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Programmes & Qualifications

  • Cambridge IGCSE grading choice
    • How 9-1 grading will work
    • Support for A*–G grading
  • Cambridge IGCSE grading choice
    • How 9-1 grading will work
    • Support for A*–G grading
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  • Cambridge IGCSE grading choice
  • Support for A*-G grading

Support for A*–G grading

From September 2015, schools in England started teaching new GCSEs which are graded 9–1 instead of A*-G. 9 will be the new top mark. 

Read more about how A*-G grades compare to 9-1 grades (PDF, 609KB)

VIDEO: Cambridge IGCSE grading explained. YouTube

Cambridge has been surveying universities to find out they will use the reformed GCSEs. This has shown that, generally, there is no rush to use the new 9-1 GCSE grades in any deterministic way. Students with A*-G graded IGCSEs will not be disadvantaged.

Universities will have to accept a wide range of qualifications, including GCSE letter grades from students in Wales and Northern Ireland. The A*-G awarding scale will therefore continue to be commonplace in applications.

Most universities do not have any entry requirements for specific grades at (I)GCSE, except for requesting a grade C or above in English Language, Mathematics and in some cases, Sciences. (I)GCSE grades are just one piece of information that admissions staff consider before making an offer. 

Statements from individual universities include:

University of Birmingham
'I would like to confirm that we will not disadvantage IGCSE students as a result of the changes.'

University of Bristol
'Students won’t be disadvantaged' 

University of Cambridge
'Students will not be disadvantaged'

University of Edinburgh
'We will not disadvantage students on the A*-G grading' 

Imperial College London
'Students won’t be disadvantaged' 

University College London
'happy to provide any assurance needed that those using the current grading system will not be disadvantaged.' 

Lancaster University
'I can reassure you that we accept a wide range of qualifications and ensure that the details are benchmarked so that students are not disadvantaged' 

Leeds University Medical School
'IGCSE students will not be disadvantaged because of the reforms'

University of Manchester
'We are committed to maintaining consistent entry requirements and I don’t anticipate any changes to our entry requirements for the IGCSE' 

Newcastle University
'Whilst we are aware of the forthcoming changes to the GCSE, I hope we are not alone in not having got as far as thinking about benchmarking the new grades against the old. We shall not require a 9 rather than an A* in the case of students undertaking IGCSEs, so please do reassure schools on this point.' 

University of Oxford
'I cannot see any reason for your IGCSE students to worry that the highest they can score is A*' 

University of Reading
'Students won’t be disadvantaged' 

Sheffield University
'Students will definitely not be disadvantaged presenting A*-G grades'

University of Southampton
'We still accept the IGCSE as equivalent to the GCSE and will continue to do so without disadvantaging students (and likewise, the International A level).'

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