How many sujects are compulsory in GCSEs?

In England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, there's no fixed number of compulsory GCSE subjects. Students are required to achieve a certain number of GCSEs (or equivalent qualifications) to meet the requirements for further education, but the specific subjects aren't mandated by the government. The requirements are usually set by individual schools or colleges. While English Language and Mathematics are almost universally expected, other subjects are chosen based on the school's curriculum and the student's choices.