Accreditation of UWC Degrees in Trinidad & Tobago

UWC Colleges Offering the International Baccalaureate Diploma

Eleven of the United World Colleges offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB). The IB is an international secondary school diploma and one of the most widely recognised qualifications for entry to universities worldwide (at present universities in 110 countries do so, including the University of the West Indies).

Applicants selected by UWC National Committees and Selection Contacts for the UWC will usually have completed ten or eleven years of education and be aged 16-17. In Trinidad & Tobago this means that the applicant will have completed their CXC examinations.

The IB Diploma is equivalent to years/grades 12 and 13 in most national educational systems. In Trinidad & Tobago it means that the IB would be equivalent to "A-Levels". Eight Colleges offer only the two-year programme; the UWC of South East Asia and Waterford KaMhlaba UWC of Southern Africa also cater for younger students. Further information about the IB curriculum can be found in separate documentation and at the International Baccalaureate Organisation website: www.ibo.org.

The academic year in the Colleges runs from August/September to May/June, with the exception
of Waterford KaMhlaba UWC where the year starts in January. The Colleges operate with either
two or three terms, allowing for at least one longer holiday period every year.

Simón Bolívar UWC of Agriculture

Simón Bolívar UWC offers a three-year tertiary diploma programme for students aged 18-21. Students study for the widely recognised Higher Technician's Diploma in Farm Administration (Titulo de Tecnico Superior en Administracion de Fincas), a vocational qualification validated by the Venezuelan Ministry of Education. The academic year commences in October.

The curriculum is not designed as a step towards further university education: the SB Diploma is a tertiary qualification in its own right and for Graduates who will seek work in farm management after graduating, The programme can offer a good base for further agricultural studies, but applicants planning further university studies after Simón Bolívar are advised to check whether their intended university will accept the SB Diploma.

The T&T National Committee is currently working to clarify the equivalence and status of the Diploma in Trinidad & Tobago. At present UWI is accepting graduates into its Agriculture Degree Programme, giving them 1 or 2 years credit, depending on specific details of courses taken and grades obtained. Further clarification is being sought.