School exam information for private candidates

Get all the details you need to successfully register, prepare, and take your UK international school qualifications as a private candidate with the British Council. Make sure you’re ready to succeed.

Register for your exam

UK international qualifications for private candidates

Every year, over 250,000 students take UK international school qualifications with help from the British Council. These globally recognised qualifications help students to attend the best universities and provide students with a solid foundation for academic and professional success.

 

The British Council works closely with three UK-based awarding bodies, Cambridge International Education, OxfordAQA, and Pearson Edexcel to offer globally trusted UK qualifications internationally.

 

If you do not attend a British Council Partner School, you can enter these exams as a private candidate. We encourage a holistic, whole-child learning experience for students, delivered through a school environment such as British Council Partner Schools. However, some candidates who do not have access to this opportunity may still wish to pursue UK international school qualifications, and we support their journey by registering them as private candidates.

Take international school qualifications with the British Council

Choose your exam

We support you in registering for your UK international qualifications offered by UK-based awarding bodies. Find out more about the qualifications offered by each awarding body and choose the exam that best fits your goals. 

 

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How to register

Are you ready to register for your exams? This is your first step towards gaining qualifications that can open up a world of opportunity.
Find out how to register for IGCSEs/International GCSEs, O Levels, A and AS Levels, how to pay for exams, and how to make special arrangements.

 

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Students learning how to prepare

How to prepare

Exams put extra pressure on even the calmest of students. But, with a little preparation and a well-planned revision timetable, you can achieve the grades you deserve.
The British Council offers all the support and advice you need through your preparation journey as a candidate. Whilst the British Council does not provide teaching or educational support for these exams, the subject syllabus, past exam papers and other resources are available on the awarding bodies’ websites.

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Exam day

There are certain resources and materials that you will need to bring on the exam day and of course, you need to know about your exam dates, venues and times.

 

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Results and certificates

After all your hard work you will probably be eager to find out your results. The British Council makes sure you get your results as soon as possible, and we’re here to offer support even after you have received your grades.

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