Study the Pearson Edexcel International GCSE (9 to 1) Biology online with a named UK tutor, and sit the same International GCSE taken in international schools worldwide at a UK exam centre near you. Two written papers, one tier for all grades, and no laboratory practical work: experimental skills are examined on paper.
There is no course fee to find, no finance agreement to sign and no debt to worry about. Your first 7 days are free, then you pay for the month you are in, and every payment is covered by the 14-day money back guarantee. Prefer to start now? Pay today instead of taking the trial and every payment is 15% lower for life, with the same 14-day guarantee.
You never sign a credit agreement with us, so there is no debt and nothing for anyone to chase. If you stop paying, you simply stop studying. No finance company, no loan and no letters.
The hardest part of studying an International GCSE outside school has always been the exam. Lift College and Tutors & Exams remove it: you study online with us, and you sit the same Pearson Edexcel papers as any school candidate at a professional Tutors & Exams centre, with your entry, venue and invigilation arranged through the partnership.
Runs from May to June. The main series, where most learners sit their papers.
Runs in November. A second full series each year, useful for a resit or if you finish the course in the autumn.
On +Exams we enter you before Pearson's deadline for the series you choose.
Start your free trial, meet your named UK tutor and work through the Pearson Edexcel specification at your own pace.
On +Exams, Lift College submits your Pearson Edexcel entry and books your place at the Tutors & Exams centre you choose, before the entry deadline.
Trained invigilators, a room built for formal assessment, and a Pearson Edexcel certificate identical to a school candidate's.
There is no minimum study time. Most learners spend 4 to 6 hours a week and finish in 12 to 18 months, or faster if you study more each week. Assignments are for feedback and do not count towards your grade.
There is no laboratory practical work and no coursework. Experimental skills are examined through written questions on the 12 practical investigations in the specification, so the whole International GCSE Biology can be studied from home apart from the exam days themselves.
| Aspect | This international course | GCSE Biology |
|---|---|---|
| Practical work | None in a laboratory. Questions on the 12 practical investigations appear in the written papers. | 10 required practicals expected to be carried out in a school laboratory, with questions on them in the exams. |
| Tiers | One tier. The same two papers cover every grade from 9 to 1. | Foundation tier (grades 5 to 1) or Higher tier (grades 9 to 4). |
| Papers | Two papers of different length: Paper 1 (2 hours, 110 marks) and Paper 2 (1 hour 15 minutes, 70 marks). | Two papers of equal weight, 1 hour 45 minutes and 100 marks each. |
| Exam series | May/June and November. | May/June only. |
| UK regulator's register | Not listed. An international qualification from Pearson Edexcel, a UK awarding body. | Listed. |
Need the UK version instead? See GCSE Biology →
The Pearson Edexcel 4BI1 specification is organised into five sections, from the nature of living organisms to the use of biological resources, all examined across two written papers. Open each content area to see what it covers.
Experimental skills are assessed through the written papers. You learn the 12 practical investigations in the specification through video demonstrations, real data and worked analysis, then answer questions on method, apparatus, results and evaluation. There is no laboratory assessment and no coursework.
The 5 sections build on Key Stage 3 science. Each one ends with marked, exam style questions, including questions on the practical investigations.
Before entry you sit full timed mocks of both papers with written feedback, so you know what a 2 hour paper feels like.
On +Exams your entry and your seat at a Tutors & Exams centre are booked for you and the fees are included.
Two written papers, taken in the same exam series and covering every grade from 9 to 1 on a single tier. Paper 1 (1B) is 2 hours, 110 marks and worth 61.1%; Paper 2 (2B) is 1 hour 15 minutes, 70 marks and worth 38.9%. Questions include multiple choice, short answer, calculations and extended writing, and experimental skills are examined on paper. A calculator is allowed on both papers. There is no laboratory assessment and no coursework.
| Paper | Length | Marks | Weighting | Content |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (1B) | 2 hours | 110 marks | 61.1% | Core content from every section of the specification. Calculator allowed. |
| Paper 2 (2B) | 1 hour 15 minutes | 70 marks | 38.9% | Any content, including the extra topics marked 1B in the specification. Calculator allowed. |
The same qualified UK subject expert supports you from enrolment through to your exam series.
Exam style tasks with individual written feedback within 5 to 7 working days.
Unit scores and topic strengths on your dashboard, which your tutor uses to tailor feedback.
A timed mock paper and a written summary of what to focus on before you are entered.
Every option includes the full course, tutor marking and study support. The difference is whether we handle your exams. Pick your option, then try it free for 7 days or start now and every payment is 15% lower for life.
Full access for 7 days. Your first payment is on day 8, and you can cancel any time before then from your account.
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“I was nervous about going back to study after 15 years, but the platform is so easy to use and the feedback I got on assignments was genuinely useful.”
James P. · BirminghamA Level Biology“Good value and well structured. I appreciated that I could resubmit work without extra cost, really helped me improve.”
David R. · LeedsCMI Level 5“Customer service was excellent. Any time I had a question it was answered within hours. Highly recommend.”
Emma L. · GlasgowGCSE EnglishIt is at the same level (graded 9 to 1) and sat by learners in international schools worldwide as well as in the UK. It is set and marked by Pearson Edexcel, a UK awarding body. Universities, colleges and employers treat International GCSE grades as equivalent to GCSE grades for entry purposes, but always check the specific requirements of the course or employer you have in mind.
Open to anyone aged 14 or over. Under 18s enrol with a parent or guardian's permission and support. There are no formal entry qualifications.
No. Unlike the UK GCSE, there are no required practicals to complete in a school laboratory. The specification lists 12 practical investigations, and the written papers ask about their method, apparatus, results and evaluation. You learn them through video demonstrations and real data in the course.
No. The International GCSE sciences are untiered: everyone sits the same two papers and every grade from 9 to 1 is available. There is no tier decision to make before entry.
Most UK colleges and universities treat an International GCSE grade in Biology as equivalent to a GCSE grade for entry purposes. Always check the exact requirement of the course you have in mind, and ask your tutor if you are unsure.
Yes, on both papers. You need a scientific calculator. Calculators with symbolic algebra, text retrieval or QWERTY keyboards are not allowed.
Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Biology is examined in May/June and in November. Both papers are sat in the same series. On +Exams we enter you and book your seat at one of the Tutors & Exams centres for the series you are ready for.
At one of the ten Tutors & Exams centres across England. Use the centre finder to see your nearest. If you are outside the UK you would need to travel to a centre for the exam series.
The full course, your named UK tutor, marked practice in every unit, mock papers and AI Study Support.
You simply stop studying. There is no contract, no credit agreement and no debt. You can cancel from your account at any time and there is 14-day money back on every payment.
No. It is set, examined and awarded by Pearson Edexcel, a UK awarding body, and is the same International GCSE sat in international schools worldwide, but Pearson states that its International GCSEs are not regulated by a UK regulator. If you need a qualification on that register specifically, look at our GCSE Biology course instead.
A UK adviser calls you back within 2 working hours, Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm. No sales script.
