Why thresholds change every series
Every exam paper is different. If a paper turns out harder than usual, Cambridge lowers the marks needed for each grade; if it is easier, the thresholds rise. This keeps a grade worth the same from one year to the next.
So there is no fixed percentage for an A*. It depends on the subject, the paper and the series you sat.
Why the same subject has several thresholds
- Variants: Cambridge sets different versions of a paper for different time zones, and each version has its own thresholds.
- Options: students take different combinations of papers (for example Paper 2 with Paper 4). Each combination has its own threshold for each grade.
- Core and Extended: in IGCSE subjects with two tiers, Core and Extended have separate thresholds. Core candidates can achieve up to grade C; Extended candidates can achieve A* to E.
How to read a threshold table
- Find the table for your syllabus code (for example 0625 for IGCSE Physics) and your exam series.
- The first part lists each paper (component) with its maximum mark and the mark for each grade on that paper.
- The second part lists each option, meaning the combination of papers, with the total marks needed for each grade. This is the line that decides your overall grade.
- Your school's exams officer can tell you which variant and option you were entered for.
Example: Cambridge's IGCSE Physics 0625 June 2026 grade threshold table (PDF). For any other subject, search for its syllabus code with “June 2026 grade threshold table”.
Using thresholds when you practise
After you sit a past paper, mark it with the official mark scheme, then look up the grade thresholds for that same series and variant. That tells you which grade your score would have earned.
Check several series rather than one, because thresholds move. And aim comfortably above the A or A* threshold, not exactly at it, to leave a margin for a harder paper.
Grades for each Cambridge qualification
| Qualification | Grades |
|---|---|
| Cambridge IGCSE | A* to G (Core papers: up to C) |
| Cambridge O Level | A* to E |
| Cambridge AS Level | a to e |
| Cambridge A Level | A* to E |
Some IGCSE subjects also have a separate syllabus graded 9 to 1, with its own code (for example Mathematics 0980).