Northern Ireland | Global Education Systems

Overview

Academic Calendar: September-June
Graduation Timeline: Varies (12, 13, or 14 years); see document-specific timelines below
Native Language(s): English, Irish (Gaelic)

Acceptable Forms of Proof of High School Graduation

Tier One:

General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) [Must pass five or more GCSE examinations in separate subjects] - 12 years completion
International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) [Must pass five or more IGCSE examinations in separate subjects] - 12 years completion
Level 1/Level 2 Certificates [Must pass five or more Level 1/Level 2 Certificate examinations in separate subjects] - 12 years completion
General Certificate of Education (GCE) Ordinary Level (O-level) examinations [Must pass five or more O-level examinations in separate subjects] - 12 years completion
General National Vocational Qualifications (GNVQ or NVQ) Intermediate Level (Level 2) - 12 years completion

Tier Two:

General Certificate of Education, Advanced Subsidiary Level (GCE AS-level) examinations [Must pass two or more AS-level examinations in separate subjects] - 13 years completion
International Advanced Subsidiary Level (AS-level) examinations/Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examinations (OCR) Level 3 Advanced Subsidiary Levels [Must pass two or more AS-level examinations in separate subjects] - 13 years completion
Business and Technology Education Council's (BTEC) Level 3 Diploma - 13 years completion
Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examinations (OCR) Level 3 Cambridge Technical Diploma - 13 years completion
Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examinations (OCR) Level 3 National Technical Diploma - 13 years completion
One Advanced Subsidiary (AS-level) examination and one Advanced (A-level) examination pass in two differing subjects - 13 years completion

Tier Three:

General Certificate of Education, Advanced Level (GCE A-Level) examinations/Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examinations (OCR) Level 3 Advanced Level [Must pass two or more A-level examinations in separate subjects] - 14 years completion
International Advanced Level (A-level) examinations [Must pass two or more A-level examinations in separate subjects] - 14 years completion
General National Vocational Qualification (GNVQ or NVQ) Advanced Level (Level 3) - 14 years completion
Business and Technology Education Council's (BTEC) Level 3 Extended Diploma - 14 years completion
Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examinations (OCR) Level 3 Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma - 14 years completion
Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examinations (OCR) Level 3 National Extended Diploma - 14 years completion
Cambridge Pre-University Diploma (Pre-U Diploma) - 14 years completion

Not Acceptable Forms of Proof of High School Graduation

GCSE Short Course examinations - 12 years completion
Colleges of Further Education
National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) Foundation Level
Pitman Qualifications
Vocational Certificate of Education (VCE)
Business and Technology Education Council's (BTEC) Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma
Business and Technology Education Council's (BTEC) Level 3 90-credit Diploma
Business and Technology Education Council's (BTEC) Foundation Diploma
Business and Technology Education Council's (BTEC) First Diploma
Business and Technology Education Council's (BTEC) First Certificate
Business and Technology Education Council's (BTEC) Introductory Diploma
Business and Technology Education Council's (BTEC) (All BTEC documents at Level 2 and below)
Business and Technology Education Council's (BTEC) Introductory Certificate
Cambridge Pre-University Certificate (Pre-U Certificate)
City and Guilds Level 3 Diploma

Grading Scale NCAA Reference

A
U.S. 4.0 equivalentA · 4.00
B
U.S. 4.0 equivalentB · 3.00
C
U.S. 4.0 equivalentB · 3.00
D
U.S. 4.0 equivalentC · 2.00
E
U.S. 4.0 equivalentC · 2.00
N
U.S. 4.0 equivalentF · 0.00
O
U.S. 4.0 equivalentF · 0.00
U
U.S. 4.0 equivalentF · 0.00

Selected Grading Scale	Targeted Scale: U.S. 4.0
Local Grade	U.S. Grade	U.S. Points
A	A	4.00
B	B	3.00
C	B	3.00
D	C	2.00
E	C	2.00
N	F	0.00
O	F	0.00
U	F	0.00

