International qualification · 4BI1From £39.99/mo paying today7-day free trial · £0 today · cancel any time
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At Lift College you study the Pearson Edexcel International GCSE (9 to 1) Biology 4BI1 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.
| Qualification | International GCSE Biology |
|---|---|
| Level | Level 1/2, grades 9 to 1 |
| Awarding body | Pearson Edexcel |
| Exams | Exam entry and seat booking are through Tutors & Exams, and only on the +Exams plan. |
| Price | £359.99 a year or £39.99 a month when you pay today: pay for 9 months, get 3 free, price fixed for life. Prefer to try it first? Free for 7 days, then £44.99 a month or £458.99 a year. |
| Typical duration | 12 to 18 months, or faster if you study more each week |
| Age | Open to anyone aged 14 or over. Under 18s enrol with a parent or guardian's permission and support. |
| Who it suits | You need a biology GCSE grade for a college course, nursing or health care training, an apprenticeship or as the step towards A Level or International A Level Biology. |
Start today with your named UK tutor from day one. 14-day money-back guarantee, or try it free.
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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 pay today? Skip the trial and save up to 17%, with your price fixed for life, with the same 14-day guarantee.
+Exams on Monthly: Monthly comes with a 9-month expected term because exam fees are built in. Cancel any time, no exit fee; exam credit you have not used is forfeited and unbooked exams are void. Pay annually and no term applies.
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 in January. A full series at the start of the year, useful if you finish the course over the winter or need a resit.
Runs from May to June. The main series, where most learners sit their papers.
Runs in November. Another 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.
International GCSE Biology is a Level 1/2 qualification, graded 9 to 1, in the study of living organisms: their variety, how their structures and systems work, reproduction and inheritance, ecology and the environment, and the use of biological resources. On the Pearson Edexcel specification 4BI1 you sit two written papers in the same series: Paper 1 (4BI1/1B) is 2 hours, 110 marks and 61.1% of the qualification, and Paper 2 (4BI1/2B) is 1 hour 15 minutes, 70 marks and 38.9%. It is untiered, so every grade from 9 to 1 is open to every candidate, there is no coursework, experimental skills are assessed in the written papers, and the exams run in the January, June and November series. Lift College teaches the full 4BI1 course online from £39.99 a month or £359.99 a year when you pay today, save up to 17% for life, with a named UK tutor, or you can try it free for 7 days first.
It is taken by home educated learners from age 14 (under 18s enrol with a parent or guardian's permission and support), by adults who need a biology grade for a college course, nursing or health care training or an apprenticeship, and by learners studying outside the UK who want a UK awarding body exam. Private candidates sit both papers at an exam centre that accepts them; Pearson's guidance on private candidates says it is up to each centre whether it accepts them. On Lift College's +Exams plan we enter you and book your seat at one of ten Tutors & Exams centres in England. Families can find more on our home education hub, and every subject is on the International GCSEs page.
Pearson says International GCSE Biology is comparable to the reformed UK GCSEs in level of demand and assessment standards; the differences are in the format. Our GCSE Biology course follows AQA 8461: two papers of 1 hour 45 minutes each, a Foundation or Higher tier, and a May/June series. International GCSE Biology has one tier for every grade, two papers of different lengths and January and November series as well as June. GCSE Biology is on the UK regulator's register, while Pearson states that its International GCSEs are not regulated by a UK regulator, so if a course asks for a regulated GCSE by name, check before you choose.
Pay today, pay for 9 months and get 3 free, with your price fixed for life. Pay monthly and start today for £5 a month less than after a trial. Prefer to try it first? Start for £0 today on the 7-day free trial.
| Study | +Exams | |
|---|---|---|
| Pay today, yearlyBest value3 months free, fixed for life | £359.99 a yearthat is £30.00 a month | £629.99 a yearthat is £52.50 a month |
| Pay today, monthly£5 a month less than after a trial | £39.99 a month | £69.99 a month |
| 7-day free trial first£0 today, first payment on day 8 | £44.99 a monthor £458.99 a year | £79.99 a monthor £815.99 a year |
+Exams paid monthly has an expected term of 9 months, as exam fees are built in: cancel any time with no exit fee, but unused exam credit is lost. No term applies if you pay yearly.
Oxbridge Home Learning, NEC, CloudLearn and ICS Learn charge £355 to £495 for the course, paid in full or in instalments, and Oxford Home Schooling charges £14.99 a month after a £24.99 first payment. With Lift College you can start for £0 today, and a full year of Study is £359.99 when you pay today.
| Provider | Course fee | How you pay |
|---|---|---|
| Lift College Lowest cost to start | £359.99for 12 months, Study, paid today | £0 today on the 7-day free trial. Monthly or yearly, no contract, no credit check, cancel any time |
| Oxbridge Home Learning | £495 | Course fee |
| NEC | £470 | In full, or a £47 deposit then 0% APR finance with Omni |
| CloudLearn | £410 | In full, or monthly instalments |
| ICS Learn | £355 | In full, or a £61 deposit then £49 a month on credit, subject to status |
| Oxford Home Schooling | £14.99 a month | £14.99 a month; first payment £24.99 |
Our Study plan does not include exams. NEC, CloudLearn and Oxford Home Schooling say on their pages that exam fees are extra; ICS Learn and Oxbridge Home Learning do not say either way on their course pages.
