Your subject choices depend greatly on the part of the world that you would be going to for your university education. You may think it is very early to be thinking about going to University, but there are some things you need to know now so that you can make the right subject choices. In some cases this will be very important when you apply to university. The following information is intended as a guide to help you and is the most up to date information we have.
Minimum requirements for Kuwait University and International Scholarships are currently 6 subjects at IGCSE and 2 subjects at AS level. Students wishing to attend Kuwait University or apply for an International Scholarship will have to complete Year 12. It will also be necessary to take additional entrance examinations.
The University and the Ministry of Higher Education have the following system for students who wish to obtain a Ministry Scholarship to study abroad.
* These requirements tend to change periodically, so please contact the Ministry of Higher Education for up to date information.
All universities have different requirements and you must check carefully when you are applying. Some universities need 9 subjects and others 6 or 8, so you must make your choice carefully. Egyptian Universities now accept Ministry Arabic or IGCSE Arabic and IGCSE Design Technology. Further information can be found on the individual universities’ websites. At the moment most universities require 8 IGCSEs but will give preference to those students with AS and A Levels.
Students who wish to study in the United Kingdom should continue their education into the Sixth Form. This means you will finish your education after Year 13 at the age of 18. This is the standard age for entry into university degree courses all over the world. Your application will take place at the start of Year 13. All applications to the UK are sent through an online application portal called UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). A lot more information will come to you during Years 12 & 13.
At some universities in the UK it is now possible for international students who do not have qualifications for direct entry to a degree course, to complete a Foundation Course. These foundation courses are taken at a college linked to the university but students need to be aware that Foundation Courses will not necessarily allow a student to apply to all UK universities nor will it guarantee entry into the degree programme of the University the college is linked to.
The application process for North American Universities varies according to the college/university you are applying to. If you wish to apply to any of the Ivy League Universities e.g. Harvard or Yale, you will need 3 or 4 A Levels. American students will go to University after Grade 12, which in the British System is Year 13. If you wish to apply to “top tier” American Universities you will have to sit a further entrance examinations called SAT or ACT and you may also need an English Proficiency test such as TOEFL or IELTS. Canadian Universities will only accept students who complete and pass 4 AS levels or 2 A Level Subjects.
