Cambridge (CIE) A Level Biology 9700 Grade Thresholds May/June 2023

In May/June 2023, an A* in Cambridge International A Level Biology (9700) needed 195 out of 260 (75%) for candidates taking all five papers in this series on the variant 2 papers (option AY: 12, 22, 33, 42, 52). An A needed 171 (66%) and an E needed 83 (32%). At AS Level (Papers 12, 22 and 33), an A needed 87 out of 130 (67%).

All numbers are taken from Cambridge's own grade threshold table for the series (linked at the bottom). Thresholds for each paper are raw marks. Thresholds for each option are out of the weighted total: 260 for the full A Level and 130 for AS Level. Your grade depends on your option, which is set by the paper variants you sat, so check the variant numbers on the front of your papers.

Grade thresholds for each paper, May/June 2023

Raw marks. Grade A* does not exist for an individual paper.

Paper (component)	Out of	A	B	C	D	E
Paper 1 Multiple Choice, variant 1 (11)	40	32	29	25	22	19
Paper 1 Multiple Choice, variant 2 (12)	40	26	22	19	17	15
Paper 1 Multiple Choice, variant 3 (13)	40	29	26	23	21	18
Paper 2 AS Structured Questions, variant 1 (21)	60	39	34	28	20	14
Paper 2 AS Structured Questions, variant 2 (22)	60	38	33	27	21	16
Paper 2 AS Structured Questions, variant 3 (23)	60	41	36	31	25	19
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills, variant 1 (31)	40	32	29	25	22	19
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills, variant 2 (32)	40	33	31	27	25	21
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills, variant 3 (33)	40	31	28	25	22	19
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills, variant 4 (34)	40	32	29	26	24	20
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills, variant 5 (35)	40	31	29	26	24	22
Paper 4 A Level Structured Questions, variant 1 (41)	100	67	56	49	41	33
Paper 4 A Level Structured Questions, variant 2 (42)	100	64	54	46	37	28
Paper 4 A Level Structured Questions, variant 3 (43)	100	64	54	46	37	28
Paper 5 Planning, Analysis and Evaluation, variant 1 (51)	30	21	17	15	13	11
Paper 5 Planning, Analysis and Evaluation, variant 2 (52)	30	20	17	14	12	10
Paper 5 Planning, Analysis and Evaluation, variant 3 (53)	30	22	19	16	14	12
Component 50 (as listed by Cambridge)	75	54	45	38	31	25
Component 60 (as listed by Cambridge)	75	54	47	39	32	24

A Level options, all five papers in May/June 2023

Option	Papers (components)	Out of	A*	A	B	C	D	E
AX	11, 21, 31, 41, 51	260	208	183	158	135	113	91
AY	12, 22, 33, 42, 52	260	195	171	147	125	104	83
AZ	13, 23, 35, 43, 53	260	201	179	157	136	115	94
HX	11, 21, 32, 41, 51	260	209	184	159	137	115	93
HY	12, 22, 34, 42, 52	260	196	172	148	126	105	84

AS Level options, May/June 2023

Papers 1, 2 and 3; out of 130. There is no A* at AS Level.

Option	Papers (components)	Out of	A	B	C	D	E
S1	11, 21, 31	130	95	85	72	59	47
S2	11, 21, 32	130	96	86	73	61	49
S3	12, 22, 33	130	87	76	65	55	45
S4	12, 22, 34	130	88	77	66	56	46
S5	13, 23, 35	130	93	84	74	64	54

Other options (staged A Level and A Level only)

The rest of Cambridge's table, exactly as Cambridge lists it. Most of these are staged A Level options, which combine this series' Papers 4 and 5 with AS marks carried forward from an earlier series (the components numbered 75 and above), and A2-only options.

Option	Papers (components)	Out of	A*	A	B	C	D	E
BX1	41, 51, 84	260	209	182	155	132	110	88
BX2	41, 51, 87	260	207	180	153	130	107	85
BY1	42, 52, 85	260	186	162	138	116	94	73
BY2	42, 52, 88	260	188	164	140	118	96	74
BZ1	43, 53, 86	260	203	179	155	132	110	88
CP1	43, 53, 94	260	194	172	150	128	106	85
CQ1	41, 51, 95	260	205	175	145	124	103	83
CQ2	41, 51, 98	260	204	174	144	123	102	81
CR1	42, 52, 96	260	188	166	144	123	102	81
CR2	42, 52, 99	260	186	164	142	121	100	79
CX1	41, 51, 94	260	198	174	150	129	109	89
CY1	42, 52, 95	260	199	171	143	121	99	77
CY2	42, 52, 98	260	198	170	142	119	97	75
P1	50	75	–	54	45	38	31	25
P2	50, 60	150	124	108	92	77	63	49
P3	60, 80	150	128	114	100	84	69	54

How to use these thresholds

1. Sit a May/June 2023 paper timed, then mark it strictly with its mark scheme.
2. Find your paper and variant in the first table to see roughly which grade your raw mark reached.
3. Read the examiners' report for every question where you dropped marks.

Thresholds move between series and between variants as papers get harder or easier. See how they compare across every series.

Practise with this series

• Cambridge (CIE) A Level Biology 9700 past papers and mark schemes
• May/June 2023 examiners' report (PDF)
• Cambridge 9700 grade thresholds for every series

Source: Cambridge International, Grade thresholds – June 2023, Biology (9700) (PDF). © Cambridge University Press & Assessment.

One-to-one Cambridge 9700 lessons with a teacher of 30 years' experience, built around your papers. Book a one-to-one lesson.