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Education in UK

Qualifications & Exams

Secondary Education

General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE)

GCSE courses usually last for two years. Students can take up to 8 subjects on average, including compulsory and optional subjects. A public exam is held upon the completion of the GCSE courses. Students who are able to pass at least 5 GCSE subjects are eligible to take A-levels or to pursue other courses of further education.

Further Education

GCE Advanced level (A-level)

A-Level is a General Certificate of Education usually taken after the completion of GCSE. In general, A-Level covers two years of study, comprising subjects of AS-Level and A2-Level. In the first year, students are required to complete 3 – 5 subjects of AS-Level and to sit for the exams of these subjects. After the completion of the AS-Level, students can select 3 subjects out of the subjects taken in AS-Level for the second year (A2-Level) of study and sit for the A2-Level exams accordingly. The examination results of both AS-Level and A2-Level will be used for entry into universities. Students can also consider other courses of higher education.

Foundation Programme

The Foundation Programme is one of the avenues for studying in a university. The duration of study lasts for a year, with an emphasis on enhancing students’ proficiency of English and other academic qualifications. It is a pre-university qualification recognized by certain universities in the United Kingdom. Hence, students who have completed the Foundation Programme can apply for universities which have endorsed the programme.

Higher Education

College and Polytechnics

Colleges provide a wide range of programmes, including secondary education (GCSE/ GCE A-level) and other vocational training programmes. Hong Kong student who finishes F.5 have direct entry to BTEC National Diploma while F.7 to Higher National Diploma (HND). If the result of a F.5 student does not meet the entry requirements, he or she may apply for BTEC National Certificate followed by the National Diploma. Upon completion, student can get into HND or university. If students have the HND qualification, they can apply for the second or third year of a bachelor degree.

University

A bachelor’s degree programme normally takes 3 years. Some professional subjects like medicine and law take 4 years. There are two semesters in a year. School term starts in September every year. Apart from F.7 students, foundation programme graduates can also apply for university. Exemptions are granted to students who have attained Diploma, Higher Diploma or Associate Degree in related subjects. Students who want to apply for bachelor degree programmes need to apply through UCAS. Since the entry requirements for different university varies, it is better for students to understand the scoring system (Tariff Score) before application.

Boarding School Vs College

	Boarding School	College
Enrollment Age	Suitable for students aged 5 to 19 years old	Suitable for students and working people aged 16 or above
Courses	Provides academic courses including GCSE and A-Levels. In addition to academic achievements, the school also offers a wide variety of extracurricular activities for students to participate in, enable students to learn outside of the classroom and to explore their interests and potential. Also provides different academic and vocational courses for students to choose.	Courses include A-Level, Foundation Programme, National Diploma, Foundation Degree, and Higher National Certificate (HNC) or Diploma (HND).
Annual Fee (meal & accommodation fee included)	Around £11,000 to £34,000	Around £9,000 to £ 20,000
Accommodation	Dormitory	Dormitory and Homestay
Teacher:Student Ratio	1 : 8-12	1 : 15-20