The main academic qualification available to 16-19 year olds in Northern Ireland is the A-Level. A-Levels stand for Advanced Level and are a General Certificate of Education (GCE) qualification, usually taken by students following the successful completion of GCSEs, during the optional two years of secondary school (known as years 13 and 14 in Northern Ireland). Entry onto A-Level courses usually requires at least 5 GCSEs (grade A* - C) usually including English and Maths and sometimes specifying a grade B or above in certain subjects.

In 2000 the A-Level system was revamped under the government’s Initiative 2000 scheme and A-Levels were split into two parts: the first part being the AS (Advanced Subsidiary) level, and the second part being the A2 level. AS levels are taken in the first year of A-Level study (year 13 in Northern Ireland) and A2 levels are taken the following year (year 14 in Northern Ireland). Together they make up a full A-Level. AS levels can also be taken alone and are valued as a free-standing qualification in their own right accounting for half a full A-Level in terms of the points it awards you on the UCAS tariff system.

The A-Level system now comprises of 6 modules studied over 2 years (3 modules being taken in the first year making up AS levels and 3 modules being taken in the second year making up A2 levels). The successful completion of AS and A2 levels combined make up the full A-Level. In the past, A-Level students typically chose 3 subjects and sat exams at the end of 2 years. Now an A-Level consists of AS (Advanced Subsidiary) and A2 units.

AS levels allow you to mix a number of subjects and keep your options open for a while longer. Students can study up to 5 subjects in the first year of A-Level study and sit AS level exams in these subjects at the end of the year. In your second year of A-Level study you can decide which subjects you wish to continue to study for the full A-Level. Students normally choose 3 subjects to continue with in their second year at A2 level in order to gain the full A-Level. You can choose the subjects most needed or beneficial for your intended course of study at university or your ideal career, or you can simply choose the subjects you love and enjoy the most. Usually students take 4 AS levels in their first year and continue with 3 of these at A2 level the following year. This means that they can keep their options open as to which subjects they will continue to study as a full A-Level. The qualifications they receive then are 3 A-Levels and an AS Level (which counts for half of a full A-Level).

New awards called Advanced Extension Awards (AEAs) were introduced in 2002 to challenge the most able A-Level students. They are designed for the top 10 percent of A-Level students who are expecting to achieve A grades at A-Level. It gives these students the opportunity to show the depth and breath of their knowledge and provides them with a new challenge. AEAs meet a standard that matches the most demanding in the world. AEAs have counted towards students’ UCAS points score for admission into university since 2006.

AEAs are available in 19 subjects: biology, business, chemistry, critical thinking, economics, English, French, German, geography, history, Irish, Latin, maths, physics, psychology, religious studies, Spanish, Welsh, and Welsh as a second language.

In 2008 an A* grade is being introduced for A-Level grades and will begin being awarded in 2010. The A* grade will not, however, be awarded at AS level alone but solely for the full A-Level.

AS and A-Levels have clear guidelines and criteria that define how the qualifications should be set up, what students need to learn and what skills they need to develop. Each subject syllabus has to be approved by the regulators before schools and colleges can offer it to their students while each exam paper takes about 18 months to prepare.

A-Level examinations are administered through a series of examination boards: Assessment and Qualifications Board (AQA), Edexcel, Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations (OCR), and Welsh Joint Education Committee (WJEC). Regulatory authorities monitor standards and the quality of examining across the examination boards to make sure it is fair, regulated and consistent across all exam boards. The regulatory authorities are: Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessments (CCEA), Qualifications, Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales (CCEA), and Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA). Awarding bodies and their regulators take great care to ensure that the highest standards are maintained.

There are big differences between GCSE study and A-Level and the transition can be huge. A-Levels demand more individual, in-depth study than GCSEs and place greater emphasis on traditional study skills. A-Levels are seen as one of the main routes into higher education and employment. Before choosing which A-Levels to take you need to look carefully at the syllabus and the method of teaching and assessment so that you are fully prepared for your A-Level studies in each subject. Different subjects are taught and assessed in different ways so it is important you are aware of this before you make your choices.