NOTES TO APPLICANTS
Please read and ensure that you have understood all instructions listed in the “Notes to Applicants” and “Letter for Disruption to the Taking of Examinations due to Adverse Weather” issued by the Examination Board attached before submitting the registration. The Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) will not be held responsible for incorrect entries.
No restrictions on entry requirements. All candidates can apply for the registration.
Private and School Candidates
Private Candidates are required to submit their registrations via the HKEAA Online Registration System (online.hkeaa.edu.hk) during the registration period. They should upload the image of their valid Hong Kong Identity Cards or other identification documents* for verification purpose at the time of registration. For candidates who would like to register as a “School Candidates”, they should first obtain a school code (i.e. GSXXX) through their schools and the school code is required to be entered during the online registration.
*with effect from 31 January 2021, British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) passport cannot be used as any form of proof of identity in Hong Kong. Applicants may use alternative form of valid and acceptable identification document as proof of identity for the registration of Pearson Edexcel IAL Examinations.
Candidates must complete the online registration and settle the examination fees by 8 December 2023. All registration submitted after 8 December 2023 will be served as “Late Entry” and a supplementary fee will be levied for each application. Candidates are advised to submit their entries as early as possible in order to avoid the rush in the last few days. For those candidates who have difficulties with online registration, please contact the HKEAA by email (ie@hkeaa.edu.hk) or by phone (3628 8787) for further assistance.
Please note that all examination documents (e.g. candidate information checklist, admission form, result statement) will be posted within Hong Kong only. No postal service will be arranged for address located outside Hong Kong.
Late Entry Period
HKEAA Online Registration System:
https://online.hkeaa.edu.hk/Portal/
For Enquiries: Tel: 3628 8787 Email: ie@hkeaa.edu.hk
27 November 2023
to
8 December 2023
9 to 30 December 2023
and
1 to 12 January 2024
Request for Access Arrangement for Examinations
Candidates who request for access arrangement (including modified paper) for the examinations should contact the HKEAA by email (ie@hkeaa.edu.hk) and an application form will be sent to candidates for completion. Completed application form with valid supporting documents (i.e. medical report) must be submitted to HKEAA by email on or before 12 January 2024. No late application will be accepted after 12 January 2024. Please be reminded that candidate should list out all the subjects which access arrangement is required on the application form, including change or addition of subject(s).
Please be reminded that the application of access arrangement is subject to Pearson Edexcel’s approval and the availability of the examination centre. The HKEAA does not guarantee all access arrangements requests can be approved and arranged. For any enquiries about the access arrangement, candidates are advised to contact the HKEAA before submitting the registration.
Advanced Subsidiary / Advanced Level Unit (Business, Economics, Psychology, History, English Language, English Literature)
Advanced Subsidiary / Advanced Level Unit (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics)
Advanced Subsidiary / Advanced Level Special Unit (Accounting, Arabic, Greek)
Advanced Level Subject (Law)
Candidates should keep the record of online registration as evidence of payment. If payment of examination fees is not made by specific deadline, entries are accepted at the discretion of the HKEAA and a supplementary fee in addition to the examination fees will be levied.
Examination fees paid by a candidate who subsequently withdraws his / her entry, or is absent from the examination, or the examination is cancelled by the Examination Board in a later stage will NOT be refunded. Fees are NOT transferable to other examination centres, or from one examination to another / a later series or for other purposes.
In addition, the HKEAA will not offer the service of “Transferred Candidate” under any circumstance. Any supplementary fees paid during the registration will not be counted as a part of examination fees. The supplementary fee paid will not be refunded under any circumstances.
The syllabuses, marking scheme and past papers can be downloaded from Pearson’s website: https://qualifications.pearson.com. Past question papers are also available for sale from HKEAA Online Bookstore at https://online.hkeaa.edu.hk/Bookstore/faces/1_home.xhtml?slang=zh_TW. Please read the syllabuses CAREFULLY before making entries.
Candidates must read the examination syllabuses for each subject carefully and keep themselves abreast of the latest changes on the Pearson Edexcel’s website (https://qualifications.pearson.com) before submitting the registration. The HKEAA will not be held responsible for incorrect registration and no refund of the examination fee will be made. The following is a convenient summary for reference only.
Some AS / AL IAL qualifications consist of three / six units, e.g. AS Biology consists of units 1, 2 and 3 while AL Biology consists of units 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. Some AS / AL IAL qualifications consist of two / four units, e.g. AS Business consists of units 1 and 2 while AL Business consists of units 1, 2, 3, and 4.
