Cambridge 0580 · grade thresholds

IGCSE Maths 0580 grade boundaries

In May/June 2026, a grade A on Cambridge 0580 Paper 2 cost 79 marks on variant 23 but only 64 on variant 21 — a 15-mark difference on the same paper, in the same series. Thresholds are set after every series so that the standard stays constant while the papers vary, which means a harder paper gets a lower boundary. Variants are the same paper written for different exam zones, and your zone — not you — decides which one you sit.

Below is every series Cambridge has published for 0580 — 2022 to 2026, all three exam series — with each paper’s threshold and the overall syllabus thresholds beneath it. The numbers are Cambridge’s and every series links to the table they came from.

Updated 28 September 2026

What do you need for each grade?

Pick a series and the papers you are entered for, type the marks you have or expect, and leave one paper blank: the calculator shows what that paper needs for each grade.

Enter the marks you have or expect on every paper but one, and this shows what the last one needs. The May/June 2026 thresholds for these papers, out of 160:

C82 / 160 (51.3%)
D68 / 160 (42.5%)
E55 / 160 (34.4%)
F42 / 160 (26.3%)
G29 / 160 (18.1%)

Thresholds move every series, so this is an estimate for yours, not a promise. Cambridge’s May/June 2026 table

Component and syllabus thresholds are different numbers

Almost every page that quotes “the 0580 grade boundaries” is quoting one of two different things, so it is worth separating them:

  • A component threshold is the raw mark one paper needed. Cambridge states that grade A* does not exist at the level of an individual component — so if you see an A* against a single paper anywhere, it is invented.
  • A syllabus threshold is the total across a combination of papers, after weighting, and it is the grade that appears on the certificate. A* exists only here.

The combinations matter more than students expect. Cambridge offers several entry routes, each a different set of papers with its own maximum and its own thresholds — which is why two candidates with the same raw total can be awarded different grades. Quanta has broken down 42 0580 past papers, and each one shows its own threshold beside its topic breakdown.

May/June 2026

Component thresholds — the raw mark each paper needed. Grade A* is not set at component level.

PaperMaxABCDEFG
Paper 1180——373023169
Paper 1280——4234271911
Paper 1380——3831241710
Paper 211006452403224——
Paper 221007558413223——
Paper 231007963473524——
Paper 3180——4538322620
Paper 3280——4133251811
Paper 3380——4538312519
Paper 411007462504132——
Paper 421007962463626——
Paper 431007561473625——
Paper 509075635245393327

Syllabus thresholds — the overall mark, after weighting, needed across a combination of papers. This is where A* exists. Which row applies to a student depends on which papers they were entered for.

Papers combinedMaxA*ABCDEFG
11 + 31160———8268554229
12 + 32160———8367523722
13 + 33160———8369554229
21 + 41200162138114907356——
22 + 42200177154120876849——
23 + 43200177154124947149——
50908275635245393327

Source: Cambridge’s grade threshold table for May/June 2026.

Feb/March 2026

Component thresholds — the raw mark each paper needed. Grade A* is not set at component level.

PaperMaxABCDEFG
Paper 1280——4335271911
Paper 221006853383023——
Paper 3280——4436292113
Paper 421006953383124——

Syllabus thresholds — the overall mark, after weighting, needed across a combination of papers. This is where A* exists. Which row applies to a student depends on which papers they were entered for.

Papers combinedMaxA*ABCDEFG
12 + 32160———8771564024
22 + 42200168137106766147——

Source: Cambridge’s grade threshold table for Feb/March 2026.

Oct/Nov 2025

Component thresholds — the raw mark each paper needed. Grade A* is not set at component level.

PaperMaxABCDEFG
Paper 1180——5042342618
Paper 1280——443526178
Paper 1380——5547403224
Paper 211007459433425——
Paper 221006955413325——
Paper 231007760443425——
Paper 3180——4234261810
Paper 3280——4538322620
Paper 3380——5749403224
Paper 411007055413223——
Paper 421007156413325——
Paper 431007862463727——

Syllabus thresholds — the overall mark, after weighting, needed across a combination of papers. This is where A* exists. Which row applies to a student depends on which papers they were entered for.

Papers combinedMaxA*ABCDEFG
11 + 31option AX160———9276604428
12 + 32option AY160———8973584328
13 + 33option AZ160———11296806448
21 + 41option BX200172144114846648——
22 + 42option BY200169140111826650——
23 + 43option BZ200177155122907152——

Source: Cambridge’s grade threshold table for Oct/Nov 2025.

May/June 2025

Component thresholds — the raw mark each paper needed. Grade A* is not set at component level.

PaperMaxABCDEFG
Paper 1180——4336292317
Paper 1280——433426178
Paper 1380——4437292215
Paper 211006451383226——
Paper 221007659433426——
Paper 231007863493726——
Paper 3180——4336302316
Paper 3280——433425179
Paper 3380——4840332619
Paper 411006755433629——
Paper 421007660433425——
Paper 431007964483726——
Paper 509067574738302112

Syllabus thresholds — the overall mark, after weighting, needed across a combination of papers. This is where A* exists. Which row applies to a student depends on which papers they were entered for.

Papers combinedMaxA*ABCDEFG
11 + 31option AX160———8672594633
12 + 32option AY160———8668513417
13 + 33option AZ160———9277624834
21 + 41option BX200156131106816855——
22 + 42option BY200176152119866851——
23 + 43option BZ200178157127977452——
50option P1907767574738302112

Source: Cambridge’s grade threshold table for May/June 2025.

Feb/March 2025

Component thresholds — the raw mark each paper needed. Grade A* is not set at component level.

PaperMaxABCDEFG
Paper 1280——5142332415
Paper 221007862463831——
Paper 3280——5041332415
Paper 421008366494031——

Syllabus thresholds — the overall mark, after weighting, needed across a combination of papers. This is where A* exists. Which row applies to a student depends on which papers they were entered for.

Papers combinedMaxA*ABCDEFG
12 + 32option AY160———10183664830
22 + 42option BY200180161128957862——

