Education in Sri Lanka: school stages, GCE O/L and A/L, and university admission
A factual overview of Sri Lankan schooling, the GCE Ordinary and Advanced Level examinations, the Z-score used by the University Grants Commission and the other routes after school.
In short
Sri Lanka has a long record of free public education, and the system is built around two national examinations taken near the end of secondary school. Both are run by the Department of Examinations. The second of them, the GCE Advanced Level, is the gateway to the state universities, where selection is made by the University Grants Commission, usually called the UGC. Places are limited, so competition for the most sought-after degrees is strong.
School stages
Education is compulsory for children from the age of five to the age of sixteen. The stages most families talk about are:
- Primary: Grades 1 to 5. At the end of Grade 5 pupils may sit the Grade 5 scholarship examination, which is used to award places and bursaries at schools of their choice.
- Junior secondary: Grades 6 to 9, taught in the national curriculum.
- Senior secondary: Grades 10 and 11, which prepare students for the GCE Ordinary Level examination, known as the O/L.
- Collegiate level: Grades 12 and 13, which prepare students for the GCE Advanced Level examination, known as the A/L.
Most government schools teach in Sinhala or Tamil, and many also offer English-medium classes. International schools follow other curricula, and some use Cambridge qualifications such as IGCSE, with the Cambridge A-Level at the end of school.
The GCE O/L and A/L
The Ordinary Level is taken at the end of Grade 11. Students sit a set of core subjects, such as the first language, mathematics, science, history and religion, together with optional subjects. A good result in the core subjects is needed to enter the A/L classes.
The Advanced Level follows two years later. Students choose a stream and then three subjects within it. The main streams are:
- Physical Science, which includes combined mathematics, physics and chemistry.
- Biological Science, with biology, chemistry and physics or agricultural science.
- Commerce, with subjects such as accounting, business studies and economics.
- Arts, with a wide choice of humanities and languages.
- Technology, which includes subjects linked to engineering and bio-systems.
Besides the chosen subjects, all candidates take General English and a Common General Test, which tests general knowledge and reasoning.
University admission
State universities in Sri Lanka do not charge tuition fees for undergraduate degrees, but the number of places is small compared with the number of candidates. The UGC allocates places using the Z-score. This is a statistical value that compares a student's mark in each subject with the marks of all other students who sat the same subject that year, so that subjects of different difficulty can be compared. The UGC publishes, every year, a list of the cut-off values for each degree programme and district, and it also runs a district quota system so that students from many parts of the country can enter.
Students who do not receive a state university place have other routes. They can study at private higher education institutes, at the Open University, at vocational and technical colleges, or abroad. Many choose degrees that are awarded by overseas universities and delivered locally.
Studying in Sri Lanka
Sinhala and Tamil are the official languages, and English is widely used in higher education and business. Students move between languages as they progress, so a good command of English is valuable in the sciences and in commerce.
A study plan that suits the Sri Lankan route:
- Start the A/L syllabus in Grade 12 with a clear weekly timetable, because the syllabus is long and the final exam covers both years.
- Use past papers from the Department of Examinations for every subject, and learn how structured and essay questions are marked.
- For Physical Science, practise combined mathematics problems every day, since the technique needs repetition.
- For Biological Science, build diagrams and tables for each system of the body, and revise by drawing them from memory.
- Prepare the Common General Test and General English early, as they are compulsory and are easy to neglect beside the main subjects.
- Rest properly in the final weeks, because a calm mind helps in long written papers.
Many students also attend tuition classes after school, which can help, but self-study with past papers is the habit that matters most.
Preparing with GetMyMockTest
GetMyMockTest offers free practice in English for the exams below. Check the official format with each organiser.
- GCE Advanced Level (Sri Lanka): practice questions in the style of the A/L subjects, in English.
- Cambridge IGCSE: practice for students in international schools.
- Cambridge A-Level: practice for students who take the Cambridge route.
- IELTS: free English-language practice for students who plan to study abroad.
- SAT: free practice for students who apply to universities that ask for it.
Every question, explanation, mock test and flashcard deck is free.