Frequently Asked Questions

GCSE Equivalency Exams are intended for students who cannot evidence they have achieved a standard equivalent to grade C / Level 4 or above in the GCSE examinations. The equivalency exam result is used as an alternative to completing a GCSE for the purpose of meeting the entry requirements of university courses including teacher training and nursing programmes. It is not a GCSE qualification.

Our certificates are accepted by most training providers. However, as there are hundreds of existing providers, new providers and policies can be subject to change. We therefore advise candidates to always check with their proposed provider.

We do not keep an active register of the Initial Teacher Training Providers currently using our services. Instead, we ask candidates to check with their providers before taking any exam and we have focused on providing the very best equivalency service. 

(Please note this list refers to teacher training courses only)

Below is a sample of Universities our learners have applied too:

• Bishop Grosseteste University

• Bradford College

• Bristol, University of the West of England (UWE)

• Brunel University London

• Canterbury Christ Church University

• Cardiff Metropolitan University

• Cardiff University

• Coventry University

• Cranford Community College

• Croydon University

• Durham University

• Goldsmiths, University of London

• King’s College London

• Kingston University London

• Leeds Beckett University

• Leeds Trinity University

• Liverpool Hope University

• Liverpool John Moores University

• London Metropolitan University

• London School of Jewish Studies (LSJS)

• London South Bank University

• Manchester Metropolitan University

• Middlesex University, London

• Newcastle University

• Newman University, Birmingham

• North Essex Teacher Training

• Northumbria University

• Nottingham Trent University

• Open University

• Oxford Brookes University

• Plymouth Marjon University

• Sheffield Hallam University

• St Mary’s University, Twickenham

• The University of Birmingham

• The University of Gloucestershire

• The University of Huddersfield

• The University of Manchester

• The University of Nottingham

• The University of Sheffield

• The University of Warwick

• UCL (University College London)

• University College Birmingham

• University of Bedfordshire

• University of Birmingham Dubai

• University of Brighton

• University of Chester

• University of Chichester

• University of Cumbria

• University of Derby

• University of East London

• University of Exeter

• University of Gloucester

• University of Greenwich

• University of Hertfordshire

• University of Hull

• University of Leeds

• University of Leicester

• University of Northampton

• University of Oxford

• University of Plymouth

• University of Portsmouth

• University of Reading

• University of Roehampton

• University of South Wales

• University of Southampton

• University of Strathclyde, Glasgow

• University of Sunderland

• University of Sussex

• University of Warwick

• University of Westminister

• University of Winchester

• University of Wolverhampton

• West London University

• Winchester University

• Wrexham Glyndwr University

• York St John University

Below is a sample of SCITTs and Other Teacher Training Providers our learners have applied too:

• 2Schools Consortium

• Academies Enterprise Trust – Initial Teacher Training

• Active Teacher Training – The Active Learning Trust

• BeReady

• Best Practice Network

• Blue Sky Teaching School Alliance

• Bournemouth Poole & Dorset Secondary Training Partnership

• Bradford Birth to 19 SCITT

• Bristol Primary Training and Support Alliance

• Catholic Teaching Schools Alliance Hampshire (CTSA)

• Chepping View Primary Academy SCITT

• Chiltern Training Group (SCITT)

• Coleg Gwent college

• Cornwall School Centred Initial Teacher Training (Scitt)

• Cumbria Primary Teacher Training (SCITT)

• Doncaster ITT Partnership

• e-Qualitas Teacher Training

• Ealing Primary Teaching School Alliance

• East London Alliance Scitt (School Direct)

• Exceed in Bradford Teaching School Alliance

• Exeter College

• FIPC School Direct

• Forest Independent Primary Collegiate (Scitt)

• Future Teacher Training

• Glyn Surrey Scitt

• Haberdashers’ Academies Trust South (TES Institute)

• Harris Federation

• Haybridge Alliance SCITT

• Henry Maynard Training E17

• Hillingdon Scitt

• Hull SCITT

• Ilkley All Saints’ Teacher Training Partnership

• Inspiration Teaching Trust

• KMT Teacher Training

• Lampton LWA Scitt

• Landau Forte College Derby SCITT

• LDE SCITT

• Learners First Schools Partnership

• Leicester and Leicestershire Scitt

• Leicestershire Secondary SCITT

• Lincolnshire Teaching School Alliance SCITT

• London East Teacher Training Alliance

• Manchester Nexus SCITT

• Medway Valley Training Partnership

• Mersey Boroughs ITT Partnership

• Mid Essex Initial Teacher Training

• National Institute for Teaching and Education

• National Maths and Physics SCITT

• NML SCITT (National Modern Languages SCITT)

• North Wiltshire SCITT

• Nottinghamshire TORCH SCITT

• Partnership London SCITT

• PCP SCITT – School-Centred Initial Teacher Training

• Pickwick Academy

• Pimlico Academy

• Plymouth Teachers and School Alliance

• Primary Catholic Partnership (SCITT)

• Red Kite Teacher Training

• SAF ITT

• Teaching London: LDBS SCITT

• The Arthur Terry School Scitt

• The Beauchamp College

• The Bedfordshire Schools’ Training Partnership

• The Buckingham Partnership SCITT

• The Cherwell OTSA SCITT

• The Coventry Scitt

• The Kemnal Academies Trust

• The South Downs Scitt

• The Tommy Flowers SCITT Milton Keynes

• The West London Teaching Schools Alliance

• Two Mile Ash ITT Partnership

• Two Mile Ash School

• Wandle Teaching School Alliance

• West Midlands Consortium

• Wildern Partnership (Scitt)

• Yeovil Area Teacher Training Alliance

• Yorkshire and Humber Teacher Training

• Yorkshire Wolds Teacher Training

Start with the specifications which can be downloaded from the subject pages. Understand what is contained within the specification and what parts of this you are likely going to need work on. Start working through the course materials and these will prepare you for each exam.

Each equivalency test has its own 12 week course to complete before the exam. The course comes with learning materials, mock exams and example answers for each grade boundary. Alternatively you can opt for the exam only service where you will only sit the exam and the course materials will not be available to you. 

Results usually take a maximum of 10 working days after you sit the Equivalency Test. Candidates are sent an official notification via email followed by a certificate in the post. Candidates can re-sit an Equivalency Test by rebooking on the subject booking pages.

You will need to bring Photo ID in the form of your passport or photo card driver’s license to enable an identity check to be made. If you do not bring the valid ID you will not be able to sit the test.

Yes, you can do the exams online. These exams are exactly the same content as the standard equivalency exams, but are sat online. They are administered using the world class technology, processes and procedures to ensure the highest security in our online testing.

To do these exams you require a computer with camera, microphone, keyboard, browser with a stable internet connection and a phone with the ability to scan or photograph. No special hardware, software or training is required.