IB versus IGCSE

In the field of education, new studies are being unveiled that are relevant to the learning and understanding of students. The ways of learning and perceiving things are changing every day for students. They are surrounded by advanced technologies, new ideas, abundant resources, and so on, and have a small amount of information before beginning anything.Both of the curricula have a constant and very distinct framework that supports the education system around the globe. The International Baccalaureate (IB) is an educational framework, and the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) is a designed curriculum that is recognised internationally. Both have certain differences and are circulated differently in the schools that offer and support the international education system.

Basic difference

IB	IGCSE
Founded in 1968, it is a non-profit educational foundation.	It is formulated by the Cambridge International Examinations (CIE), and a secondary-level international student body.
The IB programs are for the age group of 3-19 years.	It is also known as Cambridge Board basically for 10th level examinations after which the students opt for A, AS or Pre-U exams which is equivalent to the 12th exam.
It does not conduct assessment exams but provides certification to the grades acquired by the students.	It has over 70 subjects and the students can choose any specialised subject and receive qualification in the subject they have taken.

Programmes offered by IB

Programme	Age Group
Primary Year Programme (PYP)	3-12 Years old
Middle Year Programme (MYP)	11-16 Years old
IB Diploma Programme (IBDP)	16-19 Years old
Career-Related Programme (CRP)	16-19 Years old

Programmes offered by IGCSE/CIE

Level	Age Group
Primary	5-11 Years old
Secondary 1	11-14 Years old
Secondary 2	14-16 Years old
Cambridge International A levels	16-19 Years old

Salient features of IB and IGCSE

International Baccalaureate (IB)

It delivers four types of educational programs.
The CRP in the IB is mostly preferred by students who are certain about their careers and where they want to take them.
The IB curriculum is basically based on creativity, language, art, mathematics, individuals and societies, knowledge acquisition, and so on.
When it comes to implementation, the teachers hold the liberty to personalise it as per the students' needs.
The curriculum is quite flexible and allows the teachers to work across different departments to get the desired results.
It offers more skills than content-based education.
Students who come from IB backgrounds have an increased possibility of settling internationally.
IB students are highly accepted and preferred by employers in the outside world.

International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE)

CIE education is also divided into four stages.
The teachers are not charged with designing the curriculum.
The IGCSE curriculum is very similar to the CBSE in 10th grade.
English and technical disciplines are more concentrated in the IGCSE.
Students get to choose from over 70 subjects and complete their schooling in any of the specialised areas.
The curriculum involves more activities and practical-based learning for a better understanding and experience.
It has a syllabus and is examination-driven.
It is mostly pursued by the students who ultimately choose the IB programme in high school.
IGCSE comes under the CIE board.

Scope of IB and IGCSE

Students accomplishing their education journey through these curricula face relatively high competition in university admissions. Because the programme is so demanding, IB students are given more opportunities than other students. The focus is heavily on the internal assessment, which keeps the students on their feet throughout their academic years. The IB board may become an advantage for those who want to pursue higher education abroad and have to take university entrance exams like the SAT and GRE. It emphasises extracurricular activities as well as academics, which certainly helps in building college profiles for university applications. The IGCSE curriculum is heavily focused on the enhancement of students' skills rather than their grades. This board also holds wide recognition in the outside world when it comes to applying to a university for higher education.