Studying A-Level in UK and things to know

1.1. Who is the A-Level program suitable for?

A-Level – short for Advanced Level Qualification, is a Certificate of Higher Education. The A-Level program is equivalent to the 11th and 12th grade curriculum in Vietnam, for those who have completed the 10th grade program in Vietnam. For those who do not have a future career orientation, A-Level provides the perfect environment for you to experience before choosing the major you want to pursue.

If you have planned your studies for the future, the A-Level program will be the golden key for those who want to transfer to the Bachelor's program, especially those who want to attend high-ranking, difficult majors.

1.2. A-Level program structure

The A-Level course usually lasts for 2 years, divided into 2 levels.

• AS Level (short for Advanced Subsidiary) is the first year. Students will choose 3-4 subjects depending on their major orientation and end the first year with an AS-level exam.

• In the second year A2, you will choose 3 of the subjects of the first year to continue your studies and finish the A-Level program with these 3 subjects.

• Students can choose to study the Fast-track program (year A2) and the extended program if they want to add English

Choosing a subject from the start of the A-Level course is an important first decision on the career path for the future. Choosing the right subjects will help students improve their chances of getting admitted to prestigious universities.

2.1. Easy to study at top schools in the UK

The A-level certificate is considered the golden key that opens the doors of prestigious universities in the UK. As the A-Level program is recognized worldwide, once you own this certificate, you can apply to study at any school you want.

In particular, A-Level is a popular entry certificate at top schools in the UK. Once you have an excellent academic record with an A-level certificate, you will easily study at the top universities in the UK such as Oxford, Cambridge, etc.

It is very difficult to get into top universities in the UK such as Oxford, Cambridge, The London School of Economics and Political Science,... A-level is also a mandatory requirement for students who want to study specific majors such as Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy,...

2.2. Save study time

For those of you who have planned to study in the UK as soon as you finish the 10th-grade program in Vietnam, it only takes you 2 more years to study the A-Level program and meet all the entry requirements to universities in the UK. If you choose to study in the UK at the Bachelor's level immediately after completing Year 12, you will have to study for 1 year as a Foundation Year.

2.3. Improve your English skills

A-Level classes usually have a relatively small number of students, ranging from 8-10 students. As a result, teachers will easily pay attention and care to each student as well as edit phonics and intonation from the first lessons.

In addition to developing vocabulary and improving specialized knowledge, the A-Level program also teaches students skills that will be useful for the university environment later in life, including critical thinking, reasoning, and presentation skills for any topic.

For Vietnamese students who have completed grade 10 with good academic results, they can study abroad in the A-Level program when they meet the following conditions:

• Complete the 10th grade program and be over 16 years old.

• Have good academic results, GPA of 7.0 or higher

• Minimum IELTS score of 5.0 - 5.5

Tuition fees for A level programmes tend to be between GBP 30,000 – GBP 45,000 as the majority of students will be boarded in the school's halls of residence and students under the age of 18 will need a guardian or use guardianship.

The A-Level scale is calculated based on:

• End-of-course exam scores

• Component Points of Essays

• Bonus points through extracurricular activities

The A-Level scale is from A to E. Students who do not reach the lowest score of this system will receive a U grade. The minimum score required for the E scale is 40%, the D scale is 50%, the C scale is 60% and so on.

For students with an average score of over 80%, they will receive an A. When owning many A's, you will easily hunt for scholarships to study in the UK at schools. For some universities, it will require you to achieve a minimum A

The group of schools that train the A-Level program includes private schools and educational institutions such as:

• INTO UAE

• Kings Education (IDP partner)

• Cats Global School (IDP partner)

• York College

• Exeter College

With the above benefits, it's no wonder that studying at the UK A-Level is increasingly popular and attracts international students from all over the world. Owning an A-Level is one of the best ways to help you successfully transfer to a university and equip you with the skills to stand out in the workplace of the future.

If you want to learn the Requirements to study in the UK in the near future, contact IDP for answers. Free support services from IDP include:

• Advice on studying in the UK, choosing the right school and course. Support students to apply for admission to the school and track their progress until you receive a confirmation letter from the school

• Besides, IDP is ready to introduce scholarships to study in the UK for students who come to apply at IDP. You will be guided by experts Hunting for Scholarships to Study Abroad, practice interviews, and complete applications for free student visas in the UK with a success rate of over 95%.

• Estimate all tuition fees and expenses throughout your study abroad journey with IDP's Cost of Living Calculator

Contact IDP to start your UK study abroad consultation today!