📚 A Complete Guide to the Four Major International Curricula: IB, A Level, AP and BC | IB、A Level、AP、BC 四大国际课程介绍及上海名校简介
Choosing an international curriculum is one of the most consequential decisions a family makes, because the route a student takes at 16 shapes the subjects they study, the exams they sit and the universities that will read their application. Four systems dominate the international school market in China: the IB Diploma Programme, A Level, AP and the Canadian BC curriculum. This guide explains how each one is structured, assessed and scored, compares them side by side, and lists the leading Shanghai schools that offer them, so that families can plan with clear information rather than marketing slogans.
选择国际课程，是每个家庭在孩子十六岁前后做出的最重要的决定之一。不同课程体系决定了学生学什么科目、参加什么考试、以及最终能申请哪些大学。目前在中国国际学校市场占据主流的四大课程是：IB 文凭课程、A Level、AP 以及加拿大 BC 省课程。本文将逐一介绍这四种课程的结构、考核方式与评分标准，做横向对比，并盘点上海开设这些课程的代表性名校，帮助家庭在招生季用明确的信息而不是宣传口号做决策。
1. Summer Admissions Season and Postponed Entrance Exams | 暑期招生季与入学考试延期
The summer holiday is approaching, yet international schools in Shanghai and across China remain in the middle of an intense admissions cycle. Because of the pandemic, several schools have pushed their entrance examinations back to July, and many are still interviewing candidates, releasing offers and keeping waiting lists open well into the summer. For families, this means the application window is longer than usual but also less predictable, so documents should be prepared early. Schools typically assess English and mathematics, review two years of school reports, and invite shortlisted candidates to a written test followed by a student and parent interview.
暑假即将来临，然而上海乃至全国的国际学校仍处在紧张的招生周期之中。受疫情影响，一些学校把招生考试推迟到七月份举行，还有不少学校仍在面试候选人、陆续发放录取通知，并把候补名单一直保留到暑期之后。对家庭来说，这意味着申请窗口比往年更长，但也更加难以预测，因此材料必须提前准备。学校通常考查英语和数学，审阅近两年的在校成绩单，并邀请初筛通过的学生参加笔试，随后进行学生面试与家长面谈。
2. IB Diploma Programme: Structure and Subjects | IB 文凭课程的结构与科目
The IB Diploma Programme is a two-year course for students aged 16 to 19, administered by the International Baccalaureate Organization in Geneva. A candidate selects six subjects, one from each of six subject groups: Studies in Language and Literature, Language Acquisition, Individuals and Societies, Sciences, Mathematics, and the Arts. Three subjects are taken at Higher Level and three at Standard Level, with Higher Level courses carrying roughly 240 teaching hours and Standard Level courses about 150. In addition, every student must complete the three components of the DP core: Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay of up to 4,000 words, and Creativity, Activity, Service.
IB 文凭课程（DP）由总部位于日内瓦的国际文凭组织管理，面向 16 至 19 岁学生，学制两年。学生需要选择六门科目，分别来自六个学科组：语言与文学、语言习得、个体与社会、科学、数学、艺术。其中三门为高级水平（HL），三门为标准水平（SL）；高级水平课程约 240 课时，标准水平约 150 课时。除此之外，每位学生还必须完成 DP 核心的三项任务：知识论（TOK）、不超过 4000 词的扩展论文（EE），以及创造、行动与服务（CAS）。
3. IB Assessment, Core Points and Scoring | IB 的评估、核心加分与评分
IB assessment combines external examinations, internally assessed coursework and the core tasks. Each of the six subjects is graded from 1 to 7, giving a maximum of 42 points, while Theory of Knowledge and the Extended Essay together can add up to 3 bonus points. The maximum diploma score is therefore 45, and the minimum requirement for the award of the diploma is normally 24 points, provided that specific conditions on Higher Level subjects and core completion are met. IB exams are held in May for most schools and in November for a smaller number of schools, with results released in early July.
IB 的评估由外部统一考试、校内评估作业以及核心任务共同构成。六门科目各按 1 至 7 分计，合计最多 42 分；知识论与扩展论文合并可再加最多 3 分，因此文凭满分为 45 分。获得文凭的最低要求通常为 24 分，但同时必须满足关于高级水平科目成绩与核心任务完成情况的若干具体条件。多数学校在每年五月参加 IB 考试，少数学校在十一月参加，成绩于七月初公布。
IB Total = 6 Subjects (max 42) + Core Bonus (max 3) = 45
4. A Level: Structure and Examination Boards | A Level 的结构与考试局
A Level is the traditional British pre-university qualification, normally studied over two years and split into an AS year and an A2 year. Students usually take three or four subjects and specialise early, which suits candidates who already know their academic direction. In mainland China the most common boards are Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE), Pearson Edexcel, AQA and OCR, and each board sets its own syllabuses and papers. Schools may follow a linear model, in which the full A Level is examined at the end of the second year, or a staged model in which AS results count toward the final grade.
