West African Senior School Certificate Examination
The West African Senior School Certificate Examination is a type of standardized test in West Africa. Students who pass the exam receive a certificate confirming their graduation from secondary education. It is administered by the West African Examinations Council. It is only offered to candidates residing in Anglophone West African countries. The academic school-leaving qualification awarded upon successful completion of the exams is the West African Senior School Certificate.
The WASSCE tests four core subjects—English Language, Mathematics, Civic Education, plus an additional core subject in the student's field — and three or four elective subjects.
The examinations
There are two types of WASSCE examinations:- WASSCE for School Candidates is the Senior School Certificate Examination for school candidates. It is taken by final year students in senior secondary schools who are currently students of schools. This examination is offered during the summer, and the results are available by August.
- WASSCE for Private Candidates , also known as General Certificate Examination or WAEC GCE, is a private examination where students do not need to be currently enrolled in a senior secondary school. This examination is offered during early spring or autumn, and it is usually taken by secondary school leavers who want to correct deficiencies in their results. The results are available by March or December, usually 45 days after the last paper has been written.
Grading system
Below is a breakdown of the grading system and the points to screen prospective first-year undergraduate students as of 2021.
| Grade | Numerical Equivalent | Points | Remark |
| - | |||
| A1 | 75-100 | 8 | Excellent |
| B2 | 70-74 | 7 | Very Good |
| B3 | 65-69 | 6 | Good |
| C4 | 60-64 | 5 | Credit |
| C5 | 55-59 | 4 | Credit |
| C6 | 50-54 | 3 | Credit |
| D7 | 45-49 | 0 | Pass |
| E8 | 40-44 | 0 | Pass |
| F9 | 0-39 | 0 | Fail |
The least obtainable passing grade is a C6. Candidates with a D7 and lower, especially in Mathematics and English language, are advised to retake the exam if they wish to pursue tertiary education in a degree-granting institution.
Official guidelines for university admission
Candidates are advised that they will be required to satisfy not only the university's general entrance requirements but also the requirements of the particular faculty which they wish to enter and that these requirements vary considerably. Particulars of entrance requirements and exemption regulations may be obtained from the universities or professional bodies concerned.Nigeria
Nigerian senior secondary school students can take either the WASSCE or the National Examination Council exam.Students who choose to study in Nigerian universities are required to sit the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, an entrance examination administered by the state-owned Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board.