The International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) is an English language based secondary qualification similar to the GCSE and is recognised in the United Kingdom as being equivalent to the GCSE for the purposes of recognising prior attainment. It was developed by Cambridge Assessment International Education. The examination boards Edexcel, Learning Resource Network (LRN), and Oxford AQA also offer their own versions of International GCSEs. Students normally begin studying the syllabus at the beginning of Year 10 and take the test at the end of Year 11. However, in some international schools, students can begin studying the syllabus at the beginning of Year 9 and take the test at the end of Year 10.

The qualifications are based on individual subjects of study, which means that one receives an “IGCSE” qualification for each subject one takes. Typical “core” subjects for IGCSE candidates include a First Language, Second Language, Mathematics and one or more subjects in the Sciences.

Examination boards

Cambridge IGCSE

Cambridge IGCSE exams are conducted in three sessions: February/March (India only), May/June and October/November, and the results are released in May, August and January respectively. The exams are set by Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE), which is part of Cambridge Assessment that also includes OCR, a UK GCSE examination board. As of January 2021, there are over 70 subjects available and schools can offer them in any combination.

The Cambridge examination board offers an ICE (International Certificate in Education) group qualification for candidates who achieve 7 subject passes across the following groups: 
Group 1: Languages
Group 2: Humanities and Social Sciences
Group 3: Sciences
Group 4: Mathematics
Group 5: Creative and Vocational (Professional and Creative)
The certificate is awarded to candidates who pass in seven IGCSE subjects — two Group 1 subjects, one subject from each of Groups 2–5, and a seventh subject which can be selected from any Group.

The ICE is awarded in three categories:

 Distinction (Grade A or better in five subjects and Grade C or better in two subjects)
 Merit (Grade C or better in five subjects and Grade F or better in two subjects)
 Pass (Grade G or better in seven subjects)

In addition, to award top candidates, Cambridge awards "Outstanding Achievement Awards" in the categories of "top in country" and "top in world" for each subject.

Pearson Edexcel International GCSE
Edexcel International GCSE exams used to be conducted in June and January. From the academic year starting September 2023, Edexcel International GCSE exams are conducted in June and November. The last session for January Exams is January 2023 (Academic Year September 2022 to August 2023) and the first session for November Exams is November 2023 (Academic Year September 2023 to August 2024). The exams are set by Edexcel which also sets GCSE exams in the UK.

Oxford AQA International GCSE
Oxford AQA International GCSE exams are conducted in May/June and November. The exams are set by OxfordAQA (Oxford International AQA Examinations), which is a joint venture between AQA which sets GCSE exams in the UK and Oxford University Press (OUP).

LRN International GCSE
LRN International GCSE exams are conducted in January, May and November.

Comparisons with GCSE
Before changes to GCSE first taken in 2017, the IGCSE was often considered to be more similar to the older O-Levels qualification than the current GCSE in England, and for this reason was often argued to be a more rigorous and more difficult examination. Before the early 2010s, most schools offering the IGCSE were private international schools for expatriate children around the world. However, in the 2010s, an increasing number of independent schools within the United Kingdom also began offering IGCSEs as an alternative to conventional English GCSEs for international IGCSE subjects, on the supposed basis that it is more challenging than the national curriculum.
A comparison between GCSEs and IGCSEs was conducted by the Department of Education in 2019. The study found that it was easier to achieve a grade A in English Language and English Literature in IGCSEs but harder to achieve a grade A in science subjects. Most other subjects were roughly equivalent.

The change from an A*-G grading system to a 9-1 grading system by English GCSE qualifications has led to a 9-1 grade International General Certificate of Secondary Education being made available. Before, this qualification was graded on an 8-point scale from A* to G with a 9th grade “U” signifying “Ungraded”. This measure of grading was also found in the UK GCSE. Most IGCSE subjects offer a choice of tiered examinations: Core or Extended papers (in Cambridge International), and Foundation or Higher papers (in Edexcel). This is designed to make IGCSE suitable for students with varying levels of ability. In some subjects, IGCSE can be taken with or without coursework.

At one point in time, the “A*” grade in the GCSE did not exist but was later added to recognise the very top end of achievement. In the case of Further Mathematics, an extra A* grade was added for students that can “demonstrate sustained performance in higher-level maths skills such as reasoning, proof and problem-solving.”

Recognition and equivalence
The qualification is recognised by many institutions in the world. It also allows further vocational education and is often considered the baseline for employment.

Its academic worth is comparable to many secondary school curricula worldwide, such as England's GCSE, the North American GED or high school diploma, Hong Kong's HKCEE, Singapore's O-Level, and the Indian CBSE and ICSE courses. The IGCSE prepares students for further academic study, including progression to A Level and BTEC Level 3 study, Cambridge Pre-U, IB Diploma Programme and other equivalents. It is recognised by academic institutions and employers around the world and is considered by many institutions as equivalent to the standard GCSE.

Hong Kong
The IGCSE exam is widely used in international schools. Students in Hong Kong can take the Cambridge exam board as well as the Edexcel exam board, either at their school or registering through the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) as individual candidates.

