In the UK, students normally study the national GCSE course in Year 10 and 11, with GCSE exams happening at the end of Year 11, before they move onto A levels, the most popular course before university applications. Students normally begin preparing for GCSEs during Year 9.

The GCSE years are an ideal time for international students to come study in the UK. However, our students have benefited from coming earlier, such as from Year 9, where they study the “Pre-GCSE” curriculum, which provides a solid foundation before embarking on the GCSE curriculum. 

For those who come to the UK during Year 11, we recommend schools which offer iGCSE (international GCSE) subjects, meaning students can take a reduced number of subjects but still achieve high grades during exams.