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The difference between the major high school curriculums; A-Levels, IBDP, US, DSE, BTEC
- August 6, 2021
- Posted by: Amelia Buckworth
- Category: education Examinations Schools

Exploring in differences in major high school curriculums
The curriculum is one of the most important components that define a school and choosing the right curriculum for you is one of the most crucial components in defining your academic success. There are over 12,000 K-12 English-medium international schools globally, and this has significantly increased over the past ten years. All the major curriculums below offer a broad-based education in mathematics, sciences, arts and languages. However, each curriculum has its own focus, grading system, and learning methods. Choosing the right curriculum for you may seem daunting and the key is to understand where your strengths and weaknesses lie. Other important factors to consider when choosing between curriculums in subject interests, what you want to study at university and what could be a potential career.
For an easy comparison, see below for a table for the similarities and differences of some major post-16 curriculums in the USA, UK, and Hong Kong.
*IBDP – International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
*A-Levels – Advance Level qualification
*HKDSE – Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education
*BTEC – Business and Technology Education Council