Singapore and Malaysia
The IGCSE exam is predominantly used in international schools, while other schools offer it as an alternative to O Level exams.

United Kingdom

The official status of IGCSEs has changed several times in the UK.

In 2013 the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) allowed more use of IGCSE subjects in state-funded schools. Ofqual allowed the use of Cambridge IGCSE exams under the name of "Cambridge International Certificates". Initially, 16 Cambridge IGCSE syllabuses received UK government accreditation. Following that, the UK government announced that the 16 accredited Cambridge IGCSE syllabuses could also be funded in state-maintained schools. Subsequently, Cambridge IGCSE German and Spanish were also accredited and funded, taking the total number of accredited and funded Cambridge IGCSEs to 18. For accreditation purposes, the syllabuses are referenced as "Cambridge International Certificates" in the UK, although they are known across the world as Cambridge IGCSEs. The IGCSE is offered by two examination boards in the UK, one being Edexcel, and the other one being AQA.

However, from 2017 the government decided to exclude IGCSEs from official performance tables, and consequentially entries from state schools have fallen. So that whilst "international GCSEs no longer meet the condition of funding; however, they do continue to count as equivalent to GCSEs for the purposes of recognising prior attainment."

In 2018, 91% of IGCSE UK entries in core subjects were in private schools, and about 75% for all subjects.

United States
While the number of North American schools offering the IGCSE remains small, some homeschooling educators are said to be choosing the IGCSE instead of a typical North American high school curriculum. According to many of these educators, the IGCSE curriculum may be more advanced than a typical North American secondary school course by at least one year.

Italy
For some years in Italy many high schools have joined a Cambridge Schools Network, becoming Cambridge International Schools.
The aim of these schools is to get students IGCSE and As & A Level certifications. 
Some Italian Universities as well accept both IGCSE and AS & A Level certifications, but a minimum of grade is often required for the admission.

Cancellations 
During the COVID-19 pandemic, all IGCSE examinations due to take place in May/June 2020 were cancelled, along with GCSE and A-Level exams that year. As of 31 March 2020, the CAIE had decided to guide schools to predict students' grades through evidence like mock examination results.

On 30 April 2020, Pearson Edexcel announced that grades for the May/June 2020 exam would be calculated using information from schools. Schools were asked to provide an assessment grade for each student, as well as a ranked order of students within each grade by 29 May 2020.

For the June 2021 exam series, CAIE plans for exams to go ahead in countries that are permitted and safe, and countries where exams cannot take place due to government directives will switch to school-assessed grades using evidence like student coursework and mock exam results. There are also adjustments, exemptions, and special considerations available for schools that applies for them.

References

External links

Cambridge IGCSE for non-UK schools
Cambridge IGCSE for UK schools
Edexcel International GCSE Homepage
International OxfordAQA GCSE Homepage
UK accreditation information on NDAQ
Cambridge IGCSE Candidate Results

Secondary school qualifications
English-language education
School qualifications
Educational evaluation methods
High school course levels
International school associations
Associations of schools
Cambridge International Examinations
IGCSE(International General Certificate of Secondary Education)는 영국의 중고등 과정인 GCSE를 케임브리지 대학에서 국제학생을 위한 국제 커리큘럼으로 개조한 것이다. IGCSE는 IB와 마찬가지로 국제적인 공인성의 교육과정이다. 매우 많은 국제학교들이 채용하고 있는 교육과정으로, 10학년과 11학년을 걸쳐 진행된다. IGCSE를 수료한 학생들은 12학년부터 A Level을 수료하거나, NLCS Jeju 같이 IB DP로 넘어가는 학교도 있다. IGCSE는 크게 Cambridge IGCSE와 Edexcel IGCSE로 구분된다. 일부 학교들은 과학, 영어등의 과목을 CIE 대신 Edexcel IGCSE로 보는 경우도 있다.

IGCSE를 공부하는 이유
현재 한국에서 공부하는 학생들 중에서도 IGCSE에 관심이 있고 혹은 준비하는 학생들이 점점 늘어가는 추세이다. 사실 해외에 있는 대학에 가기 위해서 IGCSE를 꼭 봐야하는 것은 아니다. 해외대학에서는 IB나 A-level, Foundation, AP 와 같은 pre-uni 과정의 성적만을 반영하기 때문이다. 하지만 그럼에도 IGCSE를 하는 이유는 영국식 교육제도인 A-level과정을 들어가기 위해서는 IGCSE 성적이 우수해야하며 실제로 a level 에 지원할 때 IGCSE 성적 커트라인을 제시하여 커트라인이상의 grade를 받은 학생들만 A-level 과정을 들을 수 있게 하기도 하기 때문이다.

구성 과목
IGCSE는 약 120여개의 국가에서 사용되며 70여개의 과목을 다루고 있다. 학생들은 다음 교육과정으로 넘어가기 위해서는 최소 5과목을 이수해야하며 현재 대부분의 foundation 과정에서는 IGCSE 과목들 중 3개 이상 c를 취득해야 학생을 받아주며 A-level 과정으로 넘어가기 위해서는 5과목 이상 c를 맞아야 한다.학생들은 과목 하나를 이수할 때마다 하나의 IGCSE certification을 받게 되며 성적은 약 2년동안 유효하다.(2년이 넘어가면 그 성적표로 학교에 지원하는 것이 대부분 불가능하다.)

