Would applying to university without GCSEs be an issue after studying abroad?

[Fluorescentdaffodil]

I’m from the uk and me and family have moved abroad. We have put dc in a school that does the international baccalaureate. They don’t sit any exams at 16 but do the final diploma once they reach 18 ie the equivalent to our a levels. My plan is to return dc to the uk to sit a levels in year 12/13 so they will not sit their IB but sit a levels instead.

They would probably have to apply to uni as a foreign student as they wouldn’t have lived in the uk at that point for long enough.

if they sit their a levels but have no GCSE’s will this be a big deal in their university applications?

Do they have a transcript that they can use instead ? You should ask universities for home fees, there is additional paperwork to assess this after you have an offer. Living in the UK for two years will give you a very good chance of home fees.

They will have to take English GCSE if they've been studying in another language, but transcripts (assuming passing grades) up to the equivalent of the end of year 11 should cover maths, so it should just be English. They can usually take the GCSE in year 12, but check with the school.

my main concern would be if a school would take them if they haven’t got GCSEs.

i’m sure some might but ours for example insists on at least six grade 6 at GCSE and 7+ for whatever you want to do next

Yes this. They may well be at quite a disadvantage having not studied their AL subjects at GCSE as well - would you consider a school that offers IB instead?

As for uni, they should get Maths and English GCSE. The lack of others shouldn’t be a problem, though the school reference should explain, and maybe include a transcript from their current school.

Schools used to taking EU pupils will take them with the transcript for study through the school year equivalent to year 11. If they have passing grades these will be at least GCSE equivalent (I know maths from the EU country we moved from was well beyond GCSE at the same stage of education). They will need to do GCSE English parallel to A levels if they have been studying through the medium of a language other than English, but otherwise only a school completely unfamiliar with students/ pupils coming in from other education systems will be unable to understand that they have GCSE equivalent by finishing the equivalent school year with passing grades.

Would it not be kinder to allow them to stay where they are and complete their IB exams?

(Spoken as someone whose O and A Levels were massively disrupted by things outside my control.)

Obviously if you have no other option than returning at a given point they’ll have to suck it up - but it can be very hard.

No it’s not an issue. I have one DC who did American APs - he is studying at Uk university. Another did IB. He is studying at university in Uk. Neither did GCSEs
they have to show they have a minimum level in math and English. So IB is fine. For other qualifications I’m not sure. You can ask the individual admissions.

I would also do some research as it isn’t necessarily the case the will be paying international fees. If certain criteria are meet or for certain courses/university they will sometimes take the students as joke fees students. The two cohorts of fees are given places completely seperately. So definitely do your research

Contact Ecctis
https://ecctis.com/uk-gov/
They will be able to work out how the not finished baccalaureate will translate to a UK qual

Are they not doing the middle years programme?
if so that spits out the MYP certificate

Why not find an IB school in the UK?

Thanks. Also reply as working around time zones… the school is all in English. They do MYP scheme but not the exams. I didn’t know about the transcript. The issue I have is even though dc could sit the IB I know they’d be better off doing a levels because they’re incredibly good at science and maths and pretty tragic at English tbh.

So I feel like I’d let them down forcing them to sit the IB when they already know they love all things stem.
I have looked at IB schools in the U.K. but they all seem to sit gcse then do the diploma. Would dc be able to go to an IB school without gcse? That’s good news about the possibility of domestic fees too. Fingers crossed for that.

i feel so out of my depth! Thanks

The UCAS process recognises a lot of non-uk qualifications. Have a look at their website: https://www.ucas.com/international/international-advisers/qualifications-advice-for-international-advisers

Ib schools in the uk do tend to do the three year myp then GCSEs and the diploma.

if you are looking at private schools they’ll accept transcript and certainly in maths myp is good prep for a level. Can’t speak for science.

state sixth forms I don’t know.

MYP transcripts and/or internal exams will be enough.

UK universities absolutely understand that DC move around between education systems and they do not discriminate against DC who, through no fault of their own, have a mixed bag of qualifications.

Having said that, for your own DC's peace of mind and educational continuity, I recommend very strongly that you do not switch between education systems at age 16 if you have any control over the issue. The disruption, both academically and socially, is hard to fathom but it will be real and can be extremely damaging: there are not positives. Science A-levels without GCSEs are really awful for the candidate.

Quite.

This.

I write as a former admissions tutor in a high tariff School who had a specialisation on the International side. Universities can assess any background and maintain large offices to help with this.

Jumping into A levels without GCSEs sounds risky to me.

I hope PP are correct and somehow your DC can gain Home Fees Status. However the regs as we practise them are cut and dried. There is some room for interpretation around property ownership, maintaining UK tax payments and a few other technicalities. But the main line in the sand for most returning students is that your main residence must be in the UK for three years before university begins in order to qualify for Home fees. (You may know this, OP, but I am not sure everyone reading does)

There’s also a small window remaining for UK families domiciled in the EU who can claim home fee status for one more year I think under the withdrawal agreement (though I don’t think that applies given OP’s time zone difference - unless they are in Dutch Antilles or some such!)

The domiciliation in the EU doesn't work for new arrivals, only for families who have been domiciled in the EU since before Brexit.

It's harder to get loans than home fees in our experience at least. So understanding that you may need to pay upfront for all the Uni costs is worth knowing.
The IB is a hard course and if you know your dc aren't generalists it might well be worth avoiding.

DD’s sixth form college has special maths and English GCSE classes for kids in exactly this situation, as I imagine would some private schools with international cohorts.

DD’s friend is in the weird position of sitting her GCSE maths this year, despite simultaneously taking A-level maths!

I would go for IB school but it always seem to add up one way or another returning to UK in our international settled friends' group.

Thanks for all of this information. Even paying domestic fees up front would be helpful instead of overseas fees were in England all summer holidays every year too. I’m actually in the middle of thinking whether to buy a house where we live or the U.K. I only have a British passport and am living on a visa although we can get dc full education out the way if we need to here.

@Pendapala is that a private sixth form ? That sounds sensible if dc did have to move over to a levels to sit gcse at the same time in something like maths.

I’m thinking maybe I should get tutors to allow them to at least complete maths gcse alongside their MYP worst case as I think that’s doable.

It may be worth speaking to a professional about the fees issue, OP. Universities won’t be in a hurry to help but IME if you are on sure ground they will be satisfied.

Best wishes