What is a component exemption?
Candidates may not be able to work with others, or access certain facilities or equipment. This means they may be unable to complete a component. By using a component exemption (also known as a Covid-19 exemption), candidates do not take the component but can still receive an overall syllabus grade. Exempted candidates do not sit the exam for the exempted component or complete the coursework/speaking component. You do not send any candidate work to us for the exempted component.
Can I apply for a component exemption?
Applications have now closed – the application deadline was 17 April 2023.
Wherever possible, candidates should complete all components according to the requirements set out in the syllabus because this gives them the best chance of showing what they know and can do. We have spent considerable time thinking through our approach to component exemptions for 2023 and we have worked closely with our schools to understand how they continue to be impacted by the pandemic. In most cases, we can see that component exemptions are not needed by schools to the same extent as previous years. This is largely because most of our schools are no longer impacted by widespread closures seen in previous years.
To be eligible for a component exemption, your school must have been closed by a local or national Government directive for one or more of the following periods:
- 20 weeks / 100 days or more (excluding school holidays) between 1 September 2021 – 31 July 2022
- 20 weeks / 100 days or more (excluding school holidays) between 1 January – 31 Dec 2022
- 13 weeks / 65 days (excluding school holidays) between 1 September 2022 – 17 April 2023.
To be eligible for component exemptions based on school closures in any of the three eligibility windows, your school must have been closed by a local or national government directive and you must provide evidence of this.
Can we combine the eligibility windows?
No - you cannot combine shorter periods of closure from the different windows e.g. 10 weeks of closure from 1 September 2021 – 31 July 2022 and 12 weeks of closure from 1 January – 31 December 2022.
What component exemptions are available?
You can see what exemptions are available for which syllabuses and components.
How do I apply for component exemptions?
Applications have now closed – the application deadline was 17 April 2023.
Submitting candidates’ details for Covid-19 exemptions
If you have approved component exemptions you need to tell us which candidates you would like to exempt from which component(s). It is extremely important you complete this step, otherwise your candidates cannot use their exemptions. We will email you directly to ask you to confirm your candidate(s) details.
Exemption regulations supplement
Our supplement outlines Covid-19 exemption regulations for the June 2023 series (PDF, 104KB). You must use this, as well as the Cambridge Handbook, if you are running exams.
Differences between a component exemption and a component adjustment
You must not apply for component exemptions and component adjustments for the same candidate(s) for the same component. Make sure you understand the difference between these routes to grades before you apply – see ‘What is a component exemption?’ above and ‘What is a component adjustment?’.