Curriculum comparison

IGCSE vs MYP

6 min read · updated 2026-10-13

Many international schools choose between Cambridge IGCSE and the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) for ages 14 to 16, and some offer IGCSE before the IB Diploma. They lead to the same next step but work in very different ways.

Side by side

✓ What it is: IGCSE is a set of individual subject qualifications; the MYP is a five-year framework (usually ages 11-16) across eight subject groups
✓ Assessment: IGCSE grades come from final exams (and coursework in some subjects); MYP students are assessed by teachers against four criteria (A-D) in each subject
✓ External exams: IGCSE exams are taken by every candidate; MYP eAssessment (on-screen exams and ePortfolios) is optional and chosen by the school
✓ Grades: IGCSE is graded A*-G or 9-1; MYP subjects are graded 1-7
✓ Sessions: Cambridge IGCSE exams run in June and November (March in India); MYP eAssessment runs in May and November

Preparation for the IB Diploma

The MYP's criteria, command terms and personal project prepare students for the Diploma's internal assessments and Extended Essay. IGCSE gives a strong grounding in content and exam technique, which helps with the Diploma's final exams. Students from either route need to adjust: IGCSE students to criteria-based coursework, MYP students to long timed papers.

Recognition

IGCSE grades are recognised by universities and employers as a GCSE-level qualification. The MYP certificate is less widely known outside IB schools, but universities look at Diploma or A Level results, not results at 16.

Who each suits

✓ IGCSE: students who do well in exams, and families who may move to a British-curriculum school
✓ MYP: students who thrive on projects and inquiry, staying in the same IB school through the Diploma