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 14 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 14 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 | January, 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 →
Every family studying with us can have its own parent portal. See how your child is getting on week by week, agree a study plan together and get a short summary in your inbox, without ever having to ask "have you done any work?".
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 14 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 that is not in bold and does not have a 'B' reference. Calculator allowed. |
| Paper 2 (2B) | 1 hour 15 minutes | 70 marks | 38.9% | All the content, including content that is in bold and has a 'B' reference 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 pay today and save up to 17%, with your price fixed for life.
Start today with your named UK tutor from day one. 14-day money-back guarantee, or try it free.
14-day money-back guarantee on every payment
Studying more than one course? 2 courses save 5%, 3 save 10%, 4 or more save 15%.
Next: secure payment with Stripe. Apple Pay and Google Pay accepted.
Learner reviews
Six of our latest reviews, as posted on Trustpilot.
Lift College is very flexible, allowing me to study GCSE Biology while working full time. The course is straightforward and include helpful tips for passing the exams.
I have just enrolled with Lift College today on a free trial. So far so good, I have accessed my course (GCSE Maths) on my platform and everything looks great. Also met my tutor who is very friendly and helpful too. Will update the reviews when I am further down the line.
Read more on TrustpilotI have enrolled on this on line course and the support/response to queries that I have received to date have been timely and effective. The college also provides a learning plan to comlete the course and mock exams, together with helpful reminders of allocated study days (you self select them and they send you a reminder to keep you on track). The modules are clear and easy to understand and a broken down into sections including question and answer sections and model answers and where applicable worked out calculations. There is a need to take notes from the online materials as there are no PDF work books to download. The assigments are completed in a text box and marked accordingly and saved into your records. Once you get used to using the learning portal (which is not too difficult) it is a fairly straightforward learning process. It is worth paying the money for this course and the level of support provided by the college.
Read more on TrustpilotI have been studying with Lift College for the past month, and so far, my experience has been positive. The team provides excellent support, and assignments are marked with helpful feedback, usually within three working days. This quick turnaround is particularly valuable as it helps me manage my studies alongside my workplace commitments.
Read more on TrustpilotExcellent customer service and the enrolment process was very smooth. Started my course three weeks ago and I’m loving it.
I recently started the CMI Level 5 course through Lift College. I was attracted to this provider due to the clean and modern design of their website. I asked the support staff a few questions before enrolling, and their responses were fast and informative. When I started the course, I was impressed by how well organised the material was and how the lessons were structured. I have taken many online courses before, including postgraduate courses from UK universities. What I expected was a few videos made using a webcam, plus several dozen PDF files that had to be read. However, the materials provided by Lift College are of excellent quality, well designed, and purpose-made. As a teacher myself with 20 years' experience, I recognised clear and deliberate efforts to help students learn more effectively. Lift College isn't just giving you a load of reading material and letting you get on with it. They have designed prompts, revision boxes, spot quizzes, and other features to ensure that learning is actively facilitated.
Read more on TrustpilotIt 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. Pearson says International GCSE Biology is comparable to the reformed UK GCSEs in level of demand, and many colleges, universities and employers accept International GCSE grades for entry, but some ask for a regulated GCSE by name, so 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 14 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.
Many UK colleges and universities accept an International GCSE grade in Biology for entry, but some ask for a regulated GCSE by name. 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 that can retrieve text or formulae, or that have QWERTY keyboards, are not allowed.
Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Biology is examined in January, June and 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.
International GCSE Biology is a Level 1/2 qualification, graded 9 to 1, in the study of living organisms, from cells and body systems to inheritance, ecology and biological resources. On Pearson Edexcel 4BI1 you sit two written papers in the same series: Paper 1 is 2 hours and 110 marks (61.1%) and Paper 2 is 1 hour 15 minutes and 70 marks (38.9%). It is untiered, there is no coursework and exams run in January, June and November. Lift College teaches the full course online from £39.99 a month when you pay today, with a named UK tutor, or you can try it free for 7 days first.
It depends on the centre. Pearson's general guidance on private candidates, which does not mention International GCSEs specifically, says it is up to each centre whether it accepts them, and centres that do enter the candidate through Edexcel Online in the normal way. Ask the centre before you book. On Lift College's +Exams plan we enter you and book your seat at one of ten Tutors & Exams centres in England instead.
Five of the 14 practical investigations in the Pearson Edexcel 4BI1 specification carry a B reference: 2.14B, 2.33B, 2.45B, 2.58B and 4.4B, which uses quadrats to investigate the distribution of organisms and measure biodiversity. Paper 2 assesses all the content, including content that is in bold and has a B reference, so these five can come up only on Paper 2; Paper 1 assesses the core content.
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