations. Either way, your child sits exams under strict, consistent conditions.
Where does Cambridge fit in at EdQuest?
Our IGCSE pathways are Pearson Edexcel and OxfordAQA, not Cambridge IGCSE. (The one exception is Malay, which is taken as a Cambridge IGCSE.) After IGCSE, students on our Law School pathway go on to three Cambridge International AS & A Level subjects: Law, Psychology and Business. See the Law School pathway. If your child wants a Cambridge IGCSE specifically, talk to us and we will help you weigh up the options.
Which board will my child sit?
It depends on the subject and on your child. Our admissions and academic team will explain the options for each subject when your child joins.
Questions about IGCSE?
Talk to our admissions team about subjects, exam boards and where your child would start. Or come and visit our Falim campus or IGCSE Learning Centre.
WhatsApp 010-253 9817 · Tel +60 5-281 2806