What is GCSE equivalent in the USA?

Written by Jeremy Yan | 07/03/2025

Coming to USA from the UK with secondary education credentials (GCSE or GCE A Level) could be frustrating.

Especially when you're asked to have your foreign credentials evaluated for employment, military application, or education.

However, since secondary education systems in the UK and the US are different, that's why you need a foreign credential evaluation to determine its US equivalent.

We'll take a deep dive into the GCSE equivalent in the USA below:

Secondary Education in the UK

General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE)

According to Wikipedia, “The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is an academic qualification in a range of particular subjects, taken in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Private schools in Scotland may choose to use GCSEs from England.”

GCSE is an academic qualification typically taken by students in the United Kingdom during their secondary education, usually in Year 10 and Year 11, when they are between the ages of 14 and 16. GCSEs are an essential part of the education system in the UK and are usually required for further education or employment opportunities.

GCSE exams cover a wide range of subjects, including mathematics, English, science, history, geography, languages, and various other options. Students usually take multiple GCSE exams, and the subjects they choose can vary based on their interests and career goals.

General Certificate of Education Advanced Level (GCE A Level)

General Certificate of Education Advanced Level or General Certificate of Education Advanced Subsidiary is taken by secondary education students in the UK during the two post-16 years (ages 16–18) in a secondary school, in a sixth form college, in a further and higher education college, or in a tertiary college, as part of their further education.

(Secondary Education in the UK)

What’s foreign credential evaluation?

Foreign Credential Evaluation is a service provided by professional evaluation agencies to evaluate educational backgrounds, test scores, professional experiences, etc. obtained outside the United States.

It's an essential procedure for foreign nationals, who are seeking higher education, work authorization (H1B), immigration status, employment, and military recruitment in the United States.

Since your UK secondary education system is different from the US, the purpose of your foreign credential evaluation is to make your foreign diploma equivalent to a U.S. standard. Therefore, the immigration officer, military, your future employer or school can have a solid understanding of your educational background.

(5-Star Reviews | American Education & Translation Services (AET))

What is GCSE equivalent in the USA?

US equivalent of high school diploma and one year of undergraduate study.

Since secondary education in the US typically lasts 6 years, there’s no direct US equivalence of secondary education from the UK.

However, most U.S. institutions of higher education grant up to one year of advanced standing for subjects passed on the GCE Advanced Level.

Therefore, if you hold a GCSE and a GCE A Level certificate, you are most likely to have a US equivalent of high school diploma and one year of undergraduate study.

Take UC San Diego for example, they accept GCE A Levels with minimum of 3 Cs or better.

Jeremy Yan, President & Director of Evaluation at AET

Immigrated to the U.S. back in 1998, Mr. Yan had worked for over 10 years in a prominent company as a senior associate director and team leader. He has completed hundreds of thousands of foreign credential evaluation of documents from numerous foreign countries for various universities, licensing boards, U.S. government, and immigration services. He is a leading expert at American Education and Translation Services and was invited several times to be a keynote speaker to hundreds of admission counselors of U.S. universities.