General information
- IGCSE stands for International General Certificate of Secondary Education. It is a qualification gained after a minimum 2 year study period and is usually taken between the ages of 14 and 16.
- It is a qualification offered by the Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) board. More information can be found on the official website.
- Since it is a popular choice globally, the qualification is recognised by many universities. You can check for an institution here.
- Along with studying IGCSE, it is rewarding to opt for the International Certificate of Education or ICE certificate. This is a group award for IGCSE learners and requires students to choose a variety of subjects under different categories. This is a great way to encourage versatile learning and is appreciated by university admissions tutors. More information can be found here.
NV Top Tips
- If you're studying IGCSE, the first thing you should do is to make this website your best friend. There is no source more trustworthy than the original, official one.
- Next, go through the Subject list on the website, pick your choices and download the relevant syllabus. This is EXTREMELY important- take a printout if you can. The syllabus booklet is going to be your checklist. It tells you about the exams you need to give and what they're going to test; it tells you about what you need to learn and just how much in depth you need to study a particular topic; it tells you what kind of questions to expect- define or explain or illustrate? Trust me on this, when it comes to what you need to know for the exam, your textbook is NOT the go-to-guy! There is no single prescribed textbook that matches the syllabus completely. They are all "references and resources". So, read more than one book and google more than one website- do whatever it takes to cover every point in the syllabus.
- Studying for 2 years from one type of resource can be boring and frustrating so refer to a variety. By this, I don't mean 3 different books. I mean one book, one blog and one Youtube channel. Or multiple- the more, the merrier. Varying your resources keeps them interesting and having an interest in studying is key to getting good grades!
Resources
- Xtreme Papers - If you have ever opened a past paper, you've probably been here already.
- Samuel Lees Notes - Great revision notes for Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Geography.
- The Periodic Table of Videos - Amazing chemistry videos by The University of Nottingham featuring Sir Martyn Poliakoff- it doesn't get any better.
- Translation - Very helpful for language orals, especially French.
- BBC Bitesize - Fantastic explanations for a wide range of subjects.
- S-cool - A really good revision website.
- Brightstorm - Youtube channel for a little more information. Higher level explanations for curious minds.
- Khan Academy - A video explanation for anything and everything.
- Bozeman Science - A Youtube channel that cannot be missed by Biology students.
- DrPhysicsA - Brilliant GCSE Physics revision videos.
- O and A Level Notes - Website with notes covering many O and A Level subjects.
- Z Notes - Revision notes for IGCSE and A Level subjects.