Search this site:
Go to our other sites:	Select... Teacher Support CIE Direct Cambridge Training Hub Cambridge Primary Cambridge Secondary 1 Examinet Cambridge Students

• Home
• About Us
• Education
• News
• Events & Training
• Ask CIE

• Vocational
• Teaching
• Syllabus Materials
• Recognition
• Validation
• Bilingual

Cambridge AICE DiplomaCambridge Advanced

Overview

Background

First introduced by Cambridge in 1994, Cambridge AICE (Advanced International Certificate of Education) Diploma provides a high-quality English-medium qualification which prepares young people for honours degree programmes. It is a ‘group’ certificate which requires the study of subjects drawn from three curriculum areas. Cambridge AICE Diploma offers students the opportunity to tailor their studies to their individual interests, abilities and future plans within an international curriculum framework.

The Cambridge AICE Diploma programme is used by schools around the globe and was successfully piloted between 1997 and 2000 in Florida where it continues to receive legislative support and funding. Cambridge AICE Diploma and pre-AICE Diploma courses will be listed in future Florida Course Code Directories and have been evaluated by the Department of Education’s Articulation Coordinating Committee for the purpose of recommending college course equivalencies. High-school students in Florida have been earning prestigious Cambridge AICE Diplomas and succeeding in Cambridge AICE Diploma examinations since 1998. Many colleges and universities are awarding students advanced standing and academic credit for Cambridge AICE Diploma examinations passed.

The Cambridge AICE Diploma curriculum

The Cambridge portfolio of advanced qualifications offers a wide range of subject choice to students preparing for further study or progression to employment.

Selection from three curriculum areas

The Cambridge AICE Diploma involves the selection of subjects from three curriculum areas – Mathematics and Science; Languages; Arts and Humanities from a wide range of subjects available at International Advanced Subsidiary (AS) Level and Advanced (A) Level.

An A Level would count as a double-credit qualification and an AS Level as a full (single) credit course within the Cambridge AICE Diploma award framework. To be considered for an AICE Diploma, a candidate must earn the equivalent of six credits by passing a combination of examinations at either the full (1 credit) AS Level or double (2 credits) A Level, with at least one course coming from each of the three curriculum areas. The examinations are administered in May/June and October/November sessions each year. A candidate working towards the Cambridge AICE Diploma may use up to five sessions to take the equivalent of six full credit examinations as long as they are taken within a 25-month period.

The structure of the AS and A Level courses leading to the AICE Diploma award

The subject content of each A Level syllabus has been subdivided into two parts: the AS syllabus content which is expected to be covered in the first half of the course, and part 2 of the syllabus, commonly referred to as A2. This flexible approach enables students to choose between three main options:

• Take all A Level components in the same examination session at the end of the course of study, most normally the end of the second year
• Follow a staged assessment to A Level by taking the Advanced Subsidiary qualification in one examination session, and the final part of assessment in a subsequent session
• Take the AS Level only
• The structure of the International A Level is such that co-teaching of students following both AS and A Level routes is possible.

An A Level course is probably the most in-depth and thorough preparation for university, medical college or employment that a school can give its students.

Grading and the award of the Diploma

Results

For AS examinations, candidates are graded on an alphabetical scale, A to E, with grade A indicating a top level of performance and grade E indicating a minimum passing grade. For A Level examinations, candidates are graded on an alphabetical scale, A* to E, with grade A* indicating a top level of performance and grade E indicating a minimum passing grade. The results for examinations are sent to schools, in the form of a Statement of Results, in the middle of August for candidates who have taken the examinations in June. The results for the November examinations are sent to schools in late January. Certificates for successful candidates are normally sent to schools after the end of the results enquiry period.

The AICE Diploma requires the study of subjects drawn from three curriculum areas. These three broad areas are:

• Mathematics and Science (Group 1)
• Languages (Group 2)
• Arts and Humanities (Group 3)

To obtain an AICE Diploma, candidates will be required:

• To be entered for it,
• To obtain at least six credits, and
• To obtain at least one credit in each of the three curriculum groups.

Candidates are allowed to accumulate the results to be used over more than one examination session. However:

• Results may not be used if they are more than 25 months old. This means, for example, that candidates for the AICE Diploma in June 2012 may use results gained in June 2010 and/or November 2010 as well as in June 2011, but may not use an earlier session.
• Multi-session candidates must make their ADIP entry in their final session. To enable us to track such candidates, Centres are required to state candidates’ previous session Centre and candidate numbers. For example, in the second session, Centres will state the candidate’s first session details; in any third session the candidate’s second session details would be required. If Centres do not provide this information and require a change in the way the AICE Diploma result is calculated after results issue, the Centre will need to apply for a Result Enquiry Service 6.

Performance that meets the requirements of the group award will receive the Cambridge AICE Diploma. The statement of results will show the grades achieved by the student in each of the subjects taken in the final session, as well as the overall level of achievement and points earned in the group award.

Candidates who achieve ADIP in one session will receive an ADIP Statement of Results, a GCE Certificate showing the grades achieved in individual subjects and a separate ADIP Certificate.

As GCE AS and A Level subjects are used to calculate the AICE Diploma, the AICE Diploma results will be issued with the GCE results.

Candidates who fail the AICE Diploma will still receive a GCE Certificate reporting their performance in GCE AS and A Level syllabuses.

Multi-session candidates, at the end of each session, will receive a GCE Statement of Result and Certificate where applicable and will be certificated for the AICE Diploma at the end of the final session.

The full AICE Diploma is awarded on the basis of a points system, as shown in the table below.

Double–Credit Study		Full–Credit Study
Grade	Points	Grade	Points
A*	140	A*	n/a
A	120	A	60
B	100	B	50
C	80	C	40
D	60	D	30
E	40	E	20

Note: The Cambridge AICE Diploma tariff has been calculated to bring it into line with the UK University Admission points score for A Levels and the AS qualification.

The full AICE Diploma will be awarded on the basis of the following points system:

• An A Level will count as a double credit in the AICE Diploma programme.
• An AS Level will count as a single credit in the AICE Diploma programme.

The following combinations are therefore all valid:

A Level (2 credits each)	AS Level (1 credit each)
3	0
2	2
1	4
0	6

Candidates who meet the requirements of the group award will receive a AICE Diploma at one of three levels: Pass, Merit or Distinction on the basis of their overall AICE Diploma score, see below.

140 points will be awarded for an A* but the maximum number of AICE Diploma points will be capped at 360.

Cambridge AICE Diploma with Distinction awarded to candidates with a score in the range: 320-360 points

Cambridge AICE Diploma with Merit awarded to candidates with a score in the range: 220–319 points

Cambridge AICE Diploma at Pass Level awarded to candidates with a score in the range: 120–219 points

Candidates who do not meet the requirements of the AICE Diploma will receive a GCE Certificate reporting their performance in GCE AS and A Level syllabuses.

Teacher Support

Before teachers embark on a Cambridge International AS or A Level course, it is essential that they obtain the relevant syllabus booklet and that they study past papers and the reports that are produced by our examiners on those papers. Most of the June and November papers and reports for the previous two years are available for teachers on the Teacher Support website. Single copies of such support materials and other useful documents are normally distributed to schools free of charge. Order Publications...