How to Score an A* in A-Levels: First Understand the Rules for Cambridge International and Edexcel, Then Calculate Exactly How Many Marks You Need

2026-09-26 · Guides

Cambridge International awards the A* based on the weighted total score of the entire subject; for Mathematics in June 2026, approximately 90% is required. Edexcel IAL requires an overall grade A and 90% UMS in the A2 units, with retakes only counting the better of the two most recent attempts. This article uses the official rules and data from both exam boards to explain how to achieve and practice for an A*.

The highest grade in A-Level is A*. But the answer to "how to get an A*" depends on which exam board you are taking: the most common ones for students in China are Cambridge International (CAIE) and Pearson Edexcel International A Level (IAL), and the two have completely different rules for awarding an A*. This article first looks at the proportion of A* grades in each subject using official data, then explains the rules for both exam boards, and finally discusses how to practice. The information comes from the official websites and documents of both exam boards, with sources listed at the end.

How Hard Is It to Get an A* in Each Subject?

Cambridge International has released the grade distribution for global candidates in the June 2026 exam series. Here are a few subjects commonly chosen by Chinese students:

Subject	% of A* Grades	% of A and Above
Further Mathematics	24.2%	60.8%
Mathematics	16.9%	37.1%
Chemistry	16.5%	38.0%
Biology	13.7%	34.6%
Physics	13.6%	33.1%
Economics	12.9%	30.2%
Computer Science	11.4%	30.1%
Psychology	10.5%	22.8%
Accounting	7.9%	23.3%
Business	6.3%	16.0%

Like other exams, this table reflects not just subject difficulty, but also "who is taking it." Further Mathematics has the highest A* rate because the students who choose it are already the top math performers. Conversely, subjects that seem "easier" to study, such as Business, Accounting, and Psychology, actually have the lowest A* rates—high scores in these subjects depend largely on how precisely essay questions are answered, not just on memorizing the knowledge points.

Cambridge International (CAIE): Based on Total Marks, with Grade Thresholds Changing Each Session

There are three key points to the rules for Cambridge International A-Level:

An A* only exists at the overall subject level; there is no A* for individual papers. The raw marks for each paper are added up according to their weights to get a total subject mark, which is then compared to the grade threshold for that subject in that exam session. This means marks from different papers can compensate for each other.
Grade thresholds are reset for every exam session. Cambridge publishes the grade threshold table for each subject after every exam series.
Grade thresholds differ by variant. For the same subject and exam session, there are several different paper variants, each with its own grade thresholds.

Take Mathematics (9709) in June 2026 as an example. When taking all papers at once (linear route), the maximum weighted total mark for the subject is 250:

Paper Combination	A* Threshold	A Threshold
12, 32, 42, 52	222 (88.8%)	194 (77.6%)
13, 33, 43, 53	231 (92.4%)	212 (84.8%)

Two conclusions. First, to get an A* in Mathematics, you need to score around 90% of the total marks, allowing for virtually no mistakes. Second, comparing raw marks directly across different variants is meaningless—scoring 225 might be an A* in one variant but not in another. Therefore, when estimating your score using past papers, always use the grade thresholds corresponding to that specific variant and session.

Cambridge also allows a staged assessment: take the AS first, carry the grades forward, and then take the A2 part the following year to complete the A-Level. The total subject marks and grade thresholds for the staged route are different, but the A* is still awarded based on the total mark. Cambridge A-Level exams are mainly held in June and November each year.

Edexcel IAL: A* Depends on the Second Year

Edexcel IAL is assessed by unit, and the rules are completely different:

The raw mark for each unit is converted into a Uniform Mark Scale (UMS) score, and the overall subject grade is calculated by summing the UMS of all units.
Getting an A* requires two conditions to be met simultaneously: an overall A grade for the subject, and a total UMS of at least 90% in the second year (A2) units.
Mathematics has specific rules: a total UMS of at least 480, and a combined UMS of at least 180 in the P3 and P4 units.

This rule means: no matter how well you do in the first year (AS), it cannot compensate for the A2 to get an A*. High AS scores can help you get an A, but the A* depends on those second-year units. Many students have excellent first-year results, but when the content gets harder in the second year and they are also in the middle of the university application season, their A2 unit scores drop, and they end up with just an A.

Another feature of the IAL is that you can retake units with no limit on the number of attempts, with three exam series each year: January, June, and October. However, pay attention to the official wording: when calculating the final grade, they use the best of your most recent two attempts—not the best of all attempts. If you do well the first time but fail the next two in a row, your first attempt won't count. Think carefully before retaking an exam.

How to Practice: Past Papers, Mark Schemes, and Examiner Reports

Regardless of the exam board, the key to getting an A* is maximizing your score on every question you know how to answer in the exam room. The practice methods are largely the same:

Do past papers under timed conditions, completing a full paper in one sitting.
Grade strictly according to the mark scheme. The mark schemes for math and sciences specify exactly where each mark is awarded: method marks, accuracy marks, units, significant figures, or specific keywords. Many "knew how to do it but lost marks" mistakes happen right here.
Read the examiner reports. Both exam boards write reports for each subject after every exam series, pointing out common candidate errors. This is the examiners telling you what they look for.
Estimate your score using the grade thresholds for that specific session. For Cambridge, check the variant; for Edexcel, convert to UMS. Do not compare raw marks directly with others.
Keep an error log, recording only the reasons for mistakes. Categorize them separately: "didn't know how," "calculation error," and "missed the step required by the mark scheme." The third type is the most regrettable and the easiest to fix.

For essay-based subjects (Economics, Business, Psychology), there is an extra step: understand the "evaluation" requirements in the mark scheme. A high-scoring answer doesn't just explain a concept clearly; it also compares, weighs, and provides qualified conclusions. After writing an essay, compare it with high-scoring examples to see if you lack depth in analysis or in the final evaluation.

A Schedule You Can Follow

First, figure out which exam board you are taking and which route you are on. Whether Cambridge is linear or staged, and which exam series you plan to take for each Edexcel unit—this determines all subsequent arrangements.
Leave room for retakes, but don't rely on them. You can take exams in June and November for Cambridge, and January / June / October for Edexcel. But when applying to UK universities, schools look at teachers' predicted grades and final exam results, so you need to work backward from the timeline.
Don't slack off in the first semester of the second year. This is exactly the university application season, and also the most critical time for Edexcel A2 units and the Cambridge A2 component.

Additionally, admission requirements for top UK universities are often A*AA or higher, and they may specify that a particular subject must be at A*. Always refer to the specific requirements published by the university and program you are applying to.

Final Thoughts

Getting an A* in A-Level doesn't rely on "guessing the questions," but on consistent performance after clearly understanding the rules: knowing how your exam board awards an A*, knowing which papers and units are the most critical, and then using past papers and mark schemes to get full marks on every question you know how to answer.

If you are unsure how far you are from an A* right now, or how to plan your exam series, you can start with a diagnostic assessment. Our counselors will analyze your situation based on the rules of your specific exam board.

Verification Note: The grade distributions, grade thresholds, A* rules, retake rules, and exam series information in this article were verified against the official webpages and documents of Cambridge International and Pearson Edexcel on September 26, 2026. Grade thresholds change with every exam session; the Mathematics thresholds mentioned are just an example from June 2026. Policies may be adjusted, so please refer to the official exam board websites for the latest information.

References: