IGCSE vs. GCSE ? What's The DifferencE

What is cambridge IGCSE

Cambridge IGCSE is the world’s most popular international curriculum for 14-16 year olds, leading to globally recognised and valued Cambridge IGCSE qualifications. It is part of the Cambridge Secondary 2 stage.

Schools worldwide have helped develop Cambridge IGCSE, which provides excellent preparation for the Cambridge Advanced stage including Cambridge International AS and A Levels and Cambridge Pre-U, as well as other progression routes. It incorporates the best in international education for learners at this level. It develops in line with changing needs, and is regularly updated and extended. Cambridge IGCSE teachers can draw on excellent resources, training and advice from subject experts.

Differences in Content and Assessment between UK GCSE and IGCSE:

1. Significant differences exist in Syllabus content and schemes of assessment.
2.  Most IGCSE subjects have an optional coursework element, whereas with many GCSE subjects it is compulsory.
3. The content of IGCSE subjects is tailored to the multi-cultural, multi-lingual audience they serve, in a way the UK GCSE does not.
4. IGCSE subjects can be taken as individual subjects or as qualifications towards the International Certificate of Education, unlike UK GCSEs

Cambridge IGCSE Subjects list

• Accounting (0452)
• Africaans – 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)
• Art and Design (BES) (0415)
• Bangladesh Studies (0449)
• Biology (0610)
• Biology (BES) (0438)
• Business Studies (0450)
• Chemistry (0620)
• Chemistry (BES) (0439)
• Child Development (0637)
• Chinese – First Language (0509)
• Chinese – Second Language (0523)
• Chinese (Mandarin) – Foreign Language (0547)
• Chinese (Mandarin) – Foreign Language (BES) (0534)
• Computer Science (0478)
• Computer Science (BES) (0473)
• Computer Studies (0420)
• Computer Studies (BES) (0441)
• Czech – First Language (0514)
• Design and Technology (0445)
• Development Studies (0453)
• Drama (0411)
• Drama (BES) (0428)
• Dutch – First Language (0503)
• Dutch – Foreign Language (0515)
• Economics (0455)
• Economics (BES) (0437)
• English – First Language (0500)
• English – First Language (BES) (0524)
• English – First Language (UK) (0522)
• English – Literature (0486)
• English – Literature (BES) (0427)
• English – Literature (UK) (0476)
• English – Second Language (oral endorsement) (0510)
• English – Second Language (BES) (0526)
• English – Second Language (count-in oral) (0511)
• Enterprise (0454)
• Environmental Management (0680)
• Food and Nutrition (0648)
• French – First Language (0501)
• French – Foreign Language (0520)
• French – Foreign Language (BES) (0528)
• French – Foreign Language (UK) (0685)
• Geography (0460)
• German – First Language (0505)
• German – Foreign Language (0525)
• German – Foreign Language (BES) (0529)
• German- Foreign Language (UK) (0677)
• Global Perspectives (0457)
• Global Perspectives (BES) (0426)
• Greek – Foreign Language (0543)
• Greek – Foreign Language (BES) (0536)
• Hindi as a Second Language (0549)
• History (0470)
• History – American (BES) (0409)
• History (BES) (0416)
• India Studies (0447)
• Indonesian – Foreign Language (0545)
• Information and Communication Technology (0417)
• IsiZulu as a Second Language (0531)
• Islamiyat (0493)
• Italian – Foreign Language (0535)
• Italian – Foreign Language (UK) (0679)
• 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 -- Additional (0606)
• Mathematics – Additional (BES) (0459)
• International Mathematics (0607)
• Mathematics (BES) (0444)
• Mathematics (with coursework) (0581)
• Music (0410)
• Music (BES) (0429)
• Pakistan Studies (0448)
• Physical Education (0413)
• Physical Science (0652)
• Physics (0625)
• Physics (BES) (0443)
• Portuguese – First Language (0504)
• Portuguese – Foreign Language (0540)
• Religious Studies (0490)
• Russian – First Language (0516)
• Science – Combined (0653)
• Sciences – Co-ordinated (Double) (0654)
• Sciences – Co-ordinated (Double) (BES) (0442)
• Sociology (0495)
• Spanish – First Language (0502)
• Spanish – First Language (BES) (0537)
• Spanish – Foreign Language (0530)
• Spanish – Foreign Language (BES) (0533)
• Spanish – Foreign Language (UK) (0678)
• Spanish – Literature (0488)
• Thai – First Language (0518)
• Travel and Tourism (0471)
• Turkish – First Language (0513)
• Twenty-First Century Science (0608)
• Urdu as a Second Language (0539)
• World Literature (0408)