9702 Grade Boundaries Explained: Raw Marks to A*
Published Oct 17, 2026
Cambridge calls them "grade thresholds"; most students call them "grade boundaries". Either way, they answer the question every 9702 student asks: how many marks do I actually need?
The answer depends on the series, the variant and the route you take through the five papers. This guide explains how 9702 is weighted, how boundaries are set and read, and how to use them to set a target you can actually reach.
How 9702 is assessed
Under the 2025–2027 syllabus:
| Paper | Title | Time | Marks | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Multiple Choice | 1 h 15 min | 40 | 31% of AS · 15.5% of A Level |
| 2 | AS Level Structured Questions | 1 h 15 min | 60 | 46% of AS · 23% of A Level |
| 3 | Advanced Practical Skills | 2 h | 40 | 23% of AS · 11.5% of A Level |
| 4 | A Level Structured Questions | 2 h | 100 | 38.5% of A Level |
| 5 | Planning, Analysis and Evaluation | 1 h 15 min | 30 | 11.5% of A Level |
Routes: - AS Level only: Papers 1, 2 and 3 in the same series. - Staged A Level: AS (Papers 1–3) in year 1, then Papers 4 and 5 later, carrying the AS result forward under Cambridge's rules. - Linear A Level: all five papers in the same series.
Grades: AS candidates receive a–e; A Level candidates receive A–E. There is no A at AS.
What the weightings tell you
Look at the A Level column. Paper 4 alone is 38.5%, more than Papers 1 and 3 combined. The two practical-skills papers (3 and 5) together make up 23% of the A Level, as much as Paper 2.
Two consequences follow: 1. Paper 4 decides most A outcomes.* A weak Paper 4 is very hard to compensate for. 2. Practical skills are not a side issue. Students often under-prepare for Papers 3 and 5, yet together they are worth almost a quarter of the A Level.
How boundaries are set
Senior examiners set thresholds after each series, using candidates' scripts and statistical evidence. If a paper proves harder than intended, the thresholds fall; if easier, they rise. The aim is that an A in one series represents the same standard as an A in another.
Cambridge publishes threshold tables on its grade threshold tables page.
Reading a 9702 threshold table
Each official table has two parts: - Component thresholds: the minimum raw mark for grades A–E on each paper and variant (e.g. 41, 42, 43). There is no A* at component level. - Syllabus (option) thresholds: the minimum weighted total for each grade, for each combination of components. Cambridge states that these are "determined from the weighted component thresholds".
For 9702 the weighted maximum is 260 for the A Level and 130 for the AS Level. The raw paper maxima add up to 280 and 140, so the components are scaled to their syllabus weightings. Paper 3 (40 raw marks, 23% of the AS) contributes about 30 of the 130, consistent with that weighting. Your grade depends on the overall weighted total, so a strong Paper 2 can offset a slightly weaker Paper 1.
Official 9702 thresholds: the four most recent series
Copied exactly from Cambridge's official PDFs. The tables show linear A Level and AS options. Staged (carry-forward) and special-case options are omitted; see each source PDF. In a component code, the first digit is the paper and the second the variant. Paper 3 has several practical variants (e.g. 31/32, 33/34). The March series runs only in India.
