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What is a private candidate?

Assessments are primarily designed for students who are on courses of study at schools and colleges registered with Cambridge. However, it is recognised that there are students who may not attend Cambridge schools but who wish to enter for assessments. Such individuals are referred to as private candidates.

  • Private candidates must be able to meet the full requirements of any assessment for which they are entered. In particular, where an assessment involves the submission of coursework, students must submit that coursework, which must be authenticated and marked by the school through which entry has been made.
  • Entry for assessment can only be made through a school. It is the responsibility of private candidates to make their own arrangements with a school.
  • It is the responsibility of the school to remit fees for any private candidates accepted by the school. Students may be required by the school through which they make their entry to reimburse the fee and to pay a further fee to cover the cost of supervision and marking of any coursework or other internally-assessed work by the staff of the school.
  • Individuals who have been entered as private candidates are identified separately in summaries of the school's results. The school name will not appear on the certificate issued to private candidates.
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