IGCSE grades explained

IGCSE uses not one grading system but two — and which one appears on your certificate depends on the board and even the specific syllabus code. That's why "what do IGCSE grades mean?" is a genuinely confusing question. This guide lays out both scales side by side, what each grade actually signals, and how they line up with each other.

Two scales, one qualification

Historically every IGCSE was graded A*–G. Reformed syllabuses now use a numerical 9–1 scale (9 highest), matching UK GCSEs. Both exist at the same time:

Pearson Edexcel International GCSE — fully 9–1.
Cambridge IGCSE — mixed. Many subjects run in both an A*–G version and a parallel 9–1 version with a different syllabus code (e.g. Physics 0625 is A*–G; Physics 0972 is the same content on 9–1). Which one you sit is set by your school and shown by the code on your statement.

The 9–1 scale, grade by grade

9 — the very top; deliberately set above the old A* to single out the strongest candidates.
8 — overlaps the upper part of the old A*.
7 — roughly the old grade A.
6 — upper B.
5 — a "strong pass" (lower B / high C territory).
4 — a "standard pass", roughly the old grade C.
3 — roughly D/E.
2 — roughly E/F.
1 — roughly G; the lowest graded result.
U — ungraded: below the grade 1 threshold, so no grade is awarded.

The A*–G scale, grade by grade

A* — top grade on this scale.
A — excellent.
B — good.
C — the traditional "pass" many institutions look for.
D, E — below a standard pass but still graded.
F, G — the lowest graded results.
U — ungraded.

How the two scales line up

There is no exact one-to-one mapping (the 9–1 scale spreads the top out more), but the working equivalences used across the sector are:

9 ≈ above A* · 8/7 ≈ A*/A · 6/5 ≈ B · 4 ≈ C · 3 ≈ D · 2/1 ≈ E/F/G.

The three anchors worth memorising: 7 ≈ A, 4 ≈ C (standard pass), and 9 sits above the old A*.

Why a grade is never a fixed percentage

A common misconception is that (say) a 7 always means 70%. It doesn't. Each grade is a minimum mark — a grade boundary — set fresh every exam session to keep standards fair when papers are slightly easier or harder. So the percentage behind a grade drifts session to session and differs by subject. If you want the real number for your subject, our grade-to-percentage tables show what each grade actually required in recent sittings, and the how grading works guide explains the raw-mark → boundary → grade pipeline.

Tiers cap the scale

Many subjects are tiered, and the tier limits which grades you can even be awarded:

Cambridge Core — maximum grade C (or 5); Extended — up to A* (or 9).
Edexcel Foundation — maximum grade 5; Higher — up to 9.

So an identical performance can yield different maximum grades depending on the tier entered — see Core vs Extended for how to choose.

Put it into practice

The fastest way to make these grades concrete is to run your own marks through the grade calculator: pick your subject, board and session, enter a total, and see the grade it maps to against the real boundaries — plus the percentage each grade needed that session.

Independent study tool. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to Cambridge Assessment International Education or Pearson Edexcel. Grade boundary figures are sourced from official releases; always confirm with your exam board.