What Percentage Is an A* at O Level and A Level? Grade Thresholds Explained

What percentage is an A* in A Level?

No fixed percentage earns an A* in A Level. Cambridge International, Pearson Edexcel and the UK exam boards all set grade boundaries after the exams have been marked, so the mark needed for an A* changes from series to series, from subject to subject and, at Cambridge, from one combination of papers to another.

A grade threshold (called a grade boundary by UK boards) is the minimum mark a candidate needs to be awarded a particular grade. Cambridge explains that it sets thresholds after each exam has been taken and marked, aiming to make each grade "no more difficult and no less difficult" to achieve than the year before. If a paper turns out harder than usual, thresholds go down; if it is easier, they go up (Cambridge International: grade thresholds explained).

That is why a figure such as "80% is an A*" is only a rough rule of thumb. In the June 2026 series, the A* threshold for the examples in this article ranged from 78.1% to 92.4% of the maximum mark. You can browse current and past figures on our grade boundaries hub.

How is the A* calculated at Cambridge International A Level?

Cambridge International A Level awards the A* only at syllabus level, on the candidate's total weighted mark across all papers. Grade A* does not exist on any individual paper. Cambridge states that the A* threshold for each combination of components is calculated relative to the A and B thresholds for that combination and the maximum mark.

In practice, this works in three steps:

1. Component thresholds. After marking, Cambridge sets A to E thresholds for every paper and variant (for example, Component 12 is Paper 1, variant 2).
2. Combination thresholds. Component thresholds are added together, with a weighting factor where needed so each paper matches its weighting in the syllabus. The result is a threshold for each combination of components, out of a "maximum weighted mark".
3. The A*. The A* threshold for each combination is then calculated from that combination's A and B thresholds and its maximum mark.

Your grade is decided by comparing your own weighted total with the thresholds for the exact combination you sat. A strong paper can therefore make up for a weaker one. Only candidates on an A Level route can get A* to E; Cambridge International AS Level is graded a to e, with no a* (Cambridge 9709 syllabus 2026–2027).

What were the A* grade thresholds in the June 2026 series?

The June 2026 Cambridge grade threshold tables show the A* needing 78.1% of the maximum weighted mark in A Level Physics (9702) and 88.8% in A Level Mathematics (9709) for the combinations below. At O Level, an A* needed 82.0% in Chemistry (5070) and 86.5% in Mathematics Syllabus D (4024).

Every figure below is copied from Cambridge's official June 2026 threshold PDFs, linked in the first column. The percentage is simply the threshold divided by the maximum weighted mark, rounded to one decimal place.

What the combinations mean:

• 9709, 12, 32, 42, 52: Pure Mathematics 1, Pure Mathematics 3, Mechanics and Probability & Statistics 1, all variant 2, taken in one series. For D and E the thresholds were 88 and 52.
• 9702, 12, 22, 33, 42, 52: all five Physics papers in one series, with practical variant 33. D and E were 101 and 76.
• 5070, 12, 22, 42: Multiple Choice, Theory and Paper 4 (Alternative to Practical). D and E were 55 and 45.
• 4024, 12, 22: the non-calculator and calculator papers, 100 marks each. D and E were 49 and 37.

Two lessons stand out. First, the gap between subjects is large: a Physics A* needed about 10 percentage points less than a Maths A* in the same series. Second, the variant matters. In the same 9709 table, the linear combination 13, 33, 43, 53 needed 231 out of 250 (92.4%) for an A*, compared with 222 for variant 2. That is why you should always check the row for the exact components you will sit, using our A Level grade boundaries page.

Note also that the maximum weighted mark is not always the raw total. Physics 9702 papers add up to 270 raw marks, but Cambridge weights them to a maximum of 260.

What percentage is an A* in O Level?

