The IGCSE grading system
IGCSE runs two grading scales at once, and your grade is never a fixed percentage — it is a raw mark measured against thresholds published after each exam series. This page explains the whole system in order: the scales, how marks turn into grades, what Core and Extended change, where the pass mark sits, and what each grade actually took in the latest session.
The two IGCSE grading scales
Both scales are current, and both appear on certificates issued today. Which one you get is decided by your syllabus code, not by your school or your results.
| 9–1 scale | A*–G scale | What it signals |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | — | Above the old A*; awarded to the strongest candidates only |
| 8 | A* | Exceptional performance |
| 7 | A | Strong; the usual bar for taking a subject on at A-Level |
| 6 | B | Good, solid command of the syllabus |
| 5 | C (high) | Strong pass |
| 4 | C | Standard pass — the grade most requirements are written around |
| 3 | D | Below a standard pass |
| 2 | E | Limited command of the syllabus |
| 1 | F / G | Lowest reported grade |
| U | U | Ungraded — below grade 1 / G, no grade reported |
The 9–1 and A*–G columns line up in standard, not in a one-to-one legal equivalence. The anchor points published when 9–1 was introduced are that a 4 aligns with a C, a 7 with an A, and the bottom of grade 1 with the bottom of a G.
- Pearson Edexcel International GCSE — graded 9–1 across the board.
- Cambridge IGCSE (CAIE) — mixed. Many syllabuses run in both a 9–1 version and an A*–G version, with different syllabus codes for each.
How IGCSE marks become grades, step by step
- Your papers are marked to a raw mark by examiners working to a published mark scheme.
- Marking is standardised — examiners are checked against senior examiners so that the same script scores the same mark regardless of who marks it.
- Component marks are combined using each paper's weighting into one total for the subject.
- Grade thresholds are set for that subject, syllabus and series, after the scripts have been seen — the minimum total mark needed for each grade.
- Your total is compared against those thresholds and you are awarded the highest grade you have reached.
Two consequences follow from step 4, and they explain almost every question students ask about IGCSE marking. First, nobody can tell you the percentage you need in advance — it is confirmed only after the series. Second, a harder paper is compensated by lower boundaries, so a difficult exam does not automatically mean a lower grade.
What each grade actually took — June 2026
Because there is no fixed percentage, the honest answer is to look at the real thresholds. Below is the minimum percentage the top grade and the standard pass required in popular Cambridge subjects in the most recent session we hold, using the Extended tier where a subject is tiered.
| Subject | Top grade | Pass grade | Session |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics (0580) | A* — 81% | C — 45% | June 2026 |
| English (First Language) (0500) | A* — 76% | C — 50% | June 2026 |
| Physics (0625) | A* — 81% | C — 44% | June 2026 |
| Chemistry (0620) | A* — 87% | C — 46% | June 2026 |
| Biology (0610) | A* — 83% | C — 41% | June 2026 |
| English as a Second Language (0510) | A* — 96% | C — 80% | June 2026 |
| Additional Mathematics (0606) | A* — 89% | C — 39% | June 2026 |
| Business Studies (0450) | A* — 60% | C — 32% | June 2026 |
| Economics (0455) | A* — 79% | C — 48% | June 2026 |
| Computer Science (0478) | A* — 78% | C — 31% | June 2026 |
| Information and Communication Technology (0417) | A* — 71% | C — 43% | June 2026 |
| Accounting (0452) | A* — 70% | C — 28% | June 2026 |
Averaged across these subjects, the top grade took about 79% and the standard pass about 44% of the maximum mark. Treat those as orientation, not targets — the figure for your subject and series is the only one that counts.
Core vs Extended: the grading cap
Many Cambridge subjects are tiered, and the tier changes the grades available to you before you write a single word:
- Core — grades C to G on the A*–G scale, or capped at grade 5 on 9–1. Papers are more accessible, and a safe C is easier to reach.
- Extended — grades A* to E, or the full 9–1 range. Harder papers, but nothing above a C / 5 is possible without it.
This is why the same grade can require very different raw percentages on the two tiers: they are different papers with different maximum marks, not the same exam graded twice. Full Core vs Extended comparison →
The IGCSE pass mark
IGCSE has no official "pass" or "fail" — every grade from A*/9 down to G/1 is a reported result, and only U is ungraded. In practice, a grade C or 4 is treated as the standard pass by schools, sixth forms and universities, and a 5 as a strong pass. Where an institution asks for "five IGCSEs including English and Maths", it almost always means at grade C/4 or above.
Why grade boundaries move every session
Boundaries are the mechanism that keeps a grade meaning the same thing over time. Each series, senior examiners review scripts at the borderlines alongside statistical evidence about the cohort, then set thresholds so that the standard required for a grade is comparable with previous years. If a paper turned out harder than intended, thresholds fall; if it was more accessible, they rise. Movements of a few marks between June and November are routine, which is why estimating with the wrong session's table quietly misleads you.
How to read a boundary table → · How predicted grades are set →
Frequently asked questions
- What is the IGCSE grading system?
- IGCSE uses two grading scales that run side by side. Reformed syllabuses are graded 9–1, where 9 is the highest grade and 1 the lowest pass; older and many international syllabuses are graded A*–G, where A* is highest and G the lowest pass. Below the lowest grade is U (ungraded). Which scale you get depends on the board and the specific syllabus code, not on your school.
- How are IGCSE grades calculated?
- Your papers are marked to a raw mark, the marks for every component in the subject are added up using each paper’s weighting, and that total is compared against the grade boundaries published for that exact subject, syllabus and exam series. The boundary you reach is the grade you get. Percentages are never used directly — the boundaries do the work.
- What percentage is a pass in IGCSE?
- There is no fixed percentage. A grade C (or 4) is the standard pass, and across popular Cambridge subjects in June 2026 it landed around 44% of the maximum mark — but it moves every session and every subject, so check your own subject’s boundary table.
- What percentage do you need for an A* or a 9 in IGCSE?
- Across popular Cambridge subjects in June 2026, the top grade needed roughly 79% of the maximum mark on the Extended tier. Harder papers push that figure down and easier papers push it up, which is exactly why boundaries are set after every series rather than fixed in advance.
- Is the Core tier graded differently from Extended?
- Yes. Core papers are capped: on the A*–G scale Core candidates can be awarded C to G only, and on 9–1 they are capped at grade 5. Extended papers open the full range (A*–E or 9–1) but are harder, so the same grade takes a higher standard of work. That cap is the single most important thing to understand before choosing a tier.
- Is IGCSE marked on a curve?
- Not in the strict sense of fixed quotas. Examiners set boundaries each series so that a grade represents the same standard year to year, using statistical evidence alongside senior examiners’ judgement of the scripts. A harder paper gets lower boundaries; that is a difficulty adjustment, not a quota on how many students can get each grade.
- Do Cambridge and Edexcel grade the same way?
- The mechanics are the same — raw marks, weighting, then published thresholds. The scales differ: Pearson Edexcel International GCSE is fully 9–1, while Cambridge IGCSE runs a mix of 9–1 and A*–G depending on the syllabus code and the country you sit it in.
Work out your own grade
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.