The pre-release materials for Biology Unit 5 (WBI15) and English Language Unit 4 (WEN04), if applicable, will be sent to private candidates by email and school candidates through schools one month before the examination. Candidates who have not yet received the pre-release materials two weeks before the examination, please contact the HKEAA for further assistance.
Please refer to the syllabus for the combination of units for the Mathematical subjects:
(Visit https://qualifications.pearson.com > Our Qualifications > International Advanced Levels > Subjects > Mathematics (2018) > Specification > P. 16 Qualification Overview)
Candidates are NOT allowed to cash-in both AL Mathematics (YMA01) and AL Pure Mathematics (YPM01) under the same examination series.
If candidates would like to cash-in both AL Mathematics (YMA01) and AL Further Mathematics (YFM01) for the same examination series, please be reminded that 12 mathematics units are required to be taken.
5. ENTRIES
Cash-in: Once a candidate has entered for the appropriate set of units, an entry may then be contributed to the AS / AL qualification. This is known as ‘cash-in’. Cash-in is NOT automatic. To apply for cash-in, candidate must blacken the Cash-in code(s), e.g. XBI11 for AS Biology and YBI11 for AL Biology. No overall grade will be issued unless a cash-in code is entered at the time of entry.
The units can be taken in the same examination series, or can be banked under the candidate’s Unique Candidate Identification (UCI) number if taken in more than one series. Once the AS or AL qualification has been certified, all units contributing to that qualification are deemed to be used up. However, a candidate may enter for at least one related unit in a later examination and cash in again for the qualification. Results of UNITS taken will be issued to candidates on the Individual Candidate Statements of Results. If a ‘cash-in’ code has been quoted at the time of entry, SUBJECT results at AS or AL will also be issued.
All cash-in applications are subject to the eligibility rules, units and combination. Please note that Pearson Edexcel will remove the ineligible cash-in code(s) from the candidate record automatically. It is the candidate’s responsibility to check whether he / she is eligible to cash-in. The HKEAA will not be held responsible for incorrect cash-in.
Change of Subjects: Candidates are allowed to change any unit(s) after registration has been submitted to the HKEAA. For each application, a supplementary fee of $322 plus the difference in examination fee (if applicable) between unit(s) will be levied within the normal registration period. During the late entry period, a supplementary fee of $498 (between 9-30 December 2023) or $511 (starting from 1 January 2024) plus the difference in examination fee (if applicable) between units will be levied. For applying the change of unit(s), candidates should first contact the HKEAA and an online application form will be sent to candidates by email. Candidates are required to complete the online form and settle the related fees on or before 12 January 2024. No application will be accepted after 12 January 2024. It is the candidates’ responsibility to ensure any change of subjects will not result in timetable clash.
Withdrawal: If planning to withdraw, candidates must submit written request to the HKEAA. Once the request of subject/unit withdrawal is processed, it cannot be revoked. No refund of examination fees and supplementary fees (if any) will be arranged for the withdrawn subjects/units. Candidates are not allowed to sit any of the withdrawn examination(s) or re-enter the withdrawn subject/unit examination in the same examination series. If candidates would like to withdraw the subject/unit after the entry data has been submitted to the Examination Board, the approval of withdrawal is at the discretion of the Examination Board, not HKEAA.
Personal data of candidates are used by the HKEAA and the Examination Board for delivery of examination and assessment services. Whether you provide the requested personal data is voluntary. However, if you fail to provide all the data, or if any of the data are inaccurate or incomplete, the HKEAA may not be able to accept your entry or provide all or part of the examination and assessment services. The personal data submitted may also be used for:
The HKEAA may also transfer the personal data of candidates to third parties for use for the above purpose or other directly related purposes, including government / public organizations, schools and educational institutions, banks (for processing refund or payment), and service providers providing various administrative or technical services to facilitate the delivery of the examination and assessment services including but not limited to data punching, registration process, dispatch of examination documents, and the capture, disposal or other processing of data.
In compliance with the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance, access to all personal data will be made available, on payment of a fee, to anyone who can establish his / her right to be informed of such data as are retained by the HKEAA. Please also note that candidates’ personal data / correspondence / other information received by the HKEAA may be referred to the Examination Board concerned for delivery of examination and assessment services and for any of the abovementioned purposes or other directly related purposes. In general, upon completion of an examination or examination series and all the connecting examination services, the HKEAA will transfer all such data to the Examination Board who will then assume full control of such data. By then, candidates should approach the Examination Board direct for their personal data / information handling policies if necessary.
*If you have given consent but wish to withdraw your consent for your personal data to be used for this purpose, please send a letter of request to the HKEAA.
