A-level programs in England and Great Britain for foreign students
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Today, foreign students consider the UK as the best country for educational tourism. SMAPSE offers more than 100 best UK schools and colleges where international students can study A-level programme. Due to the list of TOP-100 schools and colleges in Great Britain, you will definitely find the most appropriate option. Please, don't hesitate to contact SMAPSE experts, as they are always ready to answer all your questions.
A-level in the UK for international students
A-level is a preparatory program for foreign students, focused on successful admission to the best universities in England. In addition, A-level program represents the final stage of obtaining advanced secondary education in rating English schools. After passing A-level program, passing examinations is provided, while the results are quoted and accepted by all the top universities in the UK .
Studying A-level program is the best tool for effective preparation for entering a highly ranked British university. So, having an A-level certificate, a foreign applicant will not need to pass additional exams and undergo language preparation courses . Thus, studying provides gradual integration into a new language and academic environment, and, of course, a significant improvement in the level of English proficiency and deepening knowledge in academic subjects.
An effective A-level educational program is aimed at high school students, corresponds to the Sixth Form level. The duration of studying is 2 years, while in the framework of teaching, emphasis is put on in-depth study by students of selected disciplines. So, foreign students independently form an individual curriculum, they select 3-5 subjects of interest. As part of the selection of disciplines, it is worth focusing on individual preferences, goals, the requirements of the future university, specialization of interest. At the end of the program, examinations are envisaged, the results obtained are entered into the A-level certificate, which is highly quoted and has widespread prestige.
The list of academic subjects for selection by foreign teenagers includes the following disciplines:
- English
- French
- Art
- Political science
- The photo
- Business
- Maths
- Critical thinking
- Geography
- Economy
- Chemistry
- Philosophy
- Spanish language
- Physical Education
- Biology
- Physics
- Technology design
- History
- Music.
Admission requirements to the A-level program for foreign students
So, for a successful admission to the A-level education program, a foreign applicant will need to prepare the following package of documents, namely:
- A transcript of school grades for the last 2-3 years of study and grades for the current school year
- Certificate of secondary education - as a rule, an adolescent enrolled in school at the time of admission, therefore, its presence is not a requirement
- International language certificate, namely IELTS or TOEFL.
Moreover, among the best British schools there are various requirements regarding the results of the language test. In particular, when entering a prestigious international college in England, it is enough to pass IELTS by 5.5 points. At the same time, the result of an international language exam of 7.0 points may not be sufficient for admission to an elite boarding school in the UK.
A-level programme at TOP UK schools: tuition fees for international students
The cost of studying in the framework of the A-level educational program in the UK is determined by the prestige and reputation of the educational institution, created educational conditions, as well as accommodation. In particular, the cost of studying at a public college in England, taking into account living in a host family, in average is 16.000 £. At the same time, the cost of studying in a UK advanced private boarding school, taking into account living in a comfortable school residence, will cost about 30-40 thousand pounds.
Below is information about the cost of studying at the best schools in the UK :
- Grade 7 - £ 8,990 per term
- Grade 8 - £ 10,220 per trimester
- Education from grades 9 to 13 - 10 860 £ per trimester.
Please note that the cost of studying does not include the following components, and provides for payment on an additional basis:
- Deposit - £ 3,000
- Registration fee - 100 £
- Payment of the consular fee at the Embassy
- Payment of visa fees and services, translation and notarization of documents, as well as delivery of originals by courier
- Health Insurance - £ 150 per year
- Registration of guardianship for the period of study in England - from 495 £ per term
- School uniform purchase
- Student pocket expenses
- Organization of transfer at the time of arrival and departure
- Air tickets in both directions.
