Students search for "grade thresholds" every exam season, often hoping for a fixed number of marks for an A. There isn't one, and understanding why helps you use the tables properly.
What a grade threshold is
A grade threshold is the minimum raw mark needed for each grade in a particular syllabus, in a particular exam series. Cambridge sets these thresholds after the papers are marked.
Why thresholds change
Every paper is different. If one series' paper is harder, the thresholds for that series are usually lower, so that the same grade represents the same standard of work. That is why a threshold from one year cannot tell you exactly what you will need next time.
Where to find them
Cambridge International publishes the tables for each exam series on its website, by qualification and syllabus:
Always check you are reading the right syllabus code (for example 4024, 4037 or 9709) and the right series.
How to use them well
- As a rough guide when marking your own practice papers, to see which grade band your score falls in.
- Not as a target. Aim to understand every topic, not to scrape past a line. Thresholds move, but the standard behind them does not.
The most reliable way to raise your grade is to find the topics that cost you marks and fix them. Our free exam practice and step-by-step questions are a good place to start.