A Level 是英国传统的大学预科资格课程，通常学习两年，分为 AS 与 A2 两个阶段。学生一般只选三到四门科目，专业方向确定得较早，适合已经明确学术兴趣的学生。在中国大陆，最常见的考试局包括剑桥大学国际考评部（CAIE）、培生爱德思（Pearson Edexcel）、AQA 以及 OCR，每个考试局都自行制定教学大纲与试卷。学校可以采用线性模式，在第二年结束时一次性考试；也可以采用分阶段模式，让 AS 的成绩计入最终等级。
5. A Level Grading and University Recognition | A Level 评分与大学认可度
A Level results are reported on a scale from A* down to E, and a pass at grade E is generally the minimum recognised for university entry. The A* grade is awarded only when a candidate reaches a high overall standard and performs strongly in the A2 units, so it is not simply a matter of accumulating marks. CAIE exam series run in May and June as well as October and November, while Edexcel offers several sessions including January for some subjects. A Level is accepted directly by universities in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Singapore and Hong Kong, and many American universities grant credit or advanced standing for strong A Level grades.
A Level 成绩按 A* 到 E 的等级制呈现，其中 E 通常是大学录取所认可的最低及格等级。A* 只在考生整体达到很高水平、且在 A2 单元中表现突出时才会授予，因此并不是简单累积分数就能获得。CAIE 的考试季为每年五至六月以及十至十一月，爱德思的部分科目还设有包括一月在内的多个考试季。A Level 成绩被英国、澳大利亚、加拿大、新加坡、香港等地的大学直接认可，美国许多大学也会为优秀的 A Level 成绩给予学分或免修待遇。
6. AP: Course Design and Examinations | AP 的课程设置与考试
Advanced Placement is not a diploma programme but a collection of individual university-level courses created by the College Board in the United States. There are roughly forty AP subjects across arts, English, history and social sciences, mathematics and computer science, sciences, and world languages. Students choose freely according to their strengths, and schools usually allow them to take three to six AP courses in one academic year. AP examinations are held every May, and because AP is course-based rather than programme-based, a student can enter at any point without committing to a fixed two-year structure.
AP 并不是一个文凭课程，而是美国大学理事会开发的一系列单科大学先修课程。目前 AP 约有四十门科目，覆盖艺术、英语、历史与社会科学、数学与计算机科学、自然科学以及世界语言等门类。学生可以根据自身优势自由选择，学校通常允许学生在一学年内修读三到六门 AP 课程。AP 考试每年五月举行；由于 AP 是课程制而非项目制，学生可以在任何阶段进入，不必承诺固定的两年结构。
7. AP Scoring, Capstone and Diploma Routes | AP 评分、顶石项目与文凭路径
Each AP exam is scored from 1 to 5, and a score of 3 or above is commonly accepted for college credit in the United States, although selective universities often expect 4 or 5. The AP Capstone programme adds a two-year research sequence: AP Seminar and AP Research. Students who earn a score of 3 or higher in both receive the AP Seminar and Research Certificate, while those who pass both plus four additional AP subjects earn the AP Capstone Diploma. The College Board also offers the AP International Diploma, which requires a spread of AP subjects across disciplines plus evidence of language proficiency.
每门 AP 考试按 1 至 5 分计，美国大学普遍接受 3 分及以上换取学分，但竞争激烈的大学往往期待 4 分或 5 分。AP 顶石项目（AP Capstone）另设一项为期两年的研究序列：AP 研讨（Seminar）与 AP 研究（Research）。两门均达到 3 分及以上的学生可获得 AP 研讨与研究证书；若两门通过之外再完成四门 AP 科目，则可获得 AP 顶石文凭。大学理事会还设有 AP 国际文凭，要求申请者在多个学科门类中选修 AP 科目，并提供语言能力证明。
8. The BC Curriculum: Design and Features | BC 课程的设计与特点
The BC curriculum is the provincial programme of British Columbia, Canada, and it is often delivered in China through Sino-Canadian partnership programmes. It covers Grades 10 to 12 and leads to the Dogwood Diploma, the same graduation credential awarded to students in Canada. The design emphasises core competencies, personalised learning and inquiry, and international students usually take a mixture of BC-credited courses in English, mathematics, science, social studies and elective subjects. Because the programme is province-controlled rather than exam-board-controlled, the syllabus and graduation rules are set centrally and revised on a predictable cycle.
