The short answer: 9-1 grades correlate to A*-A in the traditional system. But the picture is slightly more complicated than that.
What are IGCSE grades in 2026?
IGCSE grades use two scales in 2026. Cambridge IGCSE awards A* to G in most regions, while Edexcel IGCSE awards 9 to 1 across all subjects. Grade 9 sits above A*; both scales carry full UK and international university recognition. The two systems run in parallel, not in competition.
How the two scales compare
- Cambridge: A*, A, B, C, D, E, F, G
- Edexcel: 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
- Grade 9 sits above A*
- Grade 7 is broadly equivalent to grade A
- Grade 4 is the standard pass (broadly equivalent to grade C)
- Both scales are equally recognised by universities
Why Two Grading Scales Exist at the Same Time
While your school friend’s child celebrates their collection of 9s, you’re staring at A*s wondering if you’ve been shortchanged. Fear not. The truth is messier than a teenager’s bedroom, and twice as confusing.
Cambridge IGCSEs still primarily use the traditional A*-G system worldwide, with the 9-1 scale offered optionally in select regions. Cambridge asked schools globally for their views and the majority told them they wanted to retain A*-G grades because they’re so well understood.
Edexcel IGCSEs, however, have fully embraced the numerical revolution. Edexcel introduced their complete 9-1 suite for first teaching in September 2017, with first assessments in May/June 2019. Every Edexcel IGCSE now uses the system exclusively.
A Brief History of Why the Numbers Changed
The system didn’t emerge from thin air. It was introduced by the UK government to raise standards and recognise top-performing students. The traditional A*-G system had served well for nearly 30 years, but the new system provides better differentiation between learners to best recognise those highest achievers.
Edexcel made the switch to 9-1 following feedback from schools who expressed preference for a single introduction of the new grading scale. No half-measures, no gradual rollout. They committed fully, from first teaching.
The Academic Case for 9-1
Why do academics think the new 9-1 system is superior? The 9-1 scale offers greater differentiation in the middle range of grades, with grades 4-5 being equivalent to the old B and C grades. More importantly, the new grade 9 represents a new level of attainment to differentiate top performing students.
The old A* had become somewhat crowded at the top. With the introduction of a new 9-1 grading scale, the A* grade didn’t neatly align with the top grade 9. Grade 9 was designed to distinguish exceptional performance beyond what A* could capture, creating breathing room at the very top.
Over 5 million GCSEs and International GCSEs are now awarded using the 9-1 grading scale, making it the most used and recognised grading scale. This widespread adoption ensures students can progress smoothly to A-levels and universities.
The Cambridge Resistance
Cambridge’s decision to maintain A*-G as their primary system wasn’t stubbornness, it was pragmatism. Their A*-G grading is used in over 150 countries in over 6000 schools around the world, with over one million Cambridge IGCSEs awarded A*-G grades annually.
For international schools, consistency matters more than novelty. Parents in Dubai don’t need to decode whether their child’s Grade 8 means the same thing it did last year, or whether universities in Canada understand what a Grade 7 represents.
What This Actually Means for Your Family
Here is the grade conversion reference:
- Grade 9: Higher than the old A* (the academic equivalent of extra credit)
- Grade 8: Roughly equivalent to A*
- Grade 7: Equivalent to A grade
- A*: Still the top grade in Cambridge system, proven and trusted
The grading system affects more than dinner table conversations. Some sixth forms require grade 6 or 7 in specific subjects for A-level entry. Professional degree programs often demand minimum grade 5 equivalents. Your child’s IGCSE results become their academic passport for the next stage.
The Edexcel Difference
Pearson Edexcel International GCSEs are awarded using the nine point grading scale, making students ideally placed to progress to International A Levels and universities worldwide. If your school uses Edexcel, you’re working with a system that meets the same standards as Ofqual set in the UK.
The choice between Cambridge A*-G and Edexcel 9-1 often comes down to your school’s philosophy. Cambridge offers tradition and global recognition. Edexcel provides alignment with current UK standards and enhanced differentiation.
Spent the day down a rabbit hole of forum posts and still can’t tell your Cambridge from an Edexcel? . Here’s everything you actually need to know about both exam boards, minus the educational jargon and parental hysteria in one IGCSE guide to rule them all.
FAQs: 9-1 IGCSE Grade System headaches solved
It’s the newer scale that replaces A-G. 9 is higher than the old A, 1 sits just above a U. Both Cambridge and Edexcel now report IGCSEs this way to keep parity with UK GCSEs.
It’s the newer scale that replaces A-G. 9 is higher than the old A, 1 sits just above a U. Both Cambridge and Edexcel now report IGCSEs this way to keep parity with UYes. Universities treat a 7 much like a strong UK GCSE grade A. It keeps doors open for competitive A-level subjects and scholarship applications.K GCSEs.
Take the raw marks, divide by the total possible, and multiply by 100. Then cross-check with the board’s boundary document to confirm the official grade.
Both boards publish PDF boundary grids 48 hours after results day.
Technically yes (it equates to a C), but many sixth-forms abroad still expect a 5 or 6 in Maths and English. Ask the admissions team before celebrating.
Mock boundaries rarely match live-exam boundaries. A June paper might need 72 % for a 6; an October resit could need only 64 %. Percentages alone never tell the whole story.
No. They only see the final grade on the transcript; a Mark Statement is only included if you voluntarily supply it.
The grading numbers are identical; difficulty depends on the syllabus, not the scale. See our full IGCSE vs GCSE guide for the gritty details.
Yes. Cambridge offers November sittings; Edexcel offers January. But check subject availability and weigh the stress/benefit ratio first.
The Bottom Line
Universities understand both systems and treat students equally. Some UK universities require a C grade at GCSE in Maths and English. Under the 9-1 system, some universities use grade 5 as the equivalent while others accept grade 4.
What matters most isn’t the letter or number on the certificate, but meeting the thresholds that open your child’s next opportunity. The grade itself is just packaging; the education inside remains the priority.
Your next step: Determine whether your child’s academic life is measured in numbers or letters, research those university thresholds with the intensity of a property search, and embrace the beautiful chaos. After all, Shakespeare never needed to know if his sonnets were Grade 9 quality. Genius transcends grading systems.
The Edexcel IGCSE Parent’s Survival Guide
Welcome to the support group you didn’t know you needed. We have gathered everything you need here, because the only thing worse than googling “what is a Grade 9” at 11pm is doing it across seventeen different websites. Consider this your one-stop shop for surviving the IGCSEs. Wine glass optional, but not discouraged.
Peruse at your leisure, or bookmark for that inevitable 10pm parental panic.
Free Grade 9 resources we publish. If your child is preparing IGCSE English Literature, we publish free Grade 9 guides on the texts schools set most often. See our Themes in Macbeth, our 21 Macbeth quotes for Grade 9, and our An Inspector Calls quotes guide. They are written for students sitting the exams, but parents often find them useful for sense-checking what Grade 9 work actually looks like. If your child is sitting Songs of Ourselves and studying A Different History, our analysis covers the colonial register and the cultural-loss argument students miss in the exam.
