Why study A-Level?

“A-Level students are very well-prepared for our curriculum and we find that they have a lot of confidence, but also that they have good deep subject knowledge, and the ability to think critically.”

Stuart Schmill, Dean of Admissions, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

A-Level is a UK qualification designed for UK universities, but it is also highly regarded by the very best universities in the world. A-Levels prepare students for university by enabling them to develop informed curiosity and a lasting passion for learning.

Here at EF Academy Oxford, A-Level students have achieved acceptances at, for example, Oxford, Cambridge, University College London, New York University, UC Berkeley, the University of California Los Angeles, and many other great universities around the world. A-Level qualifications are accepted at over 1400 institutions across 195 countries. What’s more, in the United States and Canada, for example, good grades in carefully chosen A-Level subjects can result in up to one year of university course credit.

Unlike the IB Diploma and other broad qualifications, A-Level allows students to specialise in three (occasionally four) subjects that students enjoy or need for their dream university course. Subjects can be studied in any combination and the program lasts two years, with final examinations in June of the second year.

If you wanted to study Engineering at university, for example, you would probably study A-Level Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Physics, and perhaps Chemistry – and write no essays! Unlike with the IB Diploma, almost half your timetable can be just mathematics if that’s what you want. On the other hand, if you were interested in a career in business, you might choose as your subjects Business, Economics, and perhaps Psychology or even Art.

There is also an educational philosophy behind the A-Level learning journey. It focuses on five global learner attributes. A-Level students aim to become confident, responsible, reflective, innovative, and engaged. EF Academy Oxford’s one-to-one academic tutorial system is designed to support students as they acquire these attributes.

As a qualification, A-Level gives you the opportunity to follow your academic passions. The program also connects the worlds of school, university, and employment. You acquire skills for school, for life, and for your dream career!