About the Educational System

The school year generally runs from the end of September through the end of July with 2 months holiday during the summer.

Educational system in the UK

Primary School [Ages 5 to 11]

• Six years
• 1st and 2nd years are called "infants"
• 3rd to 6th years are called "juniors"

Compulsory education in the UK begins at the age of five with primary school. Primary students pass from years one to six without examinations, though their abilities are tested at age seven. The emphasis is on learning by discovery rather than memorisation. Students learn core subjects such as English, math and science, as well as foundation subjects such as history, geography, music, art and physical education.

Secondary School [Ages 11 to 16]

• Five years
• Years are called "forms"
• At 4th form, students begin studying for the "GCSE" exams (in 9 or 10 subjects)
• GCSEs are at the end of 5th form

Students enter secondary school at the age of 11, which is compulsory for five more years or "forms". As they progress from first to fifth form (years seven to 11), secondary students deepen their knowledge of primary school subjects, adding at least one foreign language. In their fourth form, they begin preparing to sit for a series of examinations called the General Certificate of Secondary Education, or GCSEs. Students are tested on nine or ten GCSE subjects of their choice.

A Levels at a Sixth Form College [Ages 16 to 18]

• Two years
• 1st year called "Lower Sixth"; second year called "Upper Sixth"
• Students begin studying for their "A-Level" exams (in 3 or 4 subjects)
• A level examinations take place at the end of both year 1 and year 2 with the combined score giving the final A level result.

After sitting the GCSE exams, secondary students may leave school to enter the workforce, pursue training programmes at technical or vocational schools, or continue studying for two more years to prepare for university entrance exams, called the "A Levels". Typically, a university-bound student prepares for three or four A-Level exams. This is often done at specialised schools known as Sixth Form colleges. The higher the A-Level examination score, the better a student’s chances of getting into the university of his or her choice.

Bachelors Degrees [Ages 18+]

• Three or four years
• Years are divided into two or three terms
• A Bachelors degree is awarded upon completion
• Students take course subjects in their degree area and sit final exams

At the undergraduate level, students in the UK pursue bachelors degree programmes in the arts and sciences. These usually last for three years, during which students complete courses and tutorials in their field of study. Graduating students are usually required to sit final examinations. Entrance requirements for international students include English proficiency (minimum IELTS level 6.0), an additional year of secondary school studies, known as a University Foundation Year or competitive A-Level scores.

Masters, MBAs and PhDs [Ages 21+]

One to two years
• A Masters degree or MBA is awarded upon completion
• Students must complete coursework, write a Masters thesis and sit final exams
• Masters students can continue studying for a doctoral or PhD degree

University studies can be continued at the postgraduate level. Traditional Masters degrees are either in the Arts (MA) or Sciences (MSc). An increasingly popular Masters degree is a Masters in Business Administration (MBA). Masters programmes last from one to two years and require both exams and a thesis to graduate. Some specialised academic, research and professional careers require the completion of a doctoral programme, or PhD, which may include four to five years of advanced study and research and a formal dissertation.

For most Masters and Doctoral degree programmes, international students are required to have a recognised undergraduate degree and English proficiency (IELTS level 6.5). For MBA programmes, you will also need at least two years of relevant work experience.