Help! Anyone have experience with the UK or Australian education system?

[wickerwoman]

I'm freaking out! I have to teach a class in forty minutes on studying abroad and while I'm OK on the American system, it's a lot harder than I expected to google the UK and Australian system.

So can anyone out there bail me out and tell me:

1.) What tests do you need to study at the undergrad and post grad level in the UK and Aust?
2.) Bonus question: what's the difference between the TOEFL and IELTS test and who is required to take which? Is there another English test I'm missing that's sometimes required?
3.) Do overseas students need to take the GCSE? What's an A-level? Do you need them to study in the UK?

Thanks in advance! I'm hopelessly confused and suspect that my students probably know more about this than I do!

[wickerwoman]

1. Screw it. I'll make something up.

Thanks anyway though.

[tjwmason]

2. I know the U.K., but not Australian.

1. There aren't specific "tests" for under-graduate or post-graduate study. Individual universities will set their own requirements.

2. Sorry, I've got no idea.

3. No. G.C.S.E. (General Certificate of Secondary Education) is the exam taken at 16 in England, Wales and N. Ireland - usually pupils will take about 10 of them in various subject. Because they're taken at 16 they're the only formal results which potential students have when they apply for university, they are used (among other criteria, of course) to help judge performance - but those from outside the U.K. would never be expected to have them.

A levels are the exams taken at 18; they sit together with AS levels which are sort of half an A level. Normally an pupil would take abot 3 or 4 A levels, but things have changed a bit since I was at that point. In terms of university entry, results aren't known at the time of application but the school will provide predictions to assist universities. When places are offered to potential students they are usually dependent on getting certain results in the A levels (in my case I had to get grades AAB or better).

They aren't needed at all, as with G.C.S.Es people from outside the U.K. wouldn't be expected to have them. Some means of demonstrating ability would be expected, for students coming to the U.K. from elsewhere the I.B. is a popular choice (a few schools inside the U.K. are starting to use it as well). Many universities are very keen to attract international students, and they tend to be aware of major foreign education systems, and willing to use those systems to establish academic potential given the absence of domestic qualifications.

[wickerwoman]

3. Thanks for your help!

It's useful to me for general purposes anyway.

Cheers!