June 2026
Source: https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/Images/761526-physics-9702-june-2026-grade-threshold-table.pdf
A Level (linear): weighted totals out of 260
| Components | A* | A | B | C | D | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11, 21, 31, 41, 51 | 198 | 177 | 156 | 132 | 108 | 84 |
| 11, 21, 32, 41, 51 | 196 | 176 | 156 | 132 | 108 | 84 |
| 12, 22, 33, 42, 52 | 203 | 177 | 151 | 126 | 101 | 76 |
| 12, 22, 34, 42, 52 | 202 | 176 | 150 | 125 | 100 | 76 |
| 13, 23, 35, 43, 53 | 196 | 174 | 152 | 127 | 103 | 79 |
| 14, 24, 37, 44, 54 | 210 | 186 | 162 | 136 | 110 | 84 |
| 14, 24, 38, 44, 54 | 209 | 185 | 161 | 135 | 109 | 84 |
AS Level: weighted totals out of 130
| Components | a | b | c | d | e |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11, 21, 31 | 97 | 86 | 75 | 64 | 53 |
| 11, 21, 32 | 96 | 86 | 75 | 64 | 53 |
| 12, 22, 33 | 95 | 83 | 71 | 59 | 47 |
| 12, 22, 34 | 94 | 82 | 70 | 58 | 47 |
| 13, 23, 35 | 94 | 82 | 70 | 59 | 48 |
| 14, 24, 37 | 104 | 93 | 80 | 67 | 55 |
| 14, 24, 38 | 103 | 92 | 79 | 67 | 55 |
Paper 4 component thresholds (raw marks out of 100): variant 41: A 59, B 51, C 41, D 31, E 21; variant 42: A 62, B 51, C 41, D 31, E 21; variant 43: A 59, B 51, C 41, D 31, E 21
March 2026
Source: https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/Images/758533-physics-9702-march-2026-grade-threshold-table.pdf
A Level (linear): weighted totals out of 260
| Components | A* | A | B | C | D | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12, 22, 33, 42, 52 | 210 | 189 | 168 | 142 | 116 | 90 |
AS Level: weighted totals out of 130
| Components | a | b | c | d | e |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12, 22, 33 | 102 | 92 | 79 | 67 | 55 |
Paper 4 component thresholds (raw marks out of 100): variant 42: A 63, B 55, C 45, D 34, E 23
November 2025
Source: https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/Images/749728-physics-9702-november-2025-grade-threshold-table.pdf
A Level (linear): weighted totals out of 260
| Components | A* | A | B | C | D | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11, 21, 31, 41, 51 | 207 | 185 | 163 | 136 | 110 | 84 |
| 12, 22, 33, 42, 52 | 201 | 177 | 153 | 127 | 101 | 75 |
| 12, 22, 34, 42, 52 | 201 | 177 | 153 | 127 | 102 | 77 |
| 13, 23, 35, 43, 53 | 207 | 184 | 161 | 134 | 108 | 82 |
| 13, 23, 36, 43, 53 | 207 | 184 | 161 | 134 | 108 | 82 |
| 14, 24, 37, 44, 54 | 214 | 190 | 166 | 138 | 110 | 83 |
| 14, 24, 38, 44, 54 | 214 | 190 | 166 | 138 | 110 | 83 |
AS Level: weighted totals out of 130
| Components | a | b | c | d | e |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11, 21, 31 | 97 | 85 | 73 | 61 | 49 |
| 12, 22, 33 | 98 | 86 | 73 | 60 | 47 |
| 12, 22, 34 | 98 | 86 | 73 | 61 | 49 |
| 13, 23, 35 | 96 | 83 | 71 | 59 | 47 |
| 13, 23, 36 | 96 | 83 | 71 | 59 | 47 |
| 14, 24, 37 | 100 | 87 | 74 | 62 | 50 |
| 14, 24, 38 | 100 | 87 | 74 | 62 | 50 |
Paper 4 component thresholds (raw marks out of 100): variant 41: A 64, B 56, C 45, D 34, E 22; variant 42: A 57, B 48, C 39, D 29, E 19; variant 43: A 64, B 56, C 45, D 34, E 22
June 2025
Source: https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/Images/740343-physics-9702-june-2025-grade-threshold-table.pdf
A Level (linear): weighted totals out of 260
| Components | A* | A | B | C | D | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11, 21, 31, 41, 51 | 201 | 177 | 153 | 128 | 103 | 79 |
| 11, 21, 32, 41, 51 | 203 | 177 | 151 | 126 | 102 | 78 |
| 12, 22, 33, 41, 52 | 209 | 182 | 155 | 128 | 102 | 76 |
| 12, 22, 33, 42, 52 | 203 | 178 | 153 | 128 | 103 | 78 |
| 12, 22, 34, 41, 52 | 209 | 181 | 153 | 127 | 101 | 75 |
| 12, 22, 34, 42, 52 | 203 | 177 | 151 | 126 | 101 | 77 |
| 13, 23, 35, 43, 53 | 205 | 178 | 151 | 125 | 99 | 74 |
| 14, 24, 37, 44, 54 | 202 | 177 | 152 | 126 | 100 | 74 |
| 14, 24, 38, 44, 54 | 202 | 176 | 150 | 124 | 98 | 73 |
AS Level: weighted totals out of 130
| Components | a | b | c | d | e |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11, 21, 31 | 94 | 85 | 73 | 62 | 51 |
| 11, 21, 32 | 94 | 83 | 72 | 61 | 50 |
| 12, 22, 33 | 97 | 85 | 72 | 59 | 46 |
| 12, 22, 34 | 96 | 83 | 70 | 57 | 45 |
| 13, 23, 35 | 95 | 83 | 70 | 58 | 46 |
| 14, 24, 37 | 92 | 79 | 67 | 55 | 44 |
| 14, 24, 38 | 91 | 77 | 65 | 54 | 43 |
Paper 4 component thresholds (raw marks out of 100): variant 41: A 64, B 52, C 42, D 31, E 20; variant 42: A 60, B 50, C 41, D 32, E 22; variant 43: A 64, B 52, C 42, D 31, E 20
November 2026 AS & A Level results are released on 7 January 2027; thresholds for that series follow the results.
