The International GCSE (IGCSE) qualifications are already widely taken by students in the independent sector in English, maths, science and ICT.
Schools minister Nick Gibb said: "For too long, children in state-maintained schools have been unfairly denied the right to study for qualifications like the IGCSE, which has only served to widen the already vast divide between state and independent schools in this country.
"By removing the red tape, state school pupils will have the opportunity to leave school with the same set of qualifications as their peers from the top private schools, allowing them to better compete for university places and for the best jobs."
But the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) has warned that approving the IGCSE qualification in state schools will lead to confusion.
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