A-level rankings 2022
| # | A + A* % | Name | Day/Board | Boy/Girl | Day £ | Board £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 92.11 | Oxford International College | Both | Co-ed | 23,375 | 44,750 |
| 2 | 90.28 | Cardiff Sixth Form College | Both | Co-ed | 17,700 | 46,450 |
| 3 | 85.35 | St Paul's Girls' School | Day | Girls | 27,831 | |
| 4 | 83.54 | Westminster School | Both | Co-ed (Boys Only 13 - 16) | 31,491 | 41,607 |
| 5 | 83.52 | Concord College | Both | Co-ed | 14,709 | 41,900 |
| 6 | 82.40 | Magdalen College School | Day | Boys (Co-ed 6th form) | 18,939 | |
| 7 | 82.14 | St Paul's School | Both | Boys | 25,908 | 38,991 |
| 8 | 82.00 | Ruthin School | Both | Co-ed | 14,500 | 40,500 |
| 9 | 81.51 | Winchester College | Boarding | Boys | 41,709 | |
| 10 | 81.20 | City of London School for Boys | Day | Boys | 18,939 | |
| 11 | 80.93 | Brighton College | Both | Co-ed | 25,410 | 50,040 |
| 12 | 80.60 | Wycombe Abbey School | Boarding | Girls | 30,270 | 40,350 |
| 13 | 80.30 | Eton College | Boarding | Boys | 42,501 | |
| 14 | 79.37 | King's College School - Wimbledon | Day | Boys (Co-ed 6th form) | 22,335 | |
| 15 | 79.15 | Perse Upper School | Day | Co-ed | 17,994 | |
| 16 | 78.41 | Hampton School | Day | Boys | 20,745 | |
| 17 | 77.82 | Godolphin & Latymer School | Day | Girls | 22,595 | |
| 18 | 77.67 | Guildford High School for Girls | Day | Girls | 17,733 | |
| 19 | 77.65 | Oxford High School GDST | Day | Girls | 16,089 | |
| 20 | 77.49 | St Mary's School - Ascot | Both | Girls | 28,590 | 40,140 |
| 21 | 77.14 | City of London School for Girls | Day | Girls | 19,212 | |
| 22 | 76.53 | Lady Eleanor Holles School | Day | Girls | 20,802 | |
| 23 | 76.15 | South Hampstead High School | Day | Girls | 19,494 | |
| 24 | 75.84 | Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School, Elstree | Day | Boys | 21,159 | |
| 25 | 75.82 | Highgate School | Day | Co-ed | 21,600 | |
| 26 | 75.28 | Merchant Taylors' School | Day | Boys | 21,526 | |
| 27 | 75.21 | King Edward VI High School for Girls | Day | Girls | 13,338 | |
| 28 | 74.89 | University College School | Day | Boys (Co-ed 6th form) | 21,090 | |
| 29 | 74.61 | Manchester Grammar School | Day | Boys | 12,930 | |
| 30 | 74.18 | Haberdashers' Aske's School for Girls | Day | Girls | 19,311 |
Secondary education in the UK
| World Ranking | 1 |
|---|---|
| Foreign students | 20% |
| Minimum age | 4 years+ (age 11-14) |
| Tuition language | English |
| Minimum English level | beginner&higher (depends on the school) |
| Tuition cost | £17,000-50,000 |
| Cost of living (year) | £10,000-25,000 |
| Mandatory subjects | English, Mathematics, Science |
Learning programs-summary information
| Name | Meaning | Equivalent | Min. age | Duration, years |
Next stage | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GCSE | General certificate of secondary education | secondary education (non-accomplished) | 14 | 1–2 | A-Levels | 15,000 USD+ |
| A-Levels | Advanced level | secondary education (accomplished) | 16 | 2 | University | 15,000 USD+ |
| BTEC | Business and Technology Education Board | secondary special education | 14 | 2–3 | University/ work | 15,000 USD+ |
| Oxbridge Preparation | Preparing for Oxford and Cambridge | secondary education (accomplished) | 17 | 1 | University | 15,000 USD+ |
| International Baccalaureate | International baccalaureate | secondary education (accomplished) | 16 | 2 | University | 18,000 USD+ |