Cambridge O Level also has no fixed A* percentage. Cambridge O Level is graded A* to E, and, as at A Level, the A* exists only for the whole syllabus, not for individual papers. The A* threshold is calculated from the A and B thresholds and the maximum mark for each combination of components.

The Cambridge O Level threshold pages use the same wording as the A Level pages. In June 2026, the two O Level examples above needed 82.0% (Chemistry 5070) and 86.5% (Mathematics D 4024).

O Level subjects with a practical choice can have different thresholds for each route. In 5070 Chemistry, the combination with Paper 3 (Practical Test), 11, 21, 31, needed 160 for an A*, while 11, 21, 41 needed 164. Find your own subject's figures on our O Level grade boundaries page, and see our O Level Chemistry tutoring page for subject support.

How do UK exam boards award the A* at A Level?

UK A Levels from AQA, OCR and Pearson Edexcel are linear, and the A* is awarded on a single subject-level mark. Ofqual explains that exam boards use statistical predictions to set the overall A* boundary, and any student at or above that mark gets an A*, however the marks are split between papers.

Ofqual's explanation of setting A* in the new A levels gives the background. Under the old modular A Levels, from 2010, students needed a grade A overall plus at least 90% of the uniform marks at A2. Reformed linear A Levels dropped uniform marks, so boards now set one A* boundary for the whole subject.

AQA's guide to notional component grade boundaries adds that the A* boundary is set statistically, carrying forward the standard from previous years, so there is no simple arithmetic rule for it. A and E are judgemental grades, set by senior examiners looking at students' work. Any A* boundary printed for an individual paper is only notional: it is a guide, and only the subject total decides the grade.

How is the A* awarded in Pearson Edexcel International A Level?

Pearson Edexcel International A Level (IAL) awards the A* using the Uniform Mark Scale (UMS), not raw marks. A candidate needs an overall grade A and at least 90% of the available International A2 UMS marks. For a four-unit IAL, that means at least 320 UMS overall and at least 180 UMS at A2.

IAL is modular: you sit units at different times and "cash in" for the overall grade. Pearson converts each raw unit mark into a UMS mark so that the same level of performance gets the same value, whichever series you sat it in. Pearson's International A Level results guide sets out the A* rules:

Individual IAL units are graded A to E, and Pearson publishes a theoretical A* boundary for A2 units. Resits are allowed, and Pearson uses the best result from your two most recent attempts at a unit. For a full comparison of the two boards, read our guide to Cambridge vs Edexcel.

What is a percentage uniform mark (PUM) on a Cambridge result?

A percentage uniform mark (PUM) is a number out of 100 that Cambridge prints on statements of results in some countries to show where a candidate sits within their grade. A PUM of 90 is the minimum for an A*, but a PUM is not the percentage of marks scored on the papers.

According to Cambridge's guide to percentage uniform marks, the PUM ranges are:

So a student whose Physics total was exactly 203 out of 260 in June 2026 would get an A* and, where PUMs are issued, a PUM of 90, even though 203 is only 78.1% of the maximum. Cambridge says PUMs cannot be used with the grade threshold tables, and they appear on the statement of results, not the certificate.

How should you use grade thresholds when revising?

Use past grade thresholds as a guide to how many marks you need, not as a guaranteed target. Mark each past paper, look up the threshold for the same series and component, and aim comfortably above the A* level, because next year's threshold may be higher.

A few practical habits help:

• Use the right row. Find your component combination (for example 12, 22, 33, 42, 52), not just the subject.
• Mix series. Practise with papers from several series, because thresholds rise and fall.
• Fix the biggest paper first. The weighted total decides the grade, so the paper with the largest weighting usually offers the most marks to gain. Our guide to getting an A* in A Level Physics shows how this works paper by paper.

You can find papers to practise with on our past papers page. If you would like help planning for an A*, Heights International Academy offers live online one-to-one and small-group classes with tutors matched to your board and syllabus. Explore A Level tutoring or O Level tutoring, or book a free trial class.