GCE A Levels & International Advanced Levels (IAL) qualifications

Rules for Making Examination Registrations in Hong Kong

June 2015 Examinations
Please read the below information when registering for Edexcel GCE A level and International Advanced Level
(IAL) examinations in June 2015.
The new policy and its rules and regulations described here have been effective since August 2014.
GCE A levels:

Edexcel GCE A level Biology, Chemistry and Physics (with 100% written examination instead of
coursework) were renamed re-named International Advanced Level (IAL) Biology, Chemistry and
Physics from September 2013.
All candidates taking an Edexcel GCE in Biology, Chemistry or Physics (with 100% examination) are now
awarded an International Advanced level in these subjects. The content and assessment of the
qualifications is exactly the same, it is only the name of the qualification that has been changed.

GCE Law and GCE Accounting were re-named as IAL Law and IAL Accounting from September
2013. The content and assessment of the qualifications remains exactly the same, it is only the name of
the qualification that has been changed. (Law examinations are available in the May/June series only).

GCE A level January examinations were removed from January 2014.

Edexcel GCE A level examinations are now only available in May/June. All awarding organisations in
England were required by the government to remove the January examination series. Therefore there
are no longer GCE examinations in January for GCE A levels anywhere in the world.

New GCE qualifications from September 2015/16:

- Candidates taking current GCE units must finish and cash in all units by the June 2016
examination series.
- Candidates will not be able to carry forward any completed GCE units onto the new linear GCE
qualifications from June 2017.
- The current modular GCE units results cannot be counted towards the new GCE A level qualification
with examinations from year 2017.

International Advanced Levels (IAL):

Subjects available in IAL qualifications are:

Sciences with 100% written examination (Physics, Chemistry, Biology), Mathematics (Mathematics,
Further Mathematics and Pure Mathematics only), Economics, Business Studies, Law, Accounting.
IAL examinations are available in January and May/June.
Re-sit:
Candidates who take IAL will be able to re-sit individual units once before certification.
If candidates sit a unit examination more than twice, only the last 2 results will be taken into
consideration when awarding the grade. This means that the higher mark of the last two
examinations will be used to calculate the grade.

For instance if a candidate sits an examination for the first time and they achieve 80 marks and
they sit the same examination again and achieves 70 marks and they sit the same examination
again and achieves 60 marks; 70 marks will be used to calculate the grade. The first 80 marks will
be discounted as only the last two attempts will be eligible to use. Please refer to the FAQ page
and document here:
http://www.edexcel.com/iwantto/Documents/7242_IAL_entry_aggregation_and_certification_rules.
pdf

Candidates are only counted as taking an examination if they were present at the time of the
examination. If a candidate is absent from the examination, it will not count as an attempt.

Information regarding GCE certification and IAL certification:

Candidates who wish to obtain GCE qualifications could use GCE units completed anytime before
May/June 2016 to cash-in (but not year 2017 or beyond).

Only GCE units can contribute to GCE awards. (IAL units cannot contribute to a GCE award).

Candidates who wish to obtain IAL qualifications could use IAL units to cash in for IAL
qualifications.

Candidates who have banked GCE units and wish to obtain IAL qualifications may combine GCE
units completed in year 2013 or before with IAL units completed in year 2014 and year 2015.
This process is available in year 2014 and 2015, but not after.
Candidates may not combine GCE units completed in 2014 or 2015 with IAL units.

Candidates may enter for a combination of GCE and IAL subjects.

Candidates must use the same UCI for both the GCE and IAL units.

Candidates who take IAL examinations will be awarded IAL certificates.

IAL certificates will have Pearson Logos as they are regulated by Pearson.

Other important information:

Candidates should refer to the GCE Specifications for reference if they wish to take GCE examinations.
Candidates should refer to the IAL Specifications for reference if they wish to take the IAL examinations.

For information regarding university progression and recognition for IAL qualifications, please check our
website: http://degreecoursefinder.pearson.com/ and click into the box in red color namely:
International Advanced Levels Find Out Where They Can Take You - for details on IAL university
recognitions. The recognition list is being updated regularly on a weekly basis.

Candidates must check that they are eligible to sit the examination and that they have sufficient units to
cash-in for the qualification when requesting for cash-in.

Supplementary Notes:

Candidates entering for A level examinations in May/June 2015 may take IAL in the following subjects:
Sciences with 100% written examinations (Physics, Chemistry, Biology), Law and Accounting.

Candidates entering for A level examinations in May/June 2015 will have a choice to either enter for GCE
A levels or IAL in Maths (Maths, Further Maths, Pure Maths), Business Studies and Economics

Fact sheet: GCE A levels and IAL qualifications:

GCE A levels

IAL

Sciences subjects available are:

Science subjects available are:

Physics, Chemistry, Biology (with coursework) (Please note that

Coursework option is not offered in Hong Kong)

Physics, Chemistry, Biology (with 100%

written examinations).

Other subjects available are: Mathematics, Business Studies,

Economics, Arabic, Greek, Japanese, Chinese, General Studies,
Government and Politics, and many more (Please refer to
http://www.edexcel.com/quals/gce/gce08/Pages/default.aspx

Other subjects available are:

Law, Accounting, Business Studies,
Economics, and Mathematics

for a full list of GCE subjects available).

GCE unit results are available for future use to cash-in
(before year 2017 only).

IAL unit results are available for future use to

cash-in for IAL awards.

GCE awards and certificates

IAL awards and certificates

Follow GCE Specifications

Follow IAL Specifications

Examinations are available in June only

Examinations are available in January and

May/June

No restriction on resit opportunities before year 2017.

1 re-sit per unit before certification

New GCE qualifications are available from September 2015/6 Advanced Subsidiary will become a standalone qualification
from 2016. (An AS Level qualification will not contribute towards
an A level qualification)

AS will continue to contribute to a full

Advanced Level

Should you have any questions, please contact us:

Tel:
852-8129-0100 (Hong Kong)
E-mail: peial@pearson.com
Updated as of October 2014
Prepared by PQI HK