| Foundation/ Pathway Year | Preparatory year | admission to the 1st year of university | 17 | 1 | University | 14,000 USD+ |
| NCUK | The Northern consortium | 2 year university | 17,5 | 1 | 2 year University of NCUK | 13,000 USD+ |
| Special Preparation (Medics/Math/Business) | Specialized training | - | 14 | optional | optional | 4,000 USD+ |
| Academic English | Academic English | Language school | 8 + | 6–12 months | School or University | 8,000 USD+ |
Advantages and disadvantages of English schools
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| The opportunity to enter the best universities in England, USA, Canada, Switzerland, Europe, the world | Expensive |
| High quality of education and academic standards | Strong workload |
| Perfect English after graduation | The need to change the social environment; it takes time to adapt |
| Useful contacts | The difficulty of choosing the most suitable school for the child, requires a qualified specialist |
Top 21 boarding colleges in England 2022
| 1 | Cardiff Sixth Form College |
| 2 | National Mathematics and Science College |
| 3 | Abbey College Cambridge |
| 4 | d'Overbroeck's College |
| 5 | MPW London |
| 6 | CATS Cambridge |
| 7 | Kensington Park |
| 8 | DLD London |
| 9 | King's College St Michael’s |
| 10 | Bellerbys Cambridge |
| 11 | Chelsea Independent College |
| 12 | MPW Cambridge |
| 13 | Bellerbys Brighton |
| 14 | CATS London |
| 15 | St Clare's Oxford |
| 16 | Bishopstrow College |
| 17 | CATS Canterbury |
| 18 | Bellerbys London |
| 19 | Ealing Independent College |
| 20 | Cambridge Tutors College |
| 21 | Abbey Manchester |
Top 35 best schools in the USA - 2022 Smapse rankings
| 1 | North Broward Preparatory School |
| 2 | Phillips Academy Andover |
| 3 | The Storm King School New York |
| 4 | Red Bank Catholic High School |
| 5 | Windermere Preparatory School |
| 6 | Shattuck St Mary's School |
| 7 | Cheshire Academy |
| 8 | Cate School |
| 9 | Ross School |
| 10 | Deerfield Academy |
| 11 | The Village School |
| 12 | Amerigo Los Angeles – Bishop Montgomery High School |
| 13 | Webb Schools |
| 14 | Kent School USA |
| 15 | The Winchendon School |
| 16 | Darlington School |
| 17 | Marian Catholic High School Amerigo Education |
| 18 | Grier School |
| 19 | The MacDuffie School |
| 20 | CATS Academy Boston |
| 21 | The Cambridge School of Weston |
| 22 | Milton Academy |
| 23 | Amerigo Education Napa Valley |
| 24 | American Hebrew Academy |
| 25 | Northfield Mount Hermon School |
| 26 | Mater Dei Catholic High School San Diego Amerigo Education |
| 27 | American University Preparatory School Los Angeles |
| 28 | Webb Schools |
| 29 | Kent School USA |
| 30 | Groton School |
| 31 | Maine Central Institute |
| 32 | The Lawrenceville School |
| 33 | Grand River Academy Оhio |
| 34 | Saint John Paul II Academy |
| 35 | Chicago North Shore |
Top 14 best schools in Switzerland 2022
| 1 | College Du Leman |
| 2 | St. Georges School Montreux |
| 3 | Institut Monte Rosa |
| 4 | Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz |
| 5 | Saint-Charles Collège et Lycée |
| 6 | Leysin American School |
| 7 | Hochalpines Institut Ftan AG High Alpine |
| 8 | Aiglon College Switzerland |
| 9 | Institut Le Rosey School |
| 10 | Institut Montana Zugerberg |
| 11 | Champittet College |
| 12 | Brillantmont International School |
| 13 | Surval Montreux |
| 14 | Ecole Pre Fleuri |
Top 12 best schools in Canada 2022
| 1 | Brookes Shawnigan Lake |
