A-Level Credit

Acceptance Policy: A-Level Credit

For various international exams for which the student completes with a grade of A or B, Rice University may award some transfer credit. The most common type of examination is the General Certificate of Education - Advanced Level Examination (A-Level). Credits are awarded for applicable exams that meet the following criteria:

  • A-Level exam or H2/H3 (Singapore).
  • Subsidiary, AS, IASL, ordinary and H1 (Singapore) exams will not yield transfer credits at Rice.
  • The student obtained a score of A(a) or B(b).

Credit will be assigned to your record as indicated on the appropriate list of A-Level Credit Lists for Current and Previous Years.

Receiving A-Level Credit

To receive A-Level credit, you will need to request an official score report be sent to the Office of the Registrar. Students will need to contact their testing authority, OCR, Pearson or Cambridge, to request the score report. We cannot accept student copies of score reports and we must keep the score report in the student's file. Please have your official results mailed to the following address:

Rice University
Office of the Registrar
6100 Main St MS-57
Houston TX 77005
U.S.A.

Other International Exams

Students who have completed various international exams, other than A-Levels, may receive course credit for corresponding Rice courses. The Abitur, CAPE, CEGEP (Science Option), Italian Maturita, and Swiss Federal Maturity Certificate are eligible for review. The student must obtain a grade/score of at least a B or its equivalent. Students should contact the Office of the Registrar as soon as possible to begin the review process.

A-Level Credit FAQs

What if my A-Level credit does not show up when I log onto ESTHER and view my unofficial transcript?

First check with the Office of the Registrar to verify if the scores were received. Next, check with the your testing authority to be sure your official scores were sent to Rice. Students should allow ample time for the credit to be posted. Processing and shipping times from international locations can vary greatly. Please allow up to 4 weeks for credits to be posted once they have arrived in our office.

How long should I expect to wait for A-Level credit to show up on my academic record?

Generally, once you order the scores, you should allow 6 to 8 weeks. Peak periods may require a longer turnaround time.

I’m not sure I will need my A-Level credit. Could I have the scores sent to Rice later?

Even if you think you won't need your A-Level credit, you should have the scores sent to Rice during your first semester.

Will I be able to register for classes even if my A-Level credit has not yet been posted?

Yes. Your advisor, however, will want to see a copy of your A-Level scores. You can anticipate specific course credit as indicated on the list above.

Students should be aware that until their A-Level credits have been articulated to their Rice transcript, they may not be able to register online for some courses that require a prerequisite. In those instances, the student will need to obtain the instructor's approval signature via a Special Registration Form (Undergraduate) and submit that form to the Office of the Registrar.

What will happen if I take courses at Rice which are equivalent to the A-Level course credit I received?

Both your A-Level credit and your Rice enrollment will appear on your transcript, but the A-Level credit will be excluded from your earned hours. You cannot, for instance, retain A-Level credit for PHYS 101 and complete Rice enrollment in PHYS 101, PHYS 111, or PHYS 125. The Physics department considers these courses equivalent and does not allow “repeated” credit. If you receive A-Level credit for the Physics exam (PHYS 101 and 102), and then take PHYS 101 at Rice, your credit in A-Level PHYS 101 will be excluded after you receive a final grade for PHYS 101.

What is the maximum amount of A-Level credit that can be awarded?

Currently, Rice does not limit the amount of A-Level credit that can be awarded. However, this policy could change in the future. Be sure to check the A-Level policies for the year of your matriculation at Rice.

Does A-Level credit for English satisfy the Composition Examination (CE) requirement?

No. All students must take the Composition Examination (CE), even if they receive A-Level credit for English.

Who can I contact if I have more questions?

Please contact registrar@rice.edu.

A-Level Credit Lists for Current and Previous Years