AICE Program/Diploma
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 during grades 9, 10, 11, and 12 in worldwide schools registered as CIE Centers. (Please note that AICE Diploma candidates must complete their exams within a three year period.)
AICE advanced level courses are equivalent to those of Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB). Furthermore, graduating with the AICE Diploma makes students more competitive in the college application process. Passing several AICE exams can lead to advanced standing at the college level.
AICE Curriculum
Students completing the AICE Curriculum are eligible to use a different set of graduation requirements. This requires them to take several AICE courses and their associated exams, but also provides many benefits. All AICE courses are weighted at +1 when they are entered into the GPA; for example, an A goes into the calculation as a 5 instead of a 4 and C goes in as a 3 instead of a 2.
Please note that students who do not finish the curriculum are subject to all regular high school graduation requirements.
Students must complete seven courses – one each from categories one through three, an additional three from any category, and Global Perspectives AS. Cambridge uses AS and A to describe coursework level. This is usually described as AS being Level 1 and A being Level 2. The table below shows the categories and the courses we plan to offer in each one during the 23-24 school year.
Group 1: Mathematics & Science
AICE Marine Science AS
AICE Environmental Management AS
Group 2: Language Arts
English Language AS
Spanish Language AS
Group 3: Arts & Humanities
AICE Psychology AS
Digital Media & Design AS
Group 4:
English General Paper AS
Global Perspectives AS
Thinking Skills AS
- Exempt from SAT/ACT requirement
- Automatic Eligibility for Bright Futures Scholarship
AICE Exams
Each AICE course has an exam associated with it. These are typically taken in late April and early May. Students receive college credit for each AICE exam that they pass. These exams are accepted for credit at all public (and most private) colleges and universities in Florida; if you leave Florida or attend a private school, you will need to reach out to that institution to see if they accept AICE exams for credit.
It should be noted that these exams are essay-based, with some having project, presentation, or practical components. Students must have a very in-depth study of the course content and are unlikely to pass unless they engage in intense studying outside of school as well as inside. A student’s ability to score high on multiple choice exams with little preparation does not translate well to these exams.
The exams are graded on a scale of A-E and U. All grades except U are passing grades.
AICE Diploma
Students who pass seven exams and meet the requirements outlined in the curriculum (Global Perspectives is mandatory), are eligible for the AICE Diploma. This is a prestigious award and exempts students from the test score requirement for Bright Futures.