Pearson Edexcel exams — series, deadlines & results, demystified.

In two series a year: “International GCSE is offered in May-June (Summer) and November each year.” Pearson ended the January series with January 2023 — “The January 2023 series was the final January series available for International GCSE” — and introduced the November series from November 2023. Every subject is still offered in May–June.

In three series: “International A Level (IAL) is offered in January, May-June (Summer) and October each year.” Pearson adds that “for some subjects, only some units are available in a given series” — in Mathematics, for example, every unit runs in January and June but only P1–P4, M1, M2, S1 and S2 in October.

From Pearson’s Key Dates 2026/2027: IAL October 2026 — 28 August 2026; International GCSE November 2026 — 12 September 2026; IAL January 2027 — 16 October 2026; International GCSE and IAL June 2027 — 21 March 2027 for international centres. Late fees apply from the day after each deadline. Entries are made by the school or centre, so confirm with them.

For 2026/27, results reach students on 21 January 2027 (IAL October 2026 and International GCSE November 2026), 4 March 2027 (IAL January 2027), 12 August 2027 (IAL June 2027) and 19 August 2027 (International GCSE June 2027). Results “become available through ResultsPlus Direct starting at 9am UK time” the day after centres receive them.

Yes. An International GCSE is linear, so a retake means all the written papers again in a later series — coursework can be carried forward. IAL units can each be resat and “the better of their two most recent non-absent attempts” counts, except in IAL Mathematics where the best result ever achieved counts.

Yes, through an approved centre. Pearson: “Private candidates are candidates taking a qualification without being enrolled full time in a centre. They are responsible for their own entries, which must be made through an approved centre. Some qualifications are not available to private candidates.” The student pays the centre’s fees; subjects with coursework may not be open to private candidates.

On qualifications.pearson.com under exam timetables, published per series as “final” timetables — for example the International GCSE November 2026 and IAL January 2027 timetables. Entry deadlines, late-fee dates and results days are in the Key Dates finder and the annual Key Dates document, which Pearson reissues each cycle.