Frequently Asked Questions (US Admissions)

Parents who are planning to send their children overseas study usually have a query: when is the best time for my children to fit into the education in other countries? First of all, most of the primary and secondary schools do not admit new students in all school years, and that’s why we have to understand what key entry points are. Key entry points refer to the school years in which schools open their admission to new students, both local and international. Let’s use Westminster School as an example: the key entry points in Westminster School are 7+ (year 3), 8+ (year 4), 11+ (year 7) and 16+ (year 12). Therefore, if your children are turning 7 years old before the start of academic year 2022/2023, which is on 1st September, you can apply for 7+ entry in next year when admission begins. If the age of your children does not match the key entry points at the moment, you need to wait until your children are old enough to admit to the school at the nearest entry point. Note that all school ages of UK children are calculated on the 1st September, as this is the start of the UK academic school year. So, even if a child is turning 7 years old in October 2021, he can only apply for 7+ entry in academic year 2022/2023. Also, some prestigious schools require children to submit their application two years before their entries, so parents are advised to read the admission information of the schools you would like to apply.

For the most optimal results to be achieved through our education strategical planning, we recommend families allocate 15 to 18 months for us to advise on the student's academic path. Most school applications are available by September of the year before entry (deadline - January of the year of entry). However, certain schools with rigoruous application pools may require a letter of intent to be submitted by the applicant approximately 24 months in advance of the month of intended entry.

GCSE examination is a pivotal assessment for students who are studying in Year 10 and Year 11. It decides whether the candidates are qualified to proceed to further academic study, including A Level and undergraduate degrees. Students sit GCSE examination at the end of year 11, though studies for the exam should have started two to three years ago when the students are in year 9 or 10, depending upon the subjects, schools, and exam board. Generally speaking, students who take on a 2-year GCSE syllabus choose 7 to 10 selective subjects when they are in year 10, alongside with the core subjects 1) Maths, 2) English (English language and English literature), and 3) Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology). Other subjects include: Modern foreign language French, German, Spanish, Russian, etc. Humanities History, Geography, Religious Studies, etc. Arts Music, Drama, Art and Design, Media Studies, etc. Technical Applications Design and Technology, Food Technology, Computer Science, etc. GSCEs are awarded on a graded scale, from 9 to 1, with 9 being the highest and 1 being the lowest. In order to qualify for A-level programme, students must attain 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4. If students intend to study a specific subject in A-level syllabus, the GCSE in that subject must at least be at grade B, which is approximately equivalent to grade six in new scale.

GCE, or more commonly known as A Level, is a subject-based qualification that potentially leads to university study or other kinds of further study. A Level programme in England is a two-year programme for students who are in further education stage. AS and A2 In the first year of the programme, also known as AS (Advanced Subsidiary)or Lower Sixth, year 12 students usually opt for 4 to 5 subjects and will be assessed at the end of the year. In the second year of the programme, also known as A2 or Upper sixth, students often withdraw from 1 to 2 subjects based on the results of the AS assessment and continue the study of the remained subjects. Generally speaking, students sit the A2 exam at the end of year 13 for 3 to 4 subjects, although candidates taking the A2 exam for 5 or even more subjects is not uncommon. A Level does not set any limit on how many subjects one can study for A Level. A-level and University Entry Usually, students who have passed 3 subjects (achieving grade E or above) at the A Level can apply for local universities. However, it is difficult to generalise the entry requirement of all universities in the UK as it is highly variable in terms of the universities and the degrees you are applying for. Students are expected to be examined in more subjects at A Level or attain outstanding grades in more subjects if they intend to apply for top universities or popular degrees. For example, the entry requirement for Law BA (Hons) at University of Cambridge is A* / A / A. Grading From highest to lowest: A*, A, B, C, D, E Those who fail to get grade E or above receive the non-grade U, which means “unclassified”. Note that there is no grade A* at AS level. Subjects include: English, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, English Literature, Economics, History, Geography, Computing, French, German, Further Mathematics, Art and Design, Design and Technology, Government and Politics, Music, Religious Studies, Psychology, Physical Education, and more. *We only list out the subjects that are offered by most examination boards; there are more subjects for students to choose from.