UK ENIC now compares the US GED to GCSE
At UK ENIC, we’ve recently been reviewing our approach to high school equivalency certificates and university entrance exams. This prompted the decision to assess the US GED – an award that is widely accepted for access to undergraduate study in the USA.
As of September 2025, UK ENIC compares the GED to GCSE A*-C/9-4.
The GED is a high school equivalency qualification designed for those who haven’t yet earned a High School Graduation Diploma.
The test itself comprises four compulsory assessments: mathematical reasoning, reasoning through language arts, social studies, and science. Most questions are multiple-choice.
So why compare the GED to GCSE?
This firstly reflects the GED’s function as an alternative to the high school diploma, which UK ENIC already compares to GCSE A*-C/9-4.
Crucially, some states even issue a ‘High School Graduation Diploma’ to those who pass the GED. The exact wording on the certificate varies by state, however.
The inclusion of a compulsory extended-response question was another factor in our decision. This differentiates the GED from the likes of the ACT and SAT, both of which we compare to RQF level 2.
The new comparison also takes into account content overlap with UK GCSEs. ‘Mathematical reasoning’ may be considered broadly comparable to GCSE maths, while ‘reasoning through language arts’ may be considered broadly comparable to GCSE English.
Note that we refer to ‘comparability’ rather than ‘equivalency’ because no two qualifications are the same. The new UK comparison doesn’t imply that the GED is akin to UK GCSEs, but that the knowledge and skills required are broadly similar.
Like the high school diploma, GED content corresponds to components of a GCSE programme, rather than the syllabus in its entirety.
If members have any questions, please contact UK ENIC.