IGCSE Biology
Enrol Anytime | Enrolment Fee £345
Start your journey towards a career in science, healthcare or medicine. Gain a solid foundation in biology by exploring living organisms, human health, genetics and ecology. The course will help you progress to further education, an apprenticeship or seek employment inside or outside of the UK.
- Awarding Bodies: Cambridge & Edexcel Examination Boards
- Learning Hours: 130 Recommended Study Hours
- Flexible Fast Track Available
- Full IGCSE Qualification
Overview
Would you like to progress your education through distance learning? An online International GCSE Biology course can open doors to a rewarding career in Science. The programme with Learn Now provides the same fully recognised qualification you would achieve if attending mainstream college but giving you the flexibility to learn at your own pace.
If you are an adult learner, a student resitting exams, or someone juggling studies with work and family, this could work perfectly. The course is designed to suit many lifestyles and provides at least two exam series per year.
Choose Your Specification
Whether you are based inside or outside the UK, we can offer a variety of internationally recognised examination boards to suit your specific needs:
- Cambridge International CIE 0610(A*-G) or 0970(9-1)
- Pearson Edexcel 4BI1 (9-1)
Get 10% discount when ordering multiple IGCSE courses. Use the coupon code: IGCSE10 at checkout
Enrol Anytime | Enrolment Fee £345
Select your course awarding body from the dropdown below.
Cambridge IGCSE Biology
Specification Code: 0610 (A*-G) or 0970 (9-1)
The Cambridge specification has 21 modules you will need to cover.
Course Content
Characteristics and classification of living organisms
- Characteristics of living organisms
- Concept and uses of classification systems
- Features of organisms
Organisation of the organism
- Cell structure
- Size of specimens
Movement into and out of cells
- Diffusion
- Osmosis
- Active transport
Biological molecules
- Biological molecules
Enzymes
- Enzymes
Plant nutrition
- Photosynthesis
- Leaf structure
Human nutrition
- Diet
- Digestive system
- Physical digestion
- Chemical digestion
- Absorption
Transport in plants
- Xylem and phloem
- Water uptake
- Transpiration
- Translocation
Transport in animals
- Circulatory systems
- Heart
- Blood vessels
- Blood
Diseases and immunity
- Diseases and immunity
Gas exchange in humans
- Gas exchange in humans
Respiration
- Respiration
- Aerobic respiration
- Anaerobic respiration
Excretion in humans
- Excretion in humans
Coordination and response
- Coordination and response
- Sense organs
- Hormones
- Homeostasis
- Tropic responses
Drugs
- Drugs
Reproduction
- Asexual reproduction
- Sexual reproduction
- Sexual reproduction in plants
- Sexual reproduction in humans
- Sexual hormones in humans
- Sexually transmitted infections
Inheritance
- Chromosomes, genes and proteins
- Mitosis
- Meiosis
- Monohybrid inheritance
Variation and selection
- Variation
- Adaptive features
- Selection
Organisms and their environment
- Energy flow
- Food chains and food webs
- Nutrient cycles
- Populations
Human influences on ecosystems
- Food supply
- Habitat destruction
- Pollution
- Conservation
Biotechnology and genetic modification
- Biotechnology and genetic modification
- Biotechnology
- Genetic modification
Students will be required to arrange and pay for their examinations at a CIE approved centre. We can provide an extensive list of these centres for you.
IGCSE Exams
There are three exams for the full qualification. The length of each exam is as follows:Paper 2- 45 min
Paper 4 – 1 hour 15 min
Paper 6 – 1 hour
Course Outcome
On successful completion of all your exams, you will be awarded the following qualification:
International GCSE Biology with CIE
Click here for more information on CIE and to be taken to their official website
Edexcel IGCSE Biology
Specification Code: Specification Code: 4BI1
The Pearson Edexcel specification will help you get a good understanding of the world of living things, from how basic a cell works to the complexities of an ecosystem.
Learners enjoy this course as they learn about things relevant to their lives such as diet and exercise, homeostasis and the environment. They can also understand more about the real facts behind issues like global warming. This specification is graded from 9 to 1.
The programme has five modules you will need to cover.
Course Content
The nature and variety of living organisms
This topic will help us to understand what life is and the different forms it can take. You will consider certain features all living organisms share along with the main groups of organisms (biological classification).
- Characteristics of living organisms
- Variety of living organisms
Structures and functions in living organisms
This topic looks into how living organisms work and how they are structured. You will consider cell structure, biological molecules and movement into and out of cells. Nutrition will help you to understand how organisms get food, digest food and absorb nutrients. You will cover aerobic and anaerobic respiration. Other modules will cover the human circulatory system and structure of a plant. Finally, you will gain an understanding of the nervous system and hormones.
