Cambridge (CIE) A Level Biology 9700 Grade Thresholds May/June 2025

In May/June 2025, an A* in Cambridge International A Level Biology (9700) needed 188 out of 260 (72%) for candidates taking all five papers in this series on the variant 2 papers (option AY: 12, 22, 33, 42, 52). An A needed 163 (63%) and an E needed 74 (28%). At AS Level (Papers 12, 22 and 33), an A needed 85 out of 130 (65%).

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 2025

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	26	23	20
Paper 1 Multiple Choice, variant 2 (12)	40	32	27	24	21	18
Paper 1 Multiple Choice, variant 3 (13)	40	32	28	25	22	20
Paper 1 Multiple Choice, variant 4 (14)	40	33	27	24	21	18
Paper 2 AS Structured Questions, variant 1 (21)	60	35	30	24	19	13
Paper 2 AS Structured Questions, variant 2 (22)	60	32	28	23	18	12
Paper 2 AS Structured Questions, variant 3 (23)	60	37	33	28	23	18
Paper 2 AS Structured Questions, variant 4 (24)	60	35	31	26	21	15
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills, variant 1 (31)	40	30	28	25	23	21
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills, variant 2 (32)	40	31	29	26	24	22
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills, variant 3 (33)	40	28	24	21	19	17
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills, variant 4 (34)	40	29	26	24	22	20
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills, variant 5 (35)	40	33	30	28	26	24
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills, variant 7 (37)	40	28	24	21	19	17
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills, variant 8 (38)	40	29	26	24	22	20
Paper 4 A Level Structured Questions, variant 1 (41)	100	66	54	47	39	31
Paper 4 A Level Structured Questions, variant 2 (42)	100	62	52	43	34	24
Paper 4 A Level Structured Questions, variant 3 (43)	100	60	49	42	34	25
Paper 4 A Level Structured Questions, variant 4 (44)	100	62	54	47	39	31
Paper 5 Planning, Analysis and Evaluation, variant 1 (51)	30	19	16	14	12	10
Paper 5 Planning, Analysis and Evaluation, variant 2 (52)	30	16	13	11	9	7
Paper 5 Planning, Analysis and Evaluation, variant 3 (53)	30	21	16	13	11	9
Paper 5 Planning, Analysis and Evaluation, variant 4 (54)	30	16	13	11	10	8
Component 50 (as listed by Cambridge)	75	54	45	38	31	25

A Level options, all five papers in May/June 2025

Option	Papers (components)	Out of	A*	A	B	C	D	E
AC	14, 24, 37, 44, 54	260	191	167	143	123	104	85
AX	11, 21, 31, 41, 51	260	200	175	150	130	110	90
AY	12, 22, 33, 42, 52	260	188	163	138	116	95	74
AZ	13, 23, 35, 43, 53	260	201	175	149	129	109	90
HC	14, 24, 38, 44, 54	260	191	168	145	125	106	87
HX	11, 21, 32, 41, 51	260	199	175	151	131	111	91
HY	12, 22, 34, 42, 52	260	188	164	140	118	97	76

AS Level options, May/June 2025

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	90	80	69	59	49
S2	11, 21, 32	130	90	81	70	60	50
S3	12, 22, 33	130	85	73	63	53	43
S4	12, 22, 34	130	86	75	65	55	45
S5	13, 23, 35	130	94	84	74	65	56
S7	14, 24, 37	130	89	76	66	56	46
S8	14, 24, 38	130	90	78	68	58	48

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
BN1	44, 54, 85	260	185	161	137	118	99	80
BN2	44, 54, 88	260	189	165	141	121	102	83
BX1	41, 51, 84	260	204	181	158	137	116	96
BX2	41, 51, 87	260	205	182	159	138	117	96
BY1	42, 52, 85	260	187	161	135	114	93	72
BY2	42, 52, 88	260	191	165	139	117	96	75
BZ1	43, 53, 86	260	199	175	151	130	109	89
CN1	44, 54, 96	260	188	165	142	121	100	80
CN2	44, 54, 99	260	190	168	146	125	104	83
CP1	43, 53, 94	260	199	172	145	124	104	84
CQ1	41, 51, 95	260	203	177	151	130	110	90
CQ2	41, 51, 98	260	203	177	151	131	111	91
CR1	42, 52, 96	260	190	165	140	117	94	72
CR2	42, 52, 99	260	192	168	144	121	98	75
CX1	41, 51, 94	260	202	176	150	130	110	91
CY1	42, 52, 95	260	194	170	146	124	102	80
CY2	42, 52, 98	260	194	170	146	124	102	81
CZ1	43, 53, 96	260	196	168	140	118	96	75
CZ2	43, 53, 99	260	198	171	144	122	100	78
P1	50	75	–	54	45	38	31	25

How to use these thresholds

1. Sit a May/June 2025 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
• Cambridge 9700 grade thresholds for every series

Source: Cambridge International, Grade thresholds – June 2025, 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.