<p>A-Levels and IB are undoubtly the most common examinations used in UK university admissions. However, UK universities do attract a lot of international students from all the world and do recognize international examinations to be valid for entrance.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>SAT &amp; AP or ACT &amp; AP are probably the next most commonly used examination in UK higher education admissions.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>The level of SATs and APs you should have</strong></p><p>The university asks for the following examination performance.</p><p><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/yuQo4toW1zGmXaj3CZPq5eWgi12URrP0SeP7o_UEhxQO6luMUEiXvWbu72b2EUD9rdGOmnmMUNS65dQb434_auVYptUP98xm_JzLX97VNiV3kqmMjQdgSdY_3vdlMhi9plffiGWCZRvmlCnB6Q" alt="SAT%20and%20AP%20score%20-%20Oxford.png"></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/international-students/international-qualifications?wssl=1">www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/international-students/international-qualifications?wssl=1</a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/uZ6U0M5fWZvn4WGlZKXPF6o5x5_BbORSz33rgSrsy4_5B-pUqrPg8za2BRihTGFer9MAIzZEQTS3N3PYasM4Y3voJXKUjFpTGWBSW6KBLLl0X4_4bBvhkPW39D9nZ5b3onOg9GVN86_KXD_v4g" alt="SAT%20and%20AP%20score%20-%20Cambridge.png"></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/usa">www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/usa</a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>But of course these are the minimum and the successful applicants often have a long list of AP qualifications. I have a friend that reads PPE and have taken 11 APs with 5 in each subject. But of course this is an extreme case and most seem to apply with 7-8. There is also the opposite extreme case too where the applicant only has 5 APs but then they have formidable academic records such as Olympiad medals, contribution to a research paper and etc.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>There are those who independently take A-Levels for the sake of following the crowd. Most of successful Chinese applicants at Oxford and Cambridge have taken A-Levels indeed and a very few SAT and APs.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>That may be because a lot of Chinese applicants attend A-Level schools that follow British education system in China but a large number also attend AP schools that follow American education system. I have seen several students from such AP schools who are both applying to UK and US. If you already have fantastic SAT and AP grades, my advice would be not to bother obtaining A-Level grades but directly apply using these.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Having said that, if you grades aren’t that great, it may be worth undergoing A-Level course outside the school and independently take the examination as it is definitely possible to achieve the A* band grades. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Different syllabus content between A-Levels and AP</strong></p><p>There are definitely differences between the two curricula’s syllabus that need to be compensated, mainly in the interview. For example, in chemistry the weightage on organic chemistry is greater in A-Levels than in AP which means that you will need to cover organic chemistry in your own time as organic chemistry is often a big part in the interview.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>FAQ</strong></p><p>I don’t have five grade 5 subjects. Can I still apply?</p><p>Still worth giving a short because Cambridge puts relatively less emphasis on AP but more on its pre-interview assessment, ECAA, and the interview. This can be seen in comparison with LSE admissions which is only based on AP score and personal statement and asks for a lot higher AP grade requirements.</p><p><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/BKbGPwWFxWRzKJ3_7f9D7aSJ5hb5HHhqzZQ1kcctLRN2twuwZaWVG875K2OP-R0aXADDVrCytWdX2JK3aOlWKL1h9S_S7DLwMFyga6G2BjFLk1vCUDYtwHqcLbTLgUCkN6Tj7IqZ" alt="LSE%20AP%20requirement.png"></p>