과목분류
IGCSE 시험 과목은 아래의 목록과 같이 총 6가지로 분류된다.
Group I: Languages (언어계열)
Group II: Humanities and Social Sciences (인문,사회과학계열)
Group III: Sciences (과학계열)
Group IV: Mathematics (수학계열)
Group V: Creative, Technical and Vocational (창의,기술계열)
Group VI: ICT (공학계열)

과목명과 코드
밑 목록은 IGCSE에서 다루는 모든 과목과 그의 코드번호를 알파벳순으로 나열한 것이다.

Accounting (0452)
Afrikaans - First Language (0512)
Afrikaans - Second Language (0548)
Agriculture (0600)
Arabic - First Language (0508)
Arabic - Foreign Language (0544)
Arabic - Foreign Language (BES) (0527)
Art and Design (0400)
Bangladesh Studies (0449)
Biology (0610)
Business Studies (0450)
Chemistry (0620)
Child Development (0637)
Chinese (Mandarin) - Foreign Language (0547)
Chinese - First Language (0509)
Computer Science (0478)
Computer Studies (0420)
Czech - First Language (0514)
Design and Technology (0445)
Development Studies (0453)
Drama (0411)
Dutch - First Language (0503)
Dutch - Foreign Language (0515)
Economics (0455)
English - First Language (0500)
English - First Language (UK) (0522)
English - Literature (0486)
English - Literature (UK) (0476)
English - Second Language (count-in oral) (0511)
English - Second Language (oral endorsement) (0510)
Enterprise (0454)
Environmental Management (0680)
Food and Nutrition (0648)
French - First Language (0501)
French - Foreign Language (0520)
French - Foreign Language (UK) (0685)
Geography (0460)
German - First Language (0505)
German - Foreign Language (0525)
Global Perspectives (0457)
Greek - Foreign Language (0543)
Hindi as a Second Language (0549)
History (0470)
India Studies (0447)
Indonesian - Foreign Language (0545)
Information and Communication Technology (0417)
International Mathematics (0607)
IsiZulu as a Second Language (0531)
Japanese - First Language (0507)
Japanese - Foreign Language (0519)
Kazakh as a Second Language (0532)
Korean (First Language) (0521)
Latin (0480)
Malay - Foreign Language (0546)
Mathematics (0580)
Mathematics (with coursework) (0581)
Mathematics - Additional (0606)
Music (0410)
Pakistan Studies (0448)
Physical Education (0413)
Physical Science (0652)
Physics (0625)
Portuguese - First Language (0504)
Portuguese - Foreign Language (0540)
Religious Studies (0490)
Russian - First Language (0516)
Science - Combined (0653)
Sciences - Co-ordinated (Double) (0654)
Sociology (0495)
Spanish - First Language (0502)
Spanish - Foreign Language (0530)
Spanish - Literature (0488)
Thai - First Language (0518)
Travel and Tourism (0471)
Turkish - First Language (0513)
Twenty-First Century Science
World Literature (0408)

국제적인 교육제도인 만큼 다양한 과목들을 지원하고 있으며 현재에도 지속적으로 추가하고 있다.

시험 방식

평가 방식
IGCSE는 총 8등급(A+,A,B,C,D,E,F,U)으로 평가된다. 하지만 전세계적인 시험인 만큼 모든 나라 학생들의 답을 한가지의 평가 방식으로 점수를 낼 수 없다고 판단하여 IGCSE를 시험 보는 모든 나라를 6개의 구역(administrative zones)으로 나눠 서로 다른 기준을 가지고 답안지를 채점한다.

시험 기간
시험은 5~6월 (May/June)과 11~12월 (October/November)에 친다. 한국과는 다르게 하루에 모든 과목을 다 보는 것이 아니라 거의 한달 반에 걸쳐서 시험을 본다. 대부분 과목들은 대략 5~10개의 Paper로 구성되어 있으며, Paper 1, Paper 2 등으로 부른다. 각 Paper들은 다시 Component 1,2,3 등으로 나뉜다. 이 Component들의 조합들에 따라 기준 점수가 다 다르다. 참고로 일부 Paper는 과정 중에 완성하는 Coursework로 대체할 수도 있다.

특이 사항
IGCSE에서는 시험 중에 계산기 사용이 허용된다. 보다 정확히 말하자면, 수학이나 물리 같은 경우에는 계산기를 써야만 계산이 가능한 문제들이 출제되므로 계산기 사용은 필수이며 그 대신 계산 과정 또한 점수를 매기기 때문에 정확한 풀이와 정답을 모두 적어야 만점을 얻을 수 있다. 또한 cambridge IGCSE 같은 경우에는 국제적인 시험인 만큼 시험지 유출 문제 예방과 학교 시설 및 시험 진행 과정을 확인하기 위해 학교측에 아무런 예고 없이 CIE에서 사람을 보내 감시하기도 한다.

각주

외부 링크 
 CIE 공식 홈페이지

영어 교육
교육 평가
평가 방법