IGCSE Grade Boundaries: Cambridge & Edexcel Explained (2026 Guide)

Every August, the same scene plays out in family chats around the world. Results are out. A student stares at a raw mark and a grade and asks one thing: how did one turn into the other? The answer is grade boundaries. And almost nobody explains them in plain words.

This guide does. You'll learn what IGCSE grade boundaries are, how Cambridge and Edexcel set them, why they move every year, and what they actually looked like in 2025. We'll keep the words simple and the numbers honest. It's written by Educifly's IGCSE specialists, who have coached students through Cambridge and Edexcel results since 2018.

Quick answer: what are IGCSE grade boundaries?

IGCSE grade boundaries are the minimum raw marks you need to reach each grade in a subject. Your papers are added into a total score. The exam board then sets a cut-off for every grade. Score above the grade 9 boundary and you get a 9. Land between the grade 6 and grade 7 cut-offs and you get a 6. The same idea works all the way down.

Two things matter most. First, boundaries are not fixed. They change every exam series, for every subject, on both Cambridge and Edexcel. Second, they are set in raw marks, not percentages. A grade 9 might need 78% in Biology but only 86% in Maths, because the papers are different. We'll show you the real 2025 numbers below.

What is a grade boundary, in plain English?

A grade boundary is the lowest mark you can score and still earn a given grade. Think of it like the bar in a high jump. Clear the grade 7 bar and you get a 7. Miss it by a single mark and you get a 6, even if you were one point away.

Here's a simple made-up example. Imagine a subject marked out of 100:

These numbers are invented to show the shape. Real boundaries shift each series, and they are rarely round. But the logic is always the same: a fixed mark opens the door to each grade.

One more point. Your raw mark is not one paper. It's every component of the subject added together. For most IGCSE subjects that means two written papers, sometimes three. The boundary is set on that combined total.

How are IGCSE grade boundaries set?

Exam boards set grade boundaries using a mix of statistics and expert judgment, after every exam series. They do not decide the cut-offs before the exam. They wait until all the papers are marked, then study how students performed.

Here is the process in plain steps. Senior examiners look at real scripts near each possible boundary. They check whether the work at that mark matches the standard expected for that grade. They compare this year's results with past years. They look at the prior attainment of the students who sat the paper. Then they agree the final cut-off for each grade.

Both Cambridge and Edexcel follow this same broad method. The goal is to keep the standard steady from year to year, even when the papers change.

Why do IGCSE grade boundaries change every year?

Boundaries move because exam papers are never exactly the same level of difficulty two years running. A harder paper would punish students if the cut-off stayed fixed. So the board lowers the boundary to balance it out. An easier paper pushes the boundary up.

This is the system trying to be fair, not random. Say last year's Physics Paper 1 was gentle and a 9 needed 145 marks. This year's paper is tougher. If the board kept the cut-off at 145, fewer students would get a 9, just because they drew a harder paper. So the board drops the boundary to maybe 138. A student of the same ability gets the same grade.

The takeaway for your child: don't chase a fixed percentage. Aim to be comfortably above where the boundary usually sits, with marks to spare. That protects you on a hard year.

Cambridge IGCSE grade boundaries explained

Cambridge sets grade boundaries in raw marks for each subject and paper, then publishes them as grade threshold tables after every exam series. Cambridge calls them "grade thresholds", but it means the same thing as grade boundaries.

Cambridge uses two grading scales. The traditional scale runs A* down to G, with A* the highest and U (ungraded) below G. The newer 9–1 scale runs 9 down to 1, with 9 the highest. Most schools worldwide still use A*–G. The 9–1 option is offered in some subjects, mainly for schools that follow the UK pattern. Your school decides which scale it enters you for.

Cambridge does not use a Uniform Mark Scale (UMS) for IGCSE. The grade comes straight from your raw marks against that series' thresholds. For subjects with separate routes, like Core and Extended, each route has its own thresholds. Extended papers aim at the top grades; Core papers cap at a middle grade.

Here is a real Cambridge example. In June 2025, Cambridge IGCSE (9–1) Mathematics 0980, Extended route, was marked out of 200. The thresholds were 9 = 184, 8 = 168, 7 = 152, 6 = 130, 5 = 108, 4 = 86, and 3 = 65. So a top grade 9 needed 184 out of 200, about 92%. A grade 4 needed 86, about 43%. Notice the gap. That's normal for maths.

If maths is your child's worry subject, a specialist IGCSE Maths tutor can turn those raw-mark gaps into a clear plan, paper by paper.

Edexcel IGCSE grade boundaries explained

Edexcel (run by Pearson) sets grade boundaries in raw marks too, and most reformed International GCSE subjects now use the 9–1 scale. Edexcel publishes one grade boundaries document per series that lists the cut-off for every subject in one place.

Edexcel's own definition is clear: a grade boundary is the minimum mark at which a numbered grade between 9 and 1 can be achieved. If the grade 6 boundary is 70, then 70 is the lowest mark that earns a 6. A mark of 69 is a grade 5.

