IAL One Year Programme


IAL One Year Programme

What is the IAL

IAL (International A-levels) is the secondary school leaving qualification for students studying outside the UK. Many subjects are offered at AS and AL level. Students usually take 3 to 4 AL subjects to fulfill university application requirements. Students should select their A-level subject combination based on their interests, strengths and subject prerequisites for their desired university program. For example, students who desire to study medicine should select chemistry and biology . In addition, students who desire to apply for competitive universities, or university subjects such as medicine or law, might choose to take a one year IAL program to boost their academic credentials.

IAL is widely recognised by top universities in the US, UK, Canada, Australia and Hong Kong.

One Year International A-Levels (IAL) Program

CANA offers a One Year International A-Levels (IAL) Program for students who have at least completed (I)GCSE or equivalent examinations before. As a UCAS centre, CANA can provide UCAS predicted grades and reference letters for our students who have regular lessons and examinations in our IAL Program, aiding them in their university application process.

Students who may wish to apply to the CANA IAL Program include:

  • Those who have completed (I)GCSE, DSE Form. 4 or equivalent
  • Those who had done IBDP, GCE A levels, DSE, AP, or equivalent examinations before and did not receive any university offers of desire or would like to re-apply for universities to pursue the ideal program and explore their academic interests
  • Those who fit in much better with one-to-one teaching
  • Those who are interested in the flexible option to complete the IAL study within a year, such as post-IBDP students, those who have studied lower six in the UK and would like to switch to completing the IAL year in HK, or those who desire a switch from the IBDP/DSE/GCE A-level curricula, etc.

Why CANA?

Teachers
  • Our teachers are highly qualified and experienced in international curricula
Teaching
  • Small-class teaching to ensure the best attention to each student’s academic needs
  • CANA offers a bi-weekly test of each IAL subject to monitor the progress of study
Experience
  • As an Edexcel Academic Partnership Centre, CANA receives the latest updates on the IAL curriculum and teacher training materials
  • Will be about to offer the IAL course for the 7th consecutive year
Results
  • Excellent track record of success, with 91% of our IAL levels students receiving an A or A*

Course Structure

Period September to May
Duration in weeks 35 weeks
*Duration in hours One subject Three subjects
Weekly number of hours 3 – 4.5 9 – 13.5
**Assessment contents 10 biweekly tests
2 assessment exams
Exam Period IAS exams: January
IA2 exams: May to June

* Total hours include teaching IAL syllabus of each subject, assessment tests and exam practice. The hours are flexible, so if needed, the course schedule can be changed to suit your schedule.

** The first assessment test result is used for reflection of predicted grades in each subject. Both online or on-site assessment tests could be provided.

What CANA Offer?

Subjects offered
Biology English Literature
Business Further Math
Chemistry Mathematics
Economics Physics
English Language
  • Monthly report to monitor the learning progress
  • 10 biweekly tests and 2 mock exams to monitor students’ level
  • Registered UCAS centre to provide predicted grade
  • Reference Letter for university application

CANA’s IAL track record

91% of our IAL level students have received an A or A*, and have received offers from competitive university programs in HK and the UK. To know more details, go to GCE/IGCSE track record

How to do well in IAL

To prepare for the challenging IAL program, students should focus on improving their communication skills, both in spoken and written English. They should also give attention to their mathematics foundation if they desire to take maths and the sciences.

CANA offers a one year IAL day school program for students who have done the IAL or equivalent examinations (e.g. IB, GCE A levels, DSE, AP) and would like to reapply to universities. Students may come to CANA on a regular basis: 4 to 5 days a week, 3-5 hours each day, depending on the number of subjects enrolled. As a UCAS centre, CANA can provide UCAS reference for students who have regular lessons and tests at our IAL program. By offering both online and on-site lessons at our centres located throughout HK, students are able to learn in the way they see fit.

CANA also offers individual lessons for students who would like to be tutored once or twice a week in person or online, with intensive courses available during Christmas, Easter and summer holidays to further boost grades. Additionally, students who join our university application consultation package receive close guidance on timeline management, helping manage university applications and school deadlines with ease.

Examples of Cana's IAL students

  • Case 1
    Student A initially received an offer to study Sciences at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) based on her Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) results. However, she aimed for a more prestigious program and continued her efforts to study IAL for a year at Cana. Ultimately, student A achieved AAA in IAL Chemistry, Biology, and Mathematics, which enabled her to gain admission into the highly competitive Dentistry program at HKU.
  • Case 2
    Student B did not receive any university offers following his DSE results, so he decided to pursue the International Advanced Level (IAL) qualifications with the hope of gaining university admission. He chose to study Chemistry, Biology, and Mathematics under the Cana one-year IAL program. Student B successfully gained admission to the Polytechnic University of Hong Kong Nursing program.
  • Case 3
    After completing her International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE), Student C decided not to continue traditional schooling, instead focusing on her ballet studies. Despite her primary focus on ballet, Student C chose to self-study the IAL and take IAL lessons at Cana to keep her future academic options open. She took IAL AS level exams for Chemistry and Biology, achieving A* grades in both.
  • Case 4
    Student D initially received an offer to study Business Administration (BBA) from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) but would prefer to study abroad. She signed up for a one-year IAL program at Cana. Subsequently, she achieved AAB in her IAL subjects: Maths, Chemistry, and Economics. She was offered the opportunity to study economics at University College London (UCL).
  • Case 5
    Student E completed his Lower Sixth in the UK last year after attending a high school in Hong Kong. He found that he fits in much better with one-to-one teaching. Therefore, he joined the IAL program at Cana to do intensive IAL lessons in his Upper Six. After joining the program, he found that the one-on-one teaching allowed him to progress much faster as he could interact much better with the teachers. His predicted Economics, Biology, and Psychology grades are all A*. He plans to sit for his A Level exams in May/June 2024 through his original school in the UK.
  • Case 6
    Student F, who studied at an international school in Hong Kong, is proficient in science but needs help with language. He opted to take the IAL to avoid the Chinese IBDP exam, aiming to enter university earlier with a solid IAL score. He needs to attend the international school during the day, so he takes IAL lessons after school. His predicted Physics, Maths, and Further Math grades are all A*.
  • Case 7
    Student G took the Gaokao and received a BBA offer from Hang Seng University. She wanted to get a better offer, so she joined the one-year IAL program at Cana to read Maths, Further Maths, and Economics. As the GaoKao and IAL requirements are different, student G found that one-on-one teaching for IAL at Cana was very useful for her learning and preparation for the IAL exams.
  • Case 8
    Student H would like to study Biology and Chemistry at her high school, but somehow, the school couldn’t offer the available subject combination. Therefore, she decided to take IAL Biology and Chemistry at Cana. Student H has successfully received an offer to study Physiotherapy in Australia.
  • Case 9
    Student I is currently studying A Levels at an international school in Hong Kong. Student I is strong in Maths and Sciences, and the school could not offer the subjects he wanted to study. Therefore, he chose to join the IAL program at Cana to study subjects his school could not provide.

Commonly Asked Questions


OUR SUCCESS STORIES

Here at CANA Elite, we truly believe that every student is unique and has the potential to reach their goals with the right guidance. Academic excellence is derived from both passionate teachers and eager students. That is why we provide a unique learning experience tailored to each individual student. Named after the location of the first miracle in the Bible, we hope CANA elite can be the place of miracles for all our students, allowing them to achieve their dreams.