Cambridge (CIE) A Level Biology 9700 Grade Thresholds October/November 2025

In October/November 2025, an A* in Cambridge International A Level Biology (9700) needed 191 out of 260 (73%) for candidates taking all five papers in this series on the variant 2 papers (option AY: 12, 22, 33, 42, 52). An A needed 169 (65%) and an E needed 80 (31%). At AS Level (Papers 12, 22 and 33), an A needed 89 out of 130 (68%).

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, October/November 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	28	26	23	20	17
Paper 1 Multiple Choice, variant 2 (12)	40	30	27	23	21	17
Paper 1 Multiple Choice, variant 3 (13)	40	29	27	23	20	16
Paper 1 Multiple Choice, variant 4 (14)	40	31	28	24	21	17
Paper 2 AS Structured Questions, variant 1 (21)	60	40	33	27	21	16
Paper 2 AS Structured Questions, variant 2 (22)	60	39	32	27	21	15
Paper 2 AS Structured Questions, variant 3 (23)	60	34	27	23	19	14
Paper 2 AS Structured Questions, variant 4 (24)	60	37	30	25	20	14
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills, variant 1 (31)	40	29	26	24	22	20
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills, variant 3 (33)	40	27	25	22	19	17
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills, variant 4 (34)	40	29	27	23	20	17
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills, variant 5 (35)	40	27	25	22	19	17
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills, variant 6 (36)	40	25	22	20	18	16
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills, variant 7 (37)	40	27	25	22	19	17
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills, variant 8 (38)	40	25	22	20	18	16
Paper 4 A Level Structured Questions, variant 1 (41)	100	62	53	46	38	29
Paper 4 A Level Structured Questions, variant 2 (42)	100	60	52	44	35	25
Paper 4 A Level Structured Questions, variant 3 (43)	100	62	53	46	38	29
Paper 4 A Level Structured Questions, variant 4 (44)	100	62	53	46	39	31
Paper 5 Planning, Analysis and Evaluation, variant 1 (51)	30	23	19	16	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	23	19	16	13	11
Paper 5 Planning, Analysis and Evaluation, variant 4 (54)	30	22	19	16	13	11

A Level options, all five papers in October/November 2025

Option	Papers (components)	Out of	A*	A	B	C	D	E
AX	11, 21, 31, 41, 51	260	199	175	151	130	109	88
AY	12, 22, 33, 42, 52	260	191	169	147	124	102	80
AZ	13, 23, 35, 43, 53	260	191	168	145	124	103	83
HC	14, 24, 38, 44, 54	260	195	171	147	126	105	85
HY	12, 22, 34, 42, 52	260	194	171	148	125	102	80
HZ	13, 23, 36, 43, 53	260	191	167	143	122	102	82

AS Level options, October/November 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	79	68	58	48
S3	12, 22, 33	130	89	78	67	56	45
S4	12, 22, 34	130	91	79	67	56	45
S5	13, 23, 35	130	83	73	63	53	43
S6	13, 23, 36	130	82	71	61	51	42
S7	14, 24, 37	130	88	77	66	55	44
S8	14, 24, 38	130	87	75	64	53	43

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
BC1	44, 54, 62	260	198	173	148	128	108	88
BC2	44, 54, 63	260	198	174	150	130	110	90
BS1	41, 51, 86	260	202	179	156	136	116	96
BT1	42, 52, 84	260	191	170	149	127	105	84
BT2	42, 52, 87	260	190	170	150	128	106	85
BU1	43, 53, 85	260	195	170	145	124	103	83
BU2	43, 53, 88	260	195	171	147	126	105	85
BX1	41, 51, 84	260	198	175	152	131	110	89
BX2	41, 51, 87	260	197	175	153	132	111	90
BY1	42, 52, 85	260	188	165	142	120	99	78
BY2	42, 52, 88	260	188	166	144	122	101	80
BZ1	43, 53, 86	260	202	179	156	136	116	96
CN1	44, 54, 96	260	195	171	147	125	104	83
CN2	44, 54, 99	260	197	174	151	129	107	86
CY1	42, 52, 95	260	194	172	150	128	106	84
CY2	42, 52, 98	260	194	172	150	128	106	85
CZ1	43, 53, 96	260	197	172	147	125	103	81
CZ2	43, 53, 99	260	199	175	151	128	106	84
EV	42, 52, 75	260	194	174	154	131	109	87

How to use these thresholds

1. Sit a October/November 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 – November 2025, Biology (9700) (PDF). © Cambridge University Press & Assessment.

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