You may be curious to ask the question, “What are AS Levels”? AS stands for Advanced Subsidiary and are qualifications generally completed within Schools in the UK. They work slightly differently to International Advanced Subsidiary but we will explain all within this article.
What are AS Levels?
The term ‘AS’ refers to the qualification known as Advanced Subsidiary. It is equivalent to a level 3 qualification and sits between the GCSE and Full GCE Advanced (A Level).
In the simplest words:
- It is normally the first-year content of a full two-year Advanced Level course.
- It is “a single qualification” of its own: one can have an Advanced Subsidiary without the need for a full Adavanced Level.
- The complete qualification after two years is an A-Level. Depending on your location and the exam board, the AS part may not always contribute to the final A-Level grade.
The UK government’s advice on qualifications in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland states:
“AS (Advanced Subsidiary) and Advanced Levels are both level 3, but you study AS (Advanced Subsidiary) over 1 year and A levels over 2 years.”
If you are taking a UK based Advanced Subsidiary (AQA, OCR), you will most likely need to take it as a standalone qualification. It cannot be topped up to a Full Advanced Level even is the content is basically the first year of a Full A Level.
For International Advanced Subsidiary (Cambridge, Pearson Edexcel), they are standalone qualifications but you can also top them up to the Full Advanced Level later on.
How do AS Levels fit into the wider education system?
In various UK schools and colleges, learners finish their GCSEs when they are about 16 years old (normally the end of Year 11). Then they proceed to “sixth‐form” which is known as Years 12 and 13, or continue their education at college to study L3 qualifications. Most students in Year 12 (the first year of sixth form) recalled that they had studied the first year of their course through AS. In Year 13, they went on with full A-Levels or dropped a subject. The “Full” program usually covers two academic years (Years 12 & 13).
Universities, UCAS points & higher education
The main reason why students prefer to take these qualifications is that they form one of the main requirements for getting into higher education (university). When you apply through UCAS, your grades are factored into the “UCAS points” calculation, which is one of the admission criteria that universities use.
A grade A at AS is equivalent to 20 UCAS points; however, a grade A at full A-Level is worth 48 points.
Standalone qualifications
Since the Advanced Subsidiary can be taken separately, they are sometimes referred to as “standalone qualifications.” It is possible that a student may decide to pursue just one year of a specific subject or want to study an additional subject for one year by taking an AS.
AS vs Full A-Levels: key differences
A comparison table is presented below.
How do AS Levels affect university applications?
If you intend to submit a university application through UCAS, this is the role that these qualifications play:
- Typically, universities establish specific admission requirements, such as “3 A-Levels at grades AAB” (or a similar standard) in the specified subjects at level 3. If you haven’t achieved the required grades but can make up the UCAS points with an Advanced Subsidiary, some universities will consider this. Other universities will just note the total UCAS points required. Again, the Advanced Subsidiary can help make up UCAS points in this situation too.
- The UCAS tariff transforms grades into points. If you have good AS grades, you can earn some points, which may provide significant support for your predicted grades and overall profile, based on your performance throughout the course.
- For standalone qualifications, if you independently choose an AS subject, it may still be counted and considered as a level 3 qualification. Check the specific university’s subject requirements to know whether they accept the AS as part of the offer.
- For International Advanced Levels, the AS may contribute a significant portion of the final A-level grade.
In brief, AS may be instrumental to some extent; however, the majority of students looking to attend university will also need to take the Full qualification too.
What about subject choices, specific subjects & the UK educational systems?
Subject choice
One of the benefits of the Advanced Subsidiary/Level system is the flexibility and variety of subjects, enabling students to decide which subjects will work best with their career goals (for example, Maths, Biology, History, Economics, etc.) rather than being obliged to follow a predetermined curriculum.
It also helps you choose subjects tailored to your interests and the higher education you are aiming for. For instance, if you are going to study Engineering, you will select Maths and Physics; if you are going to study English or History, you will need to choose the subjects carefully.
A Level Grading System
What you achieve in your results is what counts. For a Full Advanced Level, you will be given a final grade (mostly from A* to E), which will be a reflection of your overall performance in the specification. AS grades are awarded on a scale from A to E (usually without A*), and in most cases, they do not contribute to the Full A-Level grade in England.
Should you take AS? Pros & cons
Pros
- Firstly, it provides an opportunity to delve deeper into specific subjects for a year without committing to a full two-year program.
- Secondly, you are awarded a separate qualification, which enables you to earn UCAS points and therefore benefits your overall profile.
- It may also serve as a way to determine whether the subject aligns with your interests before committing to the full course.
Cons
- In most cases, the Advanced Subsidiary is no longer considered to contribute to the full A-Level grade; thus, the advantage is quite limited, particularly in England. International A Levels however still provide a varied choice of subjects.
- In case your main objective is to gain entrance into university, then the full A-Level will be most essential for you to achieve your university and career goals. Some students may overstretch themselves by taking extra AS subjects while focusing solely on university entrance.
- Availability: Some selected schools or colleges may not offer AS entries, as they are more committed to the full A-Level routes.
- Time and effort: Even if you’re studying for an AS, you still need to devote a considerable amount of time and effort to it. Hence, if your primary target is to attain three full A-Levels, you will probably think it is better to drop the AS and concentrate on them.
FAQs: What Students Ask
AS levels are typically referred to as Advanced Subsidiary, which are level 3 qualifications, and are completed within a year (mostly in Year 12) and can be part of A-Level courses.
It really depends on the university and course. A substantial amount of universities require full A-Levels. AS may support the application, but they may not be the sole basis for meeting standard offer requirements.
It is qualification-dependent and location-dependent. AS results in England typically do not contribute to the final A-Level grade. On the other hand, International A Levels, do tend to form part of the full A-level grade.
According to the current tariff, an AS grade A is worth approximately 20 UCAS points, compared to 48 for a full A-Level A.
The main difference between the two is that the AS covers first-year content, while the final A-Level grade is awarded after two years (for a full A-Level).
In England, their popularity has declined since reforms that reduced the significance of AS for the final A-Level grade. In recent times, most schools have shifted their attention to full A-Levels.
Certainly, yes! A large number of international schools now offer “International A-Levels” or “International AS/A2” system through Cambridge International programs. This system is designed to enable AS to contribute to the full A-Level component.
If you are thinking of “UK AS Levels,” then think about: one year of study at level 3 and a standalone qualification.
For International AS Levels, they can be a standalone qualification or a stepping stone to a full A-Level (depending on your location).
Final Thoughts
Having a proper knowledge of what AS is can be really important if you are aiming to navigate your way through the UK education system, especially when you are going for higher education. They are Level 3 qualifications awarded as a standalone or as part of a full two-year Advanced Level qualification. They offer extra UCAS points and provide comprehensive knowledge of the subject, but are not a replacement for full A-Levels when it comes to university entry.