Many families hear "IGCSE" at one school and "O Level" at another and wonder which is better. According to Cambridge International, the two qualifications are equivalent grade for grade, so a result carries the same weight whichever one a student takes.
What is the same
Both are subject-by-subject qualifications, usually studied over two years and examined at the end. Universities and later courses treat them as equivalent when they set entry requirements.
What is different
- Grades. IGCSE grades run from A to G. O Level grades run from A to E.
- Tiers. Some IGCSE subjects offer a core and an extended tier. The syllabus for each subject says which grades each tier can reach.
- Style of assessment. IGCSE is designed for a wide range of ability and often includes more varied assessment, such as oral work, practical skills and, in some subjects, coursework. O Level has fewer coursework options and, in the sciences, more restricted practical options.
- Origins. Some O Level syllabuses were written for particular local needs.
What this means for a family
You rarely choose between them. The school decides which qualification it enters students for, and the subject list is set by the syllabus. What you can choose is how to prepare.
- Find the syllabus code for each subject on the exam board's website. It is the most reliable description of what will be examined.
- Work out whether your child is entered for a core or extended tier, because the topics and the highest grade differ.
- Use past papers from the correct syllabus and the correct year range, since syllabuses are updated.
Choosing a tutor
Ask the tutor which syllabus codes they have taught and how they use past papers. A tutor for Cambridge O Level Mathematics and one for Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics may teach very similar content, but the paper structure and the grade scale differ, so the tutor should know yours.
Source: Cambridge International's guidance on the difference between Cambridge IGCSE and Cambridge O Level. Syllabuses and rules change, so confirm details with your school and the exam board.