Edexcel International GCSE qualifications are linear. That means all the papers are sat in the same series, and only the overall subject boundary is published in raw marks. Some subjects have tiers. Maths A, for example, has a Foundation tier (grades 5 to 1) and a Higher tier (grades 9 to 3, with a safety-net 2). The tier your child sits sets the range of grades they can reach.

Here are real Edexcel International GCSE boundaries from June 2025:

These are the overall subject cut-offs, added across both papers. Look at the spread. Sciences needed roughly 78–84% for a 9. Higher Maths needed 86% for a 9 but only 22% for a 4, because the Higher paper is built to stretch the top end.

Cambridge vs Edexcel grade boundaries: what's the difference?

The two boards grade the same way in spirit, but differ in scale, tiers, and how they publish the numbers. Both set raw-mark cut-offs after the exam, using statistics and examiner judgment. The differences are in the detail.

If your family is still choosing between the boards, our full guide on Cambridge vs Edexcel IGCSE breaks down the syllabus, exam style, and difficulty side by side.

IGCSE grade boundaries 2025: real subject examples

In 2025, a grade 9 in most science and humanities subjects sat around 75–85% of the total marks, while a standard pass (grade 4) sat near 40–50%. Real numbers beat vague claims, so here are the ones we verified from official 2025 boundary tables.

For Edexcel International GCSE, June 2025:

• Biology needed 140 of 180 for a 9 (about 78%) and 65 for a 4 (about 36%).

• Chemistry needed 151 of 180 for a 9 (about 84%) and 79 for a 4 (about 44%).

• Physics needed 143 of 180 for a 9 (about 79%) and 76 for a 4 (about 42%).

• English Language A needed 113 of 150 for a 9 (about 75%) and 73 for a 4 (about 49%).

For Cambridge IGCSE (9–1) Maths 0980 Extended, June 2025, the grade 9 cut-off was 184 of 200 (about 92%) and the grade 4 was 86 (about 43%).

What does this teach us? A grade 9 almost never needs a perfect score. In sciences, roughly four marks in five is enough. Maths is the outlier, where the very top grade can demand 90% or more. And a "pass" sits far lower than many parents expect.

A quick warning. These are last year's numbers. They are a guide to the usual shape, not a promise for 2026. Always check the official table for your exact subject, paper, and series.

What percentage do you need for each IGCSE grade?

There is no fixed percentage for any IGCSE grade, but the long-run averages give a useful rough guide. Treat the table below as a planning tool, not a rule. The real cut-off is set each series in raw marks.

Use these bands to set targets, then aim a clear margin above the one you want. If your child needs a grade 6 for a sixth-form place, plan to score like a 7. That cushion absorbs a hard paper or a bad day.

Where to find official IGCSE grade boundaries

Always get boundaries from the exam board's own website, never from forums or screenshots. Both boards publish them for free, and the official tables are the only ones that are exact.

For Cambridge, look on the Cambridge International website under the results and grade threshold pages for your subject code and series. Cambridge lists thresholds per paper and per overall syllabus option.

For Edexcel, go to the Pearson qualifications website and open the grade boundaries section. Pearson posts one PDF per series that lists every International GCSE subject in a single document, in raw marks.

A small but important tip: match three things before you read a number. The subject code, the exact paper or route, and the exam series (month and year). A boundary for June is not the same as one for November, and Core is not the same as Extended.

When are IGCSE grade boundaries released?

Grade boundaries come out on or just before results day for each series, because the board needs every script marked first. You cannot see them in advance. They are decided only after marking is finished.

Boundaries are usually published alongside or right after the grades. Cambridge releases June results in mid-August and November results in mid-January. Edexcel releases its June International GCSE results in late August. If you are planning a remark or an appeal, the boundary table tells you how many marks your child sat away from the next grade up. That single fact often decides whether a remark is worth it.

What is a good IGCSE grade?

On the 9–1 scale, a grade 4 is a standard pass and a 5 is a strong pass, while grades 7 to 9 are the marks top schools and universities look for. On the A*–G scale, a C is the equivalent of a 4, and an A or A* lines up with grades 7 to 9.

The two scales connect at three anchor points. Grade 7 sits in line with an old grade A. Grade 4 lines up with the old grade C. Grade 1 matches the old grade G. The 9–1 scale simply splits the top grades more finely. Grade 9 is set above the old A*, so it is rarer and harder to reach than an A* ever was.

For most sixth-form and IB Diploma entries, schools ask for a band of grades, often 5s and above, with 7s in the subjects a student wants to continue. If your child is moving from IGCSE into the IB, our guide on the IGCSE to IB transition shows how those grades line up with IB expectations.

How to use grade boundaries in your revision

Grade boundaries are a revision tool, not just a results-day mystery. Used well, they show you exactly how many marks stand between your child and the next grade. Here is how strong students use them.

Work backwards from the target. Pick the grade your child wants. Find the usual boundary for that grade in that subject. Now you have a clear mark to aim past, not a vague hope.