What the figures show
- A* (linear A Level) ranged from 196 to 214 out of 260, roughly 75% to 82%. The A threshold ranged from 174 to 190.
- Paper 4 A thresholds ranged from 57 to 64 out of 100.
- Thresholds differ between variant groups in the same series, sometimes by more than 10 marks at A*.
Turning boundaries into a target
- Use the top of the recent range. For Paper 4, the highest recent A threshold was 64/100.
- Add a margin of about 5–8 marks, giving a target around 70.
- Translate it into lost marks. A target of 70 means you can drop about 30 marks across the paper. That's a useful budget: one hard derivation can be left part-done, but repeated definition and unit errors cannot.
Do the same for each paper, then check the weighted total against the option threshold for your route.
Paper-by-paper priorities
- Paper 1 (multiple choice): speed and accuracy. Unit and prefix errors and misread graphs are the usual losses.
- Paper 2: definitions and clear working. See Every 9702 Definition You Must Know.
- Paper 3: tables, graphs and uncertainties. Practical mark points are predictable and learnable.
- Paper 4: the biggest single weighting. See 9702 Paper 4 technique.
- Paper 5: two compulsory questions of 15 marks each, on planning and on analysis and evaluation. Treat them as a skill to drill, not a topic to revise.
Staged or linear: does it change the boundary?
Staged candidates sit AS in one year and complete the A Level later; linear candidates sit everything in one series. Thresholds are published per option, so check the line for your route. Three practical points: - Your AS performance carries forward (subject to Cambridge's rules and time limits), so a strong AS result gives you a head start towards the A Level total. - A weak AS result is not final. Because the A Level grade comes from the overall total, a very strong Paper 4 and Paper 5 can still lift you, though rarely by a whole grade on its own. - Linear candidates face one heavy series. Plan your practice so Paper 4 and Paper 2 preparation don't crowd out the practical papers.
Common misconceptions
- "I need 90% for an A."* Not necessarily. The required percentage depends on the series, and it is usually below what students fear. The only reliable figure is the official threshold.
- "Boundaries are the same for every variant." They are set separately.
- "Multiple choice doesn't matter." Paper 1 is 31% of the AS Level.
Using boundaries in revision
- After every timed paper, write down your raw mark and the official threshold for that paper and variant.
- Calculate where you stand against the A and A* lines.
- Spend the next week's topical practice on the paper furthest below its line, using 9702 topical questions.
- Sit full papers from the 9702 past papers library under timed conditions.
Practise by topic
Download topical PDFs of past-paper questions, with mark schemes: Electricity · D.C. circuits · Motion in a circle · Gravitational fields · Oscillations · Electric fields · Magnetic fields · Quantum physics. Or browse all 9702 past papers.
Frequently asked questions
Where are the official 9702 grade thresholds? On Cambridge International's grade threshold tables page, organised by series.
Is there an A at AS Level?* No. AS grades run from a to e.
Which paper matters most for an A?* Paper 4, worth 38.5% of the A Level.
Why do boundaries differ between variants? Each variant is a different paper, so thresholds are set separately to keep the standard equal.
Know your numbers
Engr. Muhammad Waseem, who has taught Cambridge A Level Physics since 2022, helps students work out exactly where their marks are going, paper by paper.
Sources: Cambridge International AS & A Level Physics 9702 syllabus for examination in 2025–2027: assessment overview, routes and grading. Results date: https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/exam-administration/results/. Threshold table index: https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/programmes-and-qualifications/cambridge-advanced/cambridge-international-as-and-a-levels/grade-threshold-tables
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