What is AICE?
The Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) is an international Diploma that students can earn via an advanced academic curriculum and assessment program written and administered by a non-profit department (CIE) of the University of Cambridge in England. AICE program courses and examinations may be offered in schools worldwide registered as CIE Centers. At RHS, there is also a pre-AICE, or International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE), curriculum and assessment program for grades 9 & 10, suitable for honors level high school students.
About CIE
University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) is the world’s largest provider of international qualifications for 14-19 year olds. CIE’s broad range of qualifications is recognized by universities, education providers and employers across the globe.
What are the benefits of AICE?
The Cambridge advanced level courses are equivalent to those of Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB). AICE not only prepares students to get into a university with up to 45 hours of college credit, but it also provides them with the skills required to be successful once there. Students also have an opportunity to earn the AICE (Advanced International Certificate of Education) Diploma through the Cambridge advanced level courses offered at RHS. The AICE Diploma is an award for the completion of a specific number and type of classes that are recognized at many universities throughout the US. Students who reside in Florida and earn an AICE Diploma (and complete the required number of community service hours) are eligible for the Bright Futures Scholarship, regardless of GPA and SAT/ACT scores.
Colleges look for students who take academically challenging classes, and the pre-AICE and AICE courses at RHS offer students an opportunity to pursue a rigorous course of study. The AICE courses and their corresponding examinations are equivalent to first year college and university courses. Students earn college credit for each examination they pass. Students do not have to pursue the AICE Diploma in order to take AICE classes at RHS; any student who wants to work at the AICE level – even for one class – has the opportunity to do so. All AICE and Pre-AICE courses strictly follow a course syllabus that is designed by Cambridge University professors.
The best advantage of the AICE program is that students are given the flexibility to choose a course of study that best meets their abilities and interests. Students determine which courses they want to take and are able to create a schedule of courses that are relevant to their future goals.
What do I have to do to earn an AICE Diploma?
To earn an AICE diploma, students must pass six credits worth of AS or A Level examinations. At least one examination must come from each of the three subject groups: Mathematics & Sciences, Languages, and Arts & Humanities. Advanced Subsidiary (AS) Level courses are one-year classes. A passed examination for an AS-Level course counts for one credit toward an AICE diploma. Advanced (A) Level courses are two-year classes. A passed examination for an A-Level counts for two credits toward an AICE diploma. Students can use 6 different AS-Level courses or use a mixture of AS-Level and A-Level courses to meet the requirements for the AICE Diploma.
The categories of classes that students can take at RHS to earn the AICE Diploma are:
Group A – Mathematics & Sciences
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Environmental Management
- Marine Science
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Psychology
- Thinking Skills
Group B – Languages
Group C – Arts & Humanities
- Business Studies
- English Literature
- General Paper
- Modern European History
- Music
- Psychology
- Thinking Skills
- United States History
Do students have to earn the full AICE Diploma in order to earn college credits?
No. Students receive General Certificate of Education (GCE) subject certificates for AS and A Level examinations passed. Colleges award credit on a subject–by -subject basis according to grades earned on individual examinations passed.
Comparison of Cambridge and IB Programs
- Equally rigorous academically
- Both offer well-balanced curriculum, high academic standards, practical real world applications and international perspectives
- Both emphasize the development of higher order thinking, including problem solving and creativity
- Cambridge emphasizes extremely flexible curriculum that can be tailored to the abilities, interest and plans of the students
- Cambridge is widely accepted among US colleges and universities through the international admissions departments
Do many universities give college credits for AICE exams passed?
Yes. CIE publishes a list on their website (http://recognition.cie.org.uk/) of U.S. universities that have provided written statements of their AICE (which includes AS and A Levels) recognition policy. All public universities and community colleges in Florida award up to 45 hours of college credits for AICE exams passed. Private universities in Florida and universities outside of the state of Florida may have specific admission requirements for some courses and will vary in the amount of credit given to AICE students, so it is advisable to contact the university directly for information on credits students can earn.
In addition, the Florida Department of Education recognizes the AICE program as an official acceleration mechanism and is included in the Bright Futures Scholarship Program as an additional means to earn scholarship monies. Students who earn the AICE Diploma, and have 100 community service hours, automatically receive the Academic Scholars Award. Students who complete the diploma program, but do not earn the diploma can still earn the Academic Scholars Award with appropriate SAT and ACT test scores. The Medallion Scholars Award is available to AICE Program completers as well for students who do not meet the high level SAT and ACT score requirements.
Why AICE at RHS?
Rockledge High School is a University of Cambridge International Fellowship Centre. This status recognizes the close relationship that our Centre has with Cambridge International Examinations. Only 37 out of 5,900 Cambridge Centres have attained this status. Anyone planning to attend a four-year university or to enter the world of business will benefit from studying this broad and balanced curriculum and the skills that they will gain from it.
RHS started the AICE Program in 2005. In our most recent testing session, our overall exam pass rate was 74%, and 82% of eligible candidates earned their AICE Diploma. Since its inception at RHS, 115 students have earned their AICE Diploma. The typical AICE student leaves RHS with more than 20 college credit hours, and many finish with enough coursework to complete their first full year of collegiate study.
What schools are RHS AICE students attending?
Auburn University
Brigham Young University
Brown University
Cornell University
Duke University
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
Florida Atlantic University
Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida Institute of Technology
Florida State University
Long Island University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
University of Central Florida
University of Florida
University of North Alabama
University of North Carolina
University of North Florida
University of South Florida
Xavier University
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