Mark past papers honestly, then apply real boundaries. Sit a past paper under time. Mark it with the official mark scheme. Then check the grade it would have scored using that series' boundaries. This turns "I think I did okay" into "that was a grade 6, four marks short of a 7".

Hunt the cheapest marks. If your child is four marks below a grade 7, find the four easiest marks to gain. Often that is one full question type, not the whole syllabus. Boundaries make the gap small and specific.

The sciences reward this approach the most, because their boundaries are predictable and the marks are spread evenly. A focused push on lab questions or calculation steps can lift a grade. A specialist IGCSE Chemistry tutor can spot exactly which question types are leaking marks and fix them fast.

If you want a clear picture of which subjects your child even has on their plate, start with our complete list of IGCSE subjects, then map a target grade to each one.

A simple plan for results-anxious families

Grade boundaries feel scary because they sound like a moving goalpost. They are not, once you see the pattern. Cut-offs move within a narrow band each year. Aim a margin above the grade you need, mark real papers against real boundaries, and the system stops feeling like luck.

If you want help turning raw marks into a grade plan, that is exactly what our subject specialists do. We match your child with one tutor who knows their board, their papers, and their boundaries. You can book a free trial class and see the approach before you commit.

Frequently asked questions

What are IGCSE grade boundaries?

IGCSE grade boundaries are the minimum raw marks you need to reach each grade in a subject. The exam board adds up your papers into a total, then sets a cut-off mark for every grade. Score above the cut-off and you earn that grade. They are set fresh for each subject, each series, on both Cambridge and Edexcel.

Are Cambridge and Edexcel grade boundaries the same?

No. The two boards set their own boundaries using their own papers, so the raw marks differ. They use the same broad method, mixing statistics with examiner judgment, but the actual cut-offs are not interchangeable. Cambridge uses A*–G and 9–1 scales; Edexcel mainly uses 9–1 on reformed subjects. Always read the table for your exact board.

Why do IGCSE grade boundaries change every year?

Because exam papers vary in difficulty from year to year. If a paper is harder than usual, the board lowers the boundary so students are not penalised for an unlucky paper. If a paper is easier, the boundary rises. This keeps the standard of each grade steady across years, even when the questions change.

What percentage do you need for a grade 9 in IGCSE?

There is no fixed percentage, but a grade 9 usually needs around 80–90% of the total marks. In June 2025, Edexcel Biology needed about 78% for a 9, while Cambridge Extended Maths needed about 92%. Maths often demands a higher percentage because the papers are built to stretch the strongest students. Always check the exact figure for your subject and series.

What is a pass in IGCSE?

On the 9–1 scale, a grade 4 is the standard pass and a grade 5 is a strong pass. On the A*–G scale, a grade C is the equivalent pass mark. Many schools and sixth forms ask for grades 5 and above. The exact pass needed depends on what your child wants to study next.

How do 9–1 grades compare to A*–G grades?

The two scales line up at three points. Grade 7 matches an old grade A. Grade 4 matches an old grade C. Grade 1 matches an old grade G. The 9–1 scale splits the top end into more grades, so grade 9 sits above the old A* and is harder to reach.

Where can I find official IGCSE grade boundaries?

Get them from the exam board directly. Cambridge publishes grade threshold tables on the Cambridge International website. Edexcel posts a grade boundaries PDF for each series on the Pearson qualifications website. Match the subject code, the paper or route, and the exact series before you read any number. Avoid forums and screenshots, which are often wrong or out of date.

When are IGCSE grade boundaries released for 2026?

Boundaries come out on or near results day, after all marking is done. Cambridge releases June 2026 results on 18 August 2026, and Edexcel releases its June 2026 International GCSE results on 20 August 2026. November and January series results land in mid-January and March. You cannot see the boundaries before these dates.

Do harder IGCSE papers mean lower grade boundaries?

Yes. When a paper is harder than usual, the board lowers the grade boundaries to balance it. This protects students from getting a lower grade just because they sat a tougher paper. The reverse is also true: an easier paper pushes the boundaries up. This is why you should aim for a margin above the grade you want.

Is a grade 9 harder to get than an A*?

Yes. Grade 9 was designed to sit above the old A*, so it is awarded to a smaller group of top students. An A* on the old scale lines up between grades 8 and 9. So a 9 is a step beyond what an A* used to demand. It rewards the very strongest performances.

How can grade boundaries help my child revise?

They turn a vague goal into a clear target. Find the usual boundary for the grade your child wants, then mark real past papers against real boundaries. This shows exactly how many marks stand between them and the next grade. Often the gap is one question type, not the whole course. A specialist tutor can target those few marks quickly.

What happens if my child is one mark below a boundary?

They get the lower grade, even by one mark. Boundaries are firm lines. But that one mark is also the strongest case for a remark. The boundary table shows precisely how close they were. If a single mark stands between two grades, asking the board for a review of marking is often worth it.