Study the Pearson Edexcel International GCSE (9 to 1) English Language (Specification B) online with a named UK tutor, and sit the same International GCSE taken in international schools worldwide at a UK exam centre near you. One 3 hour written paper covers reading and writing; there is no coursework and no spoken language assessment.
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 3 to 5 hours a week and finish in 9 to 12 months, or faster if you study more each week. Assignments are for feedback and do not count towards your grade; the qualification is 100% examined.
One 3 hour written paper covers everything. There is no coursework and no spoken language assessment, so the whole International GCSE English Language can be completed from home apart from the exam day itself.
| Aspect | This international course | GCSE English Language |
|---|---|---|
| Papers | One paper of 3 hours: reading, directed writing and free writing in three sections. | Two papers of 1 hour 45 minutes each, sat in the same series. |
| Spoken language | Not part of this course. The optional endorsement is not offered and is not needed for the grade. | A spoken language endorsement, assessed by a teacher, is reported alongside the grade. |
| Texts | Two unseen passages in the exam. Nothing to prepare in advance. | Unseen passages in the exam. |
| Exam series | May/June and November. | May/June, with a November series for post-16 candidates. |
| UK regulator's register | Not listed. An international qualification from Pearson Edexcel, a UK awarding body. | Listed. |
Need the UK version instead? See GCSE English Language →
The Pearson Edexcel 4EB1 specification builds the reading and writing skills examined in the three sections of the single paper: reading unseen texts, writing for a purpose and audience, and writing to describe, narrate or argue. Open each content area to see what it covers.
You practise on a wide range of unseen non-fiction, with your tutor marking your analysis against the exam mark scheme.
Every writing form in the exam is practised and marked several times. Before entry you sit a full 3 hour timed mock with written feedback.
On +Exams your entry and your seat at a Tutors & Exams centre are booked for you and the fees are included.
One written paper of 3 hours and 100 marks, in three sections. Section A (40 marks) tests reading of two unseen passages; Section B (30 marks) is a directed writing task that draws on those passages; Section C (30 marks) is one piece of discursive, narrative or descriptive writing from a choice of tasks. Everyone sits the same paper and every grade from 9 to 1 is available. There is no coursework and no spoken language assessment.
| Paper | Length | Marks | Weighting | Content |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (4EB1/01) | 3 hours | 100 marks | 100% | Section A reading (40), Section B reading and directed writing (30), Section C writing (30). Two unseen passages. |
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.
£69.99/month from day 8
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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. The spoken language endorsement is optional in this specification and Lift College does not offer it. It is not needed for the 9 to 1 grade, which comes entirely from the written paper.
It is a long sitting, so the course trains you to manage time across the three sections and you complete full timed mocks before entry. The advantage is that everything is done on one day and there is no second paper to prepare for.
Specification B (4EB1), which this course follows, uses unseen passages only and a single paper, so there is no anthology to study. Specification A uses a Pearson anthology with a second paper or coursework. Both lead to the same International GCSE English Language grade.
Most UK colleges, universities and employers treat an International GCSE grade in English Language as equivalent to a GCSE grade. Some training routes, such as teacher training, set their own rules, so check the exact requirement with the provider before you enrol.
Pearson Edexcel International GCSE English Language (Specification B) is examined in May/June and in November. It is a single paper. 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 English Language course instead.
A UK adviser calls you back within 2 working hours, Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm. No sales script.
