Skip to main content

Go to our other sites

Change language / country

Cambridge Assessment International Education

Main navigation

  • About us

    About us

    • What we do
    • Our management team
    • Our regional teams
    • Our standards
    • Careers
    • Examiners
    • Our history
  • Why choose us

    Why choose us

    • Benefits of a Cambridge education
    • Where do Cambridge qualifications take you?
    • Support for schools
    • Information for parents and students
    • Find a Cambridge school
    • Online education
    • Join Cambridge
    • Cambridge Associates
    • The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award
    spacer
    Material from Join Cambridge Welcome pack

    Join Cambridge

    Find out how to become a Cambridge school

  • Programmes &
    qualifications

    Programmes & qualifications

    • Cambridge Primary

      • Curriculum
      • Classroom support
      • Assessment
      • Resource list
    • Cambridge Lower Secondary

      • Curriculum
      • Classroom support
      • Assessment
      • Resource list
    • Cambridge Upper Secondary

      • Cambridge IGCSE
      • Cambridge O Level
    • Cambridge Advanced

      • Cambridge International AS & A Level
      • Cambridge Pre-U
      • Cambridge AICE Diploma
      • Cambridge IPQ
    • Other

      • Recognition and acceptance
      • Cambridge Global Perspectives
      • Bilingual education
  • Exam
    administration

    Exam administration

    • Cambridge Exams Officers' Guide

      • Phase 1 - Preparation
      • Phase 2 - Entries
      • Phase 3 - Coursework and Moderation
      • Phase 4 - Before the exam
      • Phase 5 - Exam day
      • Phase 6 - Results and certificates

    Other

      • What to expect on exam day
      • Results
      • Private candidates
  • Support & training
    for schools

    Support & training for schools

    Support and resources

    • Teaching and learning during Covid-19
    • Support for teachers
    • Support for new schools
    • Teaching Cambridge at your school
    • Endorsed resources
    • Communications toolkit

    Professional development and conferences

    • Professional development courses
    • Professional development calendar
    • Cambridge Professional Development Qualifications
    • Cambridge Schools Conference

    Other support

    • Resource Plus
    • Test Maker
    • Cambridge Personal Styles Questionnaire
    • Great teaching toolkit
  • News & blog

    News & blog

    • Latest news
    • Blog
    • Newsletters
    • Sign up to our eNewsletters
    • Media contacts
    • What's new February 2022
    spacer
    Cambridge Outlook magazine front cover

    Cambridge Outlook magazine

    Keep up to date with news from Cambridge and its schools around the world.

  • Help

Programmes & Qualifications

  • About Cambridge International in the US
    • The Cambridge Pathway
    • UK to US translation
    • Case studies
  • About Cambridge International in the US
    • The Cambridge Pathway
    • UK to US translation
    • Case studies
  • Home
  • Cambridge International in the USA
  • About Cambridge International in the US
  • UK to US translation

UK to US translation of Cambridge International terms

An A-Z guide to useful terms for US Cambridge schools and students

  1. Cambridge International is a worldwide not-for-profit that operates in over 160 countries, however our origins are at the University of Cambridge in England.

    For this reason, we use some terms common in the United Kingdom, but not in the United States. Below are definitions of some terms from Cambridge International. Those that are common in UK usage are "translated" to the typical US usage.

  2. Terminology for Cambridge exams officers

    A-Z of useful terms (PDF, 158KB)

Programs at-a-glance

Cambridge International AS Level

One-year course with exam, equivalent to one semester of college

Cambridge International A Level

Two-year course with exam, equivalent to two semesters of college

Cambridge AICE Diploma

An advanced diploma that comprises AS & A Level exams in four disciplines

Cambridge Pre-Advanced IGCSE

Courses and exams for 14+ year-olds

Cambridge ICE

Comparable to a US high school diploma; comprises IGCSE courses and exams in five disciplines

Terms

Access arrangements = Accommodations

Accommodations, or services for students with disabilities. A pre-exam arrangement is made on behalf of a candidate with particular needs, for example, the use of a scribe, modified papers, or extra time.

AICE

Acronym for the Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) Diploma. Students who pass a combination of Cambridge Advanced (International AS & A Level) courses and exams across four disciplines can receive the Cambridge AICE Diploma. Some schools refer to International AS & A Level courses as “AICE” courses or exams, however students are not required to work toward the diploma to participate in International AS & A Level.

Candidate = Registrant, test-taker

A student or person who has been entered, or registered, to take a Cambridge exam.

Center = Test site

A school, college, organization, or institution that teaches and offers Cambridge programs and exams to candidates. The center number is the five-character code given to a center.

Component = Exam section

A part or section of a subject exam. A component is sometimes referred to as a paper. Typically, several components make up the assessments for an exam.

Enter for an exam = Register

To register, or sign up to take, an exam. “Entries” refers to the candidates a center has entered for a Cambridge qualification in a particular series.

Exam series

An exam series is identified by a month and year, for example June 2019. The series includes the group of exams given during specified days. June exam series are held in May and June. November exam series are held in October and November.

Group award = A certificate or diploma

Similar to a certificate or diploma. Awards are given to candidates who have studied and passed assessments from a specified number of subject groups. An example is the Cambridge AICE Diploma, a group award for Cambridge International AS & A Level.

Mark scheme = Rubric

A rubric. The mark scheme tells you what an examiner expects from an answer in order to award marks. It indicates the number of points each question or component attracts.

Marking = Grading

A grade or score assigned for a candidate’s response on a test. This may involve professional judgment by an examiner, or the use of a scoring guide that lists all acceptable responses.

Qualification = Course and exam

A certificated award made by Cambridge International to learners to demonstrate their achievement. In the US, ‘qualification’ is an unfamiliar term and essentially translates to the course and exam in a given subject area. A set of component exams that make up the full assessment for a course is considered a qualification.

Paper or component = Exam section

An exam section. A component or paper is a part or section of the subject exam. An individual syllabus usually has several papers. Can also be referred to as a question paper.

Revise, revision = Review, study

To review or study. Students revise for exams by reading things again and making notes in order to prepare.

Rubric

The instructions given for a particular test task that outlines how the task will be marked.

Scheme of assessment

All the exam components through which a candidate’s achievement in a particular assessment is determined.

Scheme of work

Similar to unit lesson plans for teachers. Schemes of work include exemplar tasks aligned to course skills.

Script

A candidate’s response to the whole question paper or component. Responses are usually written on paper in booklets or multiple sheets.

Specimen = Example

An example or sample

About us

  • What we do
  • Help
  • Our social media channels

Useful links

  • Join Cambridge
  • Book a training course
  • Communications toolkit
  • Log in to secure sites
  • Careers
Cambridge University Press & Assessment logo

View Related Sites

  • School Support Hub
  • Cambridge Primary support site
  • Cambridge Lower Secondary support site
  • Cambridge International Direct
  • Submit for Assessment
  • Online Learning – professional development
  • Assessment Specialist support site
  • Online Learning – student support

© Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2022

  • Sitemap
  • ISO 9001 Certificate
  • Privacy and legal
  • Accessibility and standards
  • Statement on Modern Slavery
  • Contact us
Back to top
We use cookies. By clicking any link on this page you are giving your consent for us to set cookies Accept