Programs at-a-glance
Cambridge International AS Level
One-year course with exam, equivalent to one semester of college
Cambridge International A Level
Two-year course with exam, equivalent to two semesters of college
Cambridge AICE Diploma
An advanced diploma that comprises AS & A Level exams in four disciplines, equivalent to approximately one year of college credits
Cambridge IGCSE (Pre-Advanced)
Courses and exams for 14+ year-olds
Cambridge ICE
Comparable to a US high school diploma; comprises IGCSE courses and exams in five disciplines
Terms
Access arrangements = Accommodations
Accommodations, or services for students with disabilities. A pre-exam arrangement is made on behalf of a candidate with particular needs, for example, the use of a scribe, modified papers, or extra time.
AICE and Pre-AICE
Acronym for the Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) Diploma. Students who pass a combination of Cambridge Advanced (International AS & A Level) courses and exams across four disciplines can receive the Cambridge AICE Diploma. Some schools refer to AS & A Level courses as “AICE” courses or exams, however students are not required to work toward the diploma to take Cambridge courses or exams. Some schools refer to Cambridge Pre-Advanced (IGCSE) courses and exams as "Pre-AICE".
Candidate = Registrant, test-taker
A student or person who has been entered, or registered, to take a Cambridge exam.
Center = Test site
A school, college, organization, or institution that teaches and offers Cambridge programs and exams to candidates. The center number is the five-character code given to a center.
Component = Exam section
A part or section of a subject exam. A component is sometimes referred to as a paper. Typically, several components make up the assessments for an exam.
Enter for an exam = Register
To register, or sign up to take, an exam. “Entries” refers to the candidates a center has entered for a Cambridge exam (or qualification) in a particular series.
Exam series
An exam series is identified by a month and year, for example June 2027. The series includes the group of exams given during specified days. June exam series are held in May and June. November exam series are held in October and November.
Group award = A certificate or diploma
Similar to a certificate or diploma. Awards are given to candidates who have studied and passed assessments from a specified number of subject groups. An example is the Cambridge AICE Diploma, a group award for Cambridge International AS & A Level.
Mark scheme = Rubric
A rubric. The mark scheme tells you what an examiner expects from an answer in order to award marks. It indicates the number of points each question or component attracts.
Marking = Grading
A grade or score assigned for a candidate’s response on a test. This may involve professional judgment by an examiner, or the use of a scoring guide that lists all acceptable responses.
Qualification = Course and exam
A certificated award to learners to demonstrate their achievement. In the US, ‘qualification’ is an unfamiliar term and essentially translates to the course and exam in a given subject area. A set of component exams that make up the full assessment for a course is considered a qualification.
Paper or component = Exam section
An exam section. A component or paper is a part or section of the subject exam. An individual syllabus usually has several papers. Can also be referred to as a question paper.
Revise, revision = Review, study
To review or study. Students revise for exams by reading things again and making notes in order to prepare.
Rubric
The instructions given for a particular test task that outlines how the task will be marked.
Scheme of assessment
All the exam components through which a candidate’s achievement in a particular assessment is determined.
Scheme of work
Similar to unit lesson plans for teachers. Schemes of work include exemplar tasks aligned to course skills.
Script
A candidate’s response to the whole question paper or component. Responses are usually written on paper in booklets or multiple sheets.
Specimen = Example
An example or sample