International A Level tutors need to know more than their subject. They need to know their student’s board, because Cambridge International and Pearson Edexcel structure A Levels very differently. Edexcel’s modular units, January and October sessions and unit resits create a different tutoring rhythm from Cambridge’s paper-based AS and A Level. This guide is for tutors deciding which International A Level board to list. It compares the two from a tutor’s point of view, shows demand on Tutopiya by subject, and explains how to plan lessons around each board’s calendar.

Key takeaways

• Edexcel International A Levels (IAL) are modular, with units sat in January, June and October and individual unit resits.
• Cambridge International AS & A Levels are paper-based, with AS and A2 components taken in one series or across years.
• On Tutopiya, Edexcel IAL led for Chemistry, Cambridge led for Economics, and Physics and Maths were close.
• Always ask which units or papers a student sits next, because it shapes your lesson plan.
• You keep 100% of your rate. Tutopiya’s commission is added on top.

How do Cambridge and Edexcel International A Levels differ?

Both are international versions of UK A Levels, taken at around 17–18 and used for university entry worldwide. The biggest difference for tutors is modularity. Edexcel IAL is built from units that students can sit, and resit, across several sessions. Cambridge International AS & A Level is assessed through papers. Students can take AS first and complete A Level later, but there are fewer sessions.

	Cambridge International AS & A Level	Pearson Edexcel International A Level
Structure	Papers (for example Paper 1–5 in sciences)	Units (for example Units 1–6 in sciences; P1–P4, M1, S1 in maths)
Exam sessions	June and November (plus March in India)	January, June, October
Resits	Resit papers in a later series	Resit individual units
Practical assessment (sciences)	Hands-on practical paper plus a planning paper	Written practical-skills units
Grading	A*–E	A*–E

Specifications are on Cambridge International’s AS & A Level pages and Pearson’s International A Level pages.

Where does International A Level demand come from?

Between March and early June 2026, Tutopiya’s International A Level trial requests looked like this:

Subject	Edexcel IAL	Cambridge A Level	Main student locations
Chemistry	17	5	UAE, Pakistan (Edexcel); Malaysia (Cambridge)
Physics	13	16	UAE, Pakistan (Edexcel); Mozambique, South Africa (Cambridge)
Maths	10	10	UAE, Uzbekistan (Edexcel); Singapore, Pakistan (Cambridge)
Economics	3	13	Singapore, Malaysia, UAE (Cambridge)
Biology	9	Fewer	UAE, Pakistan, Nigeria (Edexcel)

See every subject we’re hiring for on the Edexcel International A Level tutor jobs hub and the Cambridge International A Level tutor jobs hub.

How the exam calendar changes your tutoring

	Edexcel IAL student	Cambridge A Level student
Typical year	Two or three unit sessions, so revision peaks several times a year	One main series (June or November)
Resits	Common; focused tutoring on one unit	Less frequent; whole-paper preparation
Planning	Map lessons to the next unit’s date	Map lessons to AS or full A Level papers
Tutor rhythm	Shorter, intense blocks	Longer, steadier preparation

Edexcel’s January and October sessions mean demand for IAL tutors spikes outside the usual May–June peak. If you’re available then, list it.

How to prepare for a new International A Level board: step by step

1. Ask what the student sits next: the board, unit or paper, and the session.
2. Download the specification and the unit or paper list for your subject.
3. Work through two recent papers or units and mark them.
4. Read the latest examiner report for those papers.
5. Update your profile with the exact board and units or papers, for example “Edexcel IAL Chemistry Units 1–6”.
6. Build a session-based plan you can share with parents in a trial.

A sample term plan for each board

Families booking A Level tutors usually want to see a plan. Here’s how one term might look for each board:

1. Edexcel IAL Chemistry student sitting Unit 4 in January: weeks 1–6 cover Unit 4 content topic by topic; weeks 7–9 are past papers for Unit 4; week 10 is a timed mock and review; then planning for the June units.
2. Cambridge A Level Chemistry student sitting Paper 4 in June: autumn term builds A2 content steadily; spring term mixes content with topic papers; the final eight weeks are full papers, including Paper 5 planning practice.

Share a plan like this in your first regular lesson. It reassures parents and helps you agree priorities with the student.

How tutoring with Tutopiya works

Tutopiya is a 1-on-1 online tutoring platform for Cambridge IGCSE, Edexcel IGCSE, IB and International A Level students. You set your starting hourly rate when you create your profile and keep all of it, because Tutopiya’s 40–50% commission is added on top and paid by the student. Later rate changes are requested through Tutopiya, which approves them at its discretion. You add free slots, Tutopiya converts time zones and matches students to you, and you’re paid on the 15th of each month for the previous month’s lessons. Trial lessons last an hour and are unpaid. Every plan (SGD 10/month, SGD 20 for 3 months or SGD 90/year) includes Microsoft Teams, past papers, learning resources, AI tools and free teacher training. See the Tutopiya Become a Tutor page.

Common mistakes International A Level tutors make

• Not asking which unit is next. Edexcel students may be on different units at the same time.
• Using the wrong board’s papers. Question style differs.
• Ignoring practical components. Planning papers and practical-skills units are trainable marks.
• Missing January and October demand. Open slots then if you teach Edexcel.
• A vague profile. List the board and the papers or units you teach.

Talk to us

For subject detail, read our guides to becoming an online A-Level chemistry tutor and becoming an online A-Level physics tutor. For the IGCSE comparison, see Cambridge vs Edexcel IGCSE for tutors. Questions? Contact our team.

Frequently asked questions

What's the main difference between Cambridge and Edexcel International A Levels for a tutor? +

Edexcel International A Levels are modular: students sit units across January, June and October sessions and can resit individual units. Cambridge International AS & A Levels are assessed through papers, with AS and A Level that can be taken in the same series or across years. Tutors plan lessons around different exam calendars.

Which International A Level board has more demand on Tutopiya? +

It depends on the subject. Between March and early June 2026, Edexcel led for Chemistry (17 requests vs 5) and was close for Physics and Maths. Cambridge led for Economics (13 vs 3). Edexcel demand was concentrated in the UAE and Pakistan.

Do I need A Level teaching experience to tutor International A Levels? +

It's strongly preferred. A Level is demanding, and families expect tutors who know the specification, paper style and mark schemes. Strong graduates and top A Level students can also apply, but should practise recent papers for their board first.

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