Qualifications

In the British school system, students complete a total of 13 school years. School starts at the age of five—one year earlier than in Germany. As a result, school years are offset by one year; the 10th grade in Germany corresponds to Year 11 in England.
All the qualifications listed below are recognized by the German Ministry of Education, as long as the required subject combination and minimum point thresholds are met.

The IB Diploma is internationally recognized and equivalent to the German Abitur. Around 50 boarding schools in England offer this qualification.

The most important difference to A-Levels is the broad range of subjects covered in the final two school years. With the IB, graduates have all doors open and are well prepared for university or career entry.

The two-year IB curriculum includes six subjects from at least five different subject groups. These include native language, foreign language, humanities, sciences, mathematics, computer science, and the arts. Boarding schools also offer various electives.
Three of the six subjects must be taken at Higher Level (HL), the rest at Standard Level (SL). These are comparable to advanced and basic courses in the German upper secondary school system.

In addition, every IB student must complete a research paper called the Extended Essay (EE) and attend the Theory of Knowledge (ToK) course, which encourages critical and international thinking.

Over the course of two years, students must also complete at least 150 documented hours in “Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS)” during their free time. This includes participation in sports, artistic, and community service activities.

Grading is based on a points system, with a maximum of 45 points.
Up to 7 points can be achieved per subject from the six main subject groups. A minimum of 4 points per subject is required to pass.

An additional 3 points can be earned for the Theory of Knowledge (ToK), the CAS activities, and the Extended Essay (EE).

The A-Level is the British equivalent of the Abitur and is recognized by German universities as a university entrance qualification when the right subject combination is chosen. However, the path to earning it differs in several important ways:

The A-Level is divided into Lower Sixth Form (A1) and Upper Sixth Form (A2), and takes two years to complete (Years 12 and 13 in the UK / Grades 11 and 12 in Germany). Students begin by selecting four subjects in which they take their final exams. One of these subjects can be dropped in the final year.
Each subject is typically taught by two different teachers focusing on separate thematic areas.

This specialization in only a few subjects allows students to dive deeply into the content, but also requires them to decide early on their academic direction. That’s why it’s especially important to choose a strong and recognized subject combination to ensure access to the desired university course in Germany or the UK.

Grades range from A* (highest grade) to E (lowest passing grade).

GCSE stands for “General Certificate of Secondary Education” and is equivalent to the German Mittlere Reife. The qualification is earned over two years, during Years 10 and 11 in the UK (equivalent to Grades 9 and 10 in Germany).
At the end of the second year, students take national final exams. Typically, 8 to 15 subjects are examined.

Grades range from A* (highest) to U (ungraded/fail).