Selected Grading Scale	Targeted Scale: U.S. 4.0
1	A	4.00
2	B	3.00
3	C	2.00

Distinction
U.S. 4.0 equivalentA · 4.00
Merit
U.S. 4.0 equivalentB · 3.00
Pass
U.S. 4.0 equivalentC · 2.00

Selected Grading Scale	Targeted Scale: U.S. 4.0
Local Grade	U.S. Grade	U.S. Points
Distinction	A	4.00
Merit	B	3.00
Pass	C	2.00

Crediting Policy: 10 units = 1.00 U.S. credit; 5 units = 0.50 U.S. credit.

A
U.S. 4.0 equivalentA · 4.00
B
U.S. 4.0 equivalentB · 3.00
C
U.S. 4.0 equivalentB · 3.00
D
U.S. 4.0 equivalentC · 2.00
E
U.S. 4.0 equivalentC · 2.00
F
U.S. 4.0 equivalentD · 1.00
G
U.S. 4.0 equivalentD · 1.00
Ungraded
U.S. 4.0 equivalentF · 0.00

Selected Grading Scale	Targeted Scale: U.S. 4.0
Local Grade	U.S. Grade	U.S. Points
A	A	4.00
B	B	3.00
C	B	3.00
D	C	2.00
E	C	2.00
F	D	1.00
G	D	1.00
Ungraded	F	0.00

1
Descriptor
A
U.S. 4.0 equivalentA · 4.00
2
Descriptor
B
U.S. 4.0 equivalentB · 3.00
3
Descriptor
C
U.S. 4.0 equivalentC · 2.00
4
Descriptor
D
U.S. 4.0 equivalentD · 1.00
5
Descriptor
E
U.S. 4.0 equivalentD · 1.00
F
U.S. 4.0 equivalentF · 0.00
G
U.S. 4.0 equivalentF · 0.00
H
U.S. 4.0 equivalentF · 0.00

Selected Grading Scale		Targeted Scale: U.S. 4.0
Local Grade	Descriptor	U.S. Grade	U.S. Points
1	A	A	4.00
2	B	B	3.00
3	C	C	2.00
4	D	D	1.00
5	E	D	1.00
-	F	F	0.00
-	G	F	0.00
-	H	F	0.00

A
U.S. 4.0 equivalentA · 4.00
B
U.S. 4.0 equivalentB · 3.00
C
U.S. 4.0 equivalentB · 3.00
D
U.S. 4.0 equivalentC · 2.00
E
U.S. 4.0 equivalentC · 2.00
F
U.S. 4.0 equivalentD · 1.00
G
U.S. 4.0 equivalentD · 1.00
Ungraded
U.S. 4.0 equivalentF · 0.00

Selected Grading Scale	Targeted Scale: U.S. 4.0
Local Grade	U.S. Grade	U.S. Points
A	A	4.00
B	B	3.00
C	B	3.00
D	C	2.00
E	C	2.00
F	D	1.00
G	D	1.00
Ungraded	F	0.00

7, 8, 9
U.S. 4.0 equivalentA · 4.00
5, 6
U.S. 4.0 equivalentB · 3.00
4
U.S. 4.0 equivalentC · 2.00
1, 2, 3
U.S. 4.0 equivalentF · 0.00
U
U.S. 4.0 equivalentF · 0.00

Selected Grading Scale	Targeted Scale: U.S. 4.0
Local Grade	U.S. Grade	U.S. Points
7, 8, 9	A	4.00
5, 6	B	3.00
4	C	2.00
1, 2, 3	F	0.00
U	F	0.00

Source: NCAA Guide to International Academic Standards for Athletics Eligibility (free, publicly available resource). No official affiliation with NCAA. These grading scales are for reference and are used in our GPA Calculator. View complete Sources & Attributions.

References

NCAA Guide to International Academic Standards for Athletics Eligibility

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