IGCSE subject guides

IGCSE subjects at a glance

Every guide in one table: how many papers each subject has, the levels you can enter, and how it is graded.

Core or Extended, Foundation or Higher?

Most IGCSE subjects come in two levels, and your school chooses which one you enter. The level decides which papers you sit and the grades you can reach, so it is worth knowing before you plan your revision.

• Cambridge IGCSE uses Core and Extended. Core covers the main content and its grades are capped (C to G in Mathematics 0580 and the sciences). Extended adds harder content and opens the top grades.
• Pearson Edexcel International GCSE uses Foundation and Higher tiers. In Mathematics A (4MA1), Foundation leads to grades 5 to 1 and Higher to grades 9 to 4, with a grade 3 allowed.

Each guide lists exactly which papers belong to each level, with their timings and marks.

Cambridge IGCSE or Pearson Edexcel?

Both are international GCSE qualifications taken around age 16, and both are widely recognised. The differences that matter when you revise are the paper structure and the grading. Cambridge grades IGCSEs from A* to G, and several subjects also exist in a 9 to 1 version with the same content and papers (for example 0980 for Mathematics). Pearson Edexcel grades its International GCSEs from 9 to 1. Check your syllabus code on your exam entry so you use the right guide. See how IGCSE grades work for how the two scales compare.

How to use a subject guide

1. Check the papers you are entered for, and how long each one is.
2. Rate yourself on every topic area with the checklist, red, amber or green.
3. Put your subjects and exam dates into the revision planner.
4. Spend most of your time on the red topics, answering questions rather than re-reading notes.

Also useful

• How IGCSE grades work: A* to G, 9 to 1, and how they compare.
• IGCSE exam series and results days.
• Revision plans for 12 weeks, 6 weeks and the final week.