The examination timetable showing the subjects available can be found in the HKEAA website at https://www.hkeaa.edu.hk/tc/ipe/gce_gcse_igcse_ial/ial/. It is the candidates’ responsibility to check carefully the relevant examination timetables before submitting entries so as to avoid timetable clashes among subjects entered and prohibited combination of subjects. Candidates should avoid entering the subjects which are scheduled in the same examination session. Normally, no special arrangements will be made for those subjects with timetable clash and candidates are required to cancel either one subject. Examination fees paid are NOT refundable and NOT transferable to other examination centres, or from one examination to another / a later series or for other purposes. Please contact the HKEAA for further advice before submitting the registration if candidates wish to sit both subjects in the same sessions. Candidates who wish to sit more than one examination session on the same day are strongly advised to check and ensure that there is sufficient break time between examination sessions for travelling and taking rest. These examinations may be held at different examination centres which will very likely require travelling. The HKEAA does not guarantee all examination sessions on the same day can be allocated at the same examination centre or at the examination centre nearby. The HKEAA will not be held responsible for candidates who fail to arrive the examination centre on time. Candidates who arrive the assigned examination centre later than the examination start time will not be permitted any extra time.
Starting from May/June 2024 examination series, the candidate information checklist will be released to private candidates via the HKEAA Online Service Portal (online.hkeaa.edu.hk) by the end of January 2024 and no hardcopy of the checklist will be sent to private candidates by post. For school candidates, the candidate information checklist will continue to be distributed by their schools directly. Candidates should check if the personal particulars, which will be used for examination arrangements and certification of results, are correct. If amendments on personal particulars are required, candidates must inform the HKEAA in writing. Candidates who have not received their candidate information checklist in early February 2024 MUST contact their schools or the HKEAA for further assistance.
Admission forms will be sent to private candidates by post or school candidates through their schools in April 2024. Candidates who have not received their admission forms one week before the commencing date of the first examination MUST contact their schools or the HKEAA for further assistance. The examination venue, date and local examination starting time for each examination will be indicated on the Admission Form. Candidates will be assigned to take the examinations at the examination centres located in Hong Kong Island / Kowloon / New Territories. Assignment of examination venues is based on the candidature of the papers, availability and capacity of the venues. Request for change of the examination venue due to personal reason will not be entertained. Besides, please note that the examinations with different subject / durations may be held in the same examination venue.
The examination results will be available in August 2024. Candidate Statements of Provisional Results will be sent to private candidates by post and school candidates through their schools. Candidates who have not received their results by early September 2024 MUST contact their schools or the HKEAA.
Candidates may apply for the Reviews of Marking and Moderation (RoMM) services in accordance with the procedures, fees and deadlines to be announced after the results day. The certificates, if applicable, will be available in November 2024 subject to the arrangement of Pearson Edexcel which will be sent to private candidates by post or school candidates through their schools. Candidates who have not received their certificates should contact the HKEAA to track the delivery status within 5 months after mail; otherwise, the certificates will be regarded as successfully received by the candidates. Certificates unclaimed for 5 months after mail will be returned to the Examination Board without further notice. After that, request for lost or unclaimed certificates will have to be made directly with the Examination Board by the candidates as applications for replacement certificates. Fees will be charged by the Examination Board. Candidates should inform the HKEAA in writing of their new address and contact telephone number if their address has been changed. The HKEAA cannot accept the responsibility for any possible loss, delay or damage in mail causing the need of requesting for replacement certificates. The HKEAA cannot reproduce certificates in any form.
Please note that neither the Examination Board nor the HKEAA will be responsible for any non-performance of duties where such non-performance has been caused by an act of God, labour strike, natural disaster, adverse weather, epidemic, government action or intervention, riot, or any cause not reasonably foreseeable and beyond the reasonable control of the Examination Board or the HKEAA. Postponement or cancellation of examinations due to unforeseeable circumstances will not be accepted by the Examination Board, and instead, special consideration may be granted as appropriate. Please note that the outcome of the special consideration is entirely subject to the terms and conditions of the related policies of the Examination Board. If candidates are considered as having missed a timetabled component / unit for acceptable reasons by the Examination Board, aegrotat marks (calculated marks based on the candidates’ performance in other papers they have sat) may be issued to eligible candidates*; otherwise, a “zero mark” will be given instead. *Application and eligibility requirements of special consideration are provided on the website of the Examination Board (https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/support/support-topics/exams/special-requirements/special-consideration.html).
Note: The HKEAA, including their contractors and subcontractors, shall not be liable to anyone claiming for any damage, which are caused by, arising from or otherwise related to the failure of staff members, examination personnel or the examination centres to comply with the examination regulations, policies or procedures.
