A-Levels explained for international parents

Short answer: A-Levels are the main qualifications that UK universities use to choose students. Students study them for two years, usually between ages 16 and 18. They apply to university through one website, called UCAS, using grades their school predicts. They then need to achieve those grades in exams taken in May and June.

What are A-Levels?

A-Levels are subject qualifications. Most students take three subjects, for example Economics, Mathematics and History. They study them in Year 12 and Year 13. In the UK, these are the last two years of school, sometimes called "sixth form".

Each A-Level is graded from A* (the highest) down to E. Most UK A-Levels are tested by exams at the end of the two years. For students sitting exams in 2027, the exam period runs from 10 May to 22 June 2027 [1].

A-Level or International A-Level?

Many schools outside the UK teach the Pearson Edexcel International A-Level (IAL). It is different in one important way. The course is split into units, and students can take exams in January, May/June or October. They can also retake single units [2].

Pearson states that UK universities, including Oxford and Cambridge, accept IAL grades as equal to UK A-Level grades, grade for grade [2]. So your child is not at a disadvantage with an IAL.

How the university application works

Students apply to UK universities through UCAS, the central application service. One application can include up to five courses [3]. The application includes a personal statement (the student's own writing about why they want to study the subject), a reference from a teacher, and predicted grades.

Predicted grades

A predicted grade is the grade the school believes your child is likely to achieve. The school sets it, using professional judgement and evidence of your child's work. Universities use predicted grades, with other information, to decide who to make an offer to [4]. This is why a strong Year 12 matters: it shapes the predictions.

Offers

Most students receive conditional offers. This means: "You have a place if you achieve these grades", for example AAB. Students then choose one firm choice (their first choice) and one insurance choice (a back-up, usually with lower grades) [5]. If a student misses their grades, they can look for a place through Clearing, a service that matches students to courses that still have places [5].

Key dates for students starting university in 2027

All UCAS deadlines use UK time. If you live in Asia or the Middle East, 18:00 UK time is late at night or early the next morning for you. Plan to submit at least a day early.

What you can do as a parent

• Ask the school for the predicted grades early, ideally by the end of Year 12. Ask what evidence they are based on.
• Check each course's entry requirements on the university website, and compare them with the predictions.
• Put the deadlines in your calendar in your own time zone.
• Ask how your child is doing in each skill, not just their overall grade. In subjects like Economics, essays reward analysis and evaluation more than memory.