BC 课程是加拿大不列颠哥伦比亚省的省级课程，在中国多以中加合作项目的形式落地。它覆盖十至十二年级，毕业时授予 Dogwood 文凭，与加拿大本地学生获得的毕业证书相同。该课程强调核心素养、个性化学习与探究式教学，国际学生通常需要修读英语、数学、科学、社会学等 BC 学分课程以及若干选修课。由于 BC 课程由省政府统一管理而非由考试局管理，其教学大纲与毕业规则都由省教育部制定，并按相对固定的周期修订。
9. BC Graduation Requirements and Assessment | BC 毕业要求与评估
To graduate with the Dogwood Diploma, a student must earn at least 80 credits, of which 48 credits come from required courses, at least 28 from elective courses, and 4 from graduation transition requirements such as Career Life Education and a capstone-style project. Career Life Connections replaced the older Graduation Transitions programme in the 2018 redesign. Provincial assessments now consist of three items: the Grade 10 Numeracy Assessment, the Grade 10 Literacy Assessment and the Grade 12 Literacy Assessment, which replaced the heavier provincial examination system of earlier years. Course marks are reported as percentages and letter grades.
要获得 Dogwood 文凭毕业，学生至少需修满 80 学分，其中 48 学分为必修课学分，不少于 28 学分为选修课学分，另有 4 学分来自毕业过渡要求，例如职业生涯教育以及一项类似顶石的项目。2018 年课程改革后，职业生涯连结（Career Life Connections）取代了此前的毕业过渡项目。省级评估目前由三项构成：十年级计算能力评估、十年级读写能力评估以及十二年级读写能力评估，取代了早些年更繁重的省考体系。课程成绩以百分制与等级同时呈现。
10. Side-by-Side Comparison of the Four Curricula | 四大课程横向对比
The table below summarises the key differences in structure, assessment and scoring. It is worth remembering that no single curriculum is objectively harder or better; the right choice depends on how early a student specialises, how many subjects they can manage, and which countries they intend to apply to.
下表汇总了四种课程在结构、评估与评分上的主要区别。需要提醒的是，没有哪一种课程在客观上更难或更好；正确的选择取决于学生多早确定专业方向、能同时应付多少门科目，以及计划申请哪些国家。
| Item 项目 | IB 文凭 | A Level | AP | BC 课程 |
| Authority 主管机构 | IBO, Geneva | CAIE, Edexcel, AQA, OCR | College Board, US | BC Ministry of Education |
| Structure 结构 | 6 subjects + core | 3-4 subjects, AS + A2 | Individual courses | Grades 10-12, 80 credits |
| Assessment 评估 | Exams + IA + TOK/EE/CAS | Mainly external exams | May exams + coursework | Coursework + 3 provincial assessments |
| Scoring 评分 | 1-7 per subject, max 45 | A* to E | 1-5 | Percentage + letter grade |
| Exam sessions 考试季 | May, November | May/June, Oct/Nov | May | School-based |
11. Leading Shanghai Schools by Curriculum | 上海四大课程的代表性学校
Shanghai has one of the densest concentrations of international schools in Asia. Schools offering the IB Diploma include Shanghai High School International Division, the International Department of Fudan University High School, Shanghai American School, Shanghai Community International School, Concordia International School Shanghai, Yew Chung International School of Shanghai, Dulwich College Shanghai, Wellington College International Shanghai, Shanghai World Foreign Language Academy, Shanghai Pinghe Bilingual School, Shanghai Qibao Dwight High School and the IB centre at Shanghai Jiao Tong University High School. A Level is offered by ULink College Shanghai, Guanghua Cambridge International School, Shanghai Experimental Cambridge Centre, Yew Wah International Education School and Nord Anglia Chinese International School. AP courses are common at Shanghai High School International Division, Shanghai Xinghewan Bilingual School, Shanghai United International School, WLSA Shanghai Academy and several high school international programmes. BC courses are delivered mainly through Sino-Canadian partnerships such as Maple Leaf International School Shanghai and the BC offshore programme associated with Nanyang Model High School. Programme details should always be confirmed with each school directly.
上海是亚洲国际学校最密集的城市之一。开设 IB 文凭课程的学校包括上海中学国际部、复旦大学附属中学国际部、上海美国外籍人员子女学校、上海长宁国际外籍人员子女学校、上海协和国际外籍人员子女学校、上海耀中外籍人员
更多咨询请联系16621398022（同微信）
或截图后用「扫一扫 → 相册」选择本图