| 2 | Rosseau Lake College |
| 3 | Albert College |
| 4 | Columbia International College |
| 5 | Ridley College |
| 6 | St Andrew's College |
| 7 | Brentwood College School |
| 8 | Pickering College |
| 9 | Bodwell High School |
| 10 | Trafalgar Castle School |
| 11 | Fulford Academy |
| 12 | Shawnigan Lake School |
Best boarding schools in England - 2022 Smapse rankings
| 1 | Cardiff Sixth Form College |
| 2 | Sevenoaks School |
| 3 | Queen Ethelburga's College |
| 4 | Brighton College |
| 5 | The National Mathematics and Science College NMSC |
| 6 | Concord College |
| 7 | Westbourne School |
| 8 | Wellington College |
| 9 | Rossall School |
| 10 | d'Overbroeck's College |
| 11 | Dulwich College |
| 12 | Fettes College |
| 13 | Stonar School |
| 14 | Wycliffe College |
| 15 | Lucton School |
| 16 | King's School Canterbury |
| 17 | ACS School Cobham |
| 18 | Hurtwood House |
| 19 | Uppingham School |
| 20 | Scarborough College |
| 21 | King's College St Michael’s |
| 22 | Mill Hill School |
| 23 | Windermere School |
| 24 | Clifton College |
| 25 | Badminton School |
| 26 | Oakham School |
| 27 | Oundle School |
| 28 | Stowe School |
| 29 | Cheltenham College |
| 30 | Bromsgrove School |
| 31 | Sidcot School |
| 32 | Prior Park College |
| 33 | Millfield School |
| 34 | Oswestry School |
| 35 | Caterham School |
| 36 | City of London Freemen’s School |
| 37 | Buckswood School |
| 38 | Brooke House College |
| 39 | Taunton School |
| 40 | St Clare's Oxford |
| 41 | Repton School |
| 42 | Royal Russell School |
| 43 | King's Ely |
| 44 | Leys Cambridge |
| 45 | Leighton Park |
| 46 | Bedford School |
| 47 | Fyling Hall |
| 48 | Royal Hospital School |
Rankings of 22 best British colleges 2022
| № | A/A* % | Name | Day/Board | Boy/Girl | Day GBP | Board GBP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 88.68 | Cardiff Sixth Form College | Both | Co-ed | 16,600 | 42,750 |
| 2 | 83.54 | Oxford International College | Both | Co-ed | 21,000 | 42,000 |
| 3 | 81.43 | Concord College | Both | Co-ed | 14,280 | 39,900 |
| 4 | 64% | National Mathematics and Science College | Both | Co-ed | 29,000 | 45,000 |
| 4 | 58.33 | Hurtwood House | Both | Co-ed | 28,950 | 43,428 |
| 5 | 54.17 | Bellerbys College Cambridge | Both | Co-ed | 27,060 | 38,940 |
| 6 | 53.71 | Abbey College Cambridge | Both | Co-ed | 29,000 | |
| 7 | 53.37 | d'Overbroeck's Oxford | Both | Co-ed | 23,850 | 38,700 |
| 8 | 47.21 | Cambridge Tutors College | Both | Co-ed | 15,900 | 39,990 |
| 9 | 44.09 | CATS College Canterbury | Both | Co-ed | 26,490 | 41,775 |
| 10 | 42.55 | Bosworth Independent College | Both | Co-ed | 12,600 | 30,300 |
| 11 | 39.29 | CATS College Cambridge | Both | Co-ed | 24,990 | 44,775 |
| 12 | 32.94 | Mander Portman Woodward - Cambridge | Day | Co-ed | 28,305 | |
| 13 | 31.01 | Bellerbys College Brighton | Both | Co-ed | 27,060 | 43,704 |
| 14 | 30.53 | Abbey College Manchester | Both | Co-ed | 12,750 | |
| 15 | 30.50 | Chelsea Independent College | Both | Co-ed | 24,000 | 48,000 |
| 16 | 29.75 | Cambridge Centre For Sixth Form Studies | Both | Co-ed | 21,000 | 48,000 |
| 17 | 28.65 | Rochester Independent College | Both | Co-ed | 18,000 | 36,900 |
| 18 | 24.86 | CATS College London | Both | Co-ed | 24,990 | 49,980 |
| 19 | 24.83 | DLD College London | Both | Co-ed | 23,000 | 50,500 |
| 20 | 20.93 | Ealing Independent College | Day | Co-ed | 16,050 | |
| 21 | 16.39 | Padworth College | Both | Co-ed |