O-Level (Ordinary Level) and A-Level (Advanced Level) is the subject-based academic qualifications of the United Kingdom. These educational qualifications are originated in 1951 as the replacement of secondary and higher secondary school certificates. Both educational qualifications (O-levels and A-levels) are part of the General Certificate of Education (GCE).
TThe General Certificate of Education (GCE) is a degree-awarding body in the United Kingdom and a few Commonwealth countries, prominently Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, India, and Singapore. This awarding body issues O-Level and A-Level certificates.
O-Level is considered equivalent to Secondary School Certificate (SSC) in Pakistan. Furthermore, A-Level is recognized as equivalent to the Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC/Intermediate).
From whom I can get an O-Level and A-Level equivalency certificate in Pakistan?
When a student desires to do a bachelor’s in Pakistan after the O/A level, an equivalence certificate must take admission to a university. IBCC (Inter Board Committee of Chairman) issues this O/A level equivalence certificate. You can see all the requirements on the IBCC website to get this equivalence certificate.
Do I need the O-Level and A-Level equivalency certificate to get admission to a German university?
If a student desires to study at a German university, then the GCE equivalency certificate is not needed because educational bodies of the United Kingdom issue GCE certificates, and their certificates are already recognized, trusted, and accepted in Germany.
Do I need to attest to O-Level and A-Level certificates to get admission and visa for Germany?
Attestation of O-Level and A-Level certificates are not required to take admission and to apply a visa for Germany. If the German university or embassy demands attested GCE certificates. Then get an attestation from British Council Pakistan.
Can I attest GCE certificates form IBCC and HEC?
You cannot attest these certificates from IBCC or HEC because both institutes are not the issuing authorities of O-Level and A-Level certificates. If attestation is required then get it from Britsh Council. You can get an equivalence certificate from IBCC but it has no importance in other countries like Germany.
Important: Sometimes German universities demand certified copies of all documents for admission application. The students who have GCE certificates get confused about this requirement. In this case, get notary verified photocopies of your GCE certificates and submit them for admission. Go for British Council attestation only in extreme cases or only on demand of embassy or university.
FAQs about attestation of GCE certificates:
Attestation of GCE certificates is not required to take admission or visa. But, attestation of matriculation and intermediate certificates is required to get admission to a German university and to get a visa for Germany.
In this case, attest only to your bachelor’s degree from HEC. If HEC demand for O & A level equivalence certificate, then get it from IBCC.
You don’t need to attest O & A level certificates in this case. Only get notary attested photocopies and apply for admission to German universities. After that, if German university demands British Council attestation then get it.
No, IBCC equivalence certificate is only used to take admission in Pakistani universities.