- Levels of organisation
- Cell structure
- Biological molecules
- Movement of substances into and out of cells
- Nutrition
- Respiration
- Gas exchange
- Transport
- Excretion
- Coordination and response
Reproduction and inheritance
This topic will look at both asexual (one parent) and sexual (two parents) reproduction. It will also help explain how different characteristics and genes are passed on from parents to offspring. The topic helps us to understand evolution and survival of species.
- Reproduction
- Inheritance
Ecology and the environment
Organisms have requirements in order to survive. This topic looks into survival factors such as temperature, water and food. You will also gain an understanding of food chains and webs (who eats whom) along with the key roles for producers, consumers and decomposers. Finally, you will look into human influences on the environment such as deforestation, pollution, climate change and overfishing.
- The organism in the environment
- Feeding relationships
- Cycles within ecosystems
- Human influences on the environment
Use of biological resources
This topic will help you to understand the quality and efficiency of agriculture along with ethical and environmental impacts.
- Food production
- Selective breeding
- Genetic modification (genetic engineering)
- Cloning
Students will be required to arrange and pay for their examinations at an Edexcel approved centre. We can provide an extensive list of these centres for you.
IGCSE Exams
There are two exams for the full qualification. The length of each exam is as follows:Paper 1 – 2 hour
Paper 2 – 1 hour 15 min
Course Outcome
On successful completion of all your exams, you will be awarded the following qualification:
International GCSE Biology with Edexcel
Click here for more information about Pearson Edexcel and to be taken to their official website
Enrolment Fees
Our Enrolment fee for this course is noted at the top of this page where you can enrol directly onto the course. This fee includes access to your course including tutor support for 2 years.
Our enrolment fee includes:
- All study materials covering the full specification.
- Full support where you can also message your tutor as many times as you need to.
- Access to our online Library with a full range of eBooks.
- Assignment marking and feedback
- Marked and graded practise examination papers
- Fast Track available if required and flexible learning from home 24/7.
The only other fee you will need to pay is for your exams which is due approximately six months prior and this will be paid directly to the exam centre.
Request More Information about IGCSE Biology
FAQs
Will I find this course hard?
The subject will teach you different biological processes including diffusion, osmosis, enzymes and photosynthesis. At first, these topics may feel daunting, however once you grasp them, you will appreciate this science subject even more. There will be diagrams along with graphs you will need to interpret and scientific methods.
The Biology course will ensure you are confident in all areas by providing resources that cover the full specification and testing your knowledge through carefully planned assignments and exam style questions.
Will I need to buy any books?
You will not be required to purchase any books with this course. We automatically include logins to our online e-Library, which provides access to the following premium eBooks depending on your selected course specification:
Cambridge IGCSE Biology Student Book (Hodder Education) – Mackean, D. G.
Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Biology Student Book (Hodder Education) – Erica Larkcom, Roger Delpech
Don’t see the specific book you are looking for? Ask us, and we will let you know if we have it!
Which subjects should I study alongside this course?
There are several great subjects that pair naturally with biology. Biology will have areas where it overlaps with Chemistry such as enzymes, DNA and photosynthesis. Taking Chemistry will strengthen your scientific knowledge and would support careers in medicine, dentistry and veterinary science.
Maths will help improve your problem-solving skills and help with Biology exam questions. Maths will support pretty much any science career in the future and make the subjects easier to digest.
Where can the subject take me?
GCSEs form a natural progression onto A Level studies, however you may also want to consider some other options too. You could look into a Level 3 apprenticeship which would allow you to earn whilst you learn. Popular apprenticeships could include a laboratory technician or a science manufacturing technician.
If you are based outside the UK, IGCSEs are widely recognised by top Science Universities such as Harvard, Oxford, Stanford and ETH Zurich.
Can I study this course from outside the UK?
Pearson Edexcel and Cambridge (CIE) qualifications can be taken inside and outside the UK. Content within the specification is adapted for international learners and the qualification is comparable to UK GCSE standards.
How long does the course take?
You will receive access and support for two years, however you can complete the course much sooner if you need to. Exams for this subject fall in May/June or October/Novembereach year and therefore you are able to choose which exam sitting you want to apply for. We have more information on exam timetables here.
How does this course compare to a college GCSE?
The International GCSE is taken worldwide rather than just the UK. It is equivalent to a GCSE but is often 100% exam based. See our article IGCSE vs GCSE for more information.
What can I do with IGCSE Biology
The Programme gives learners a solid foundation for further study. Students who achieve grades 9-4 are well prepared to follow a wide range of courses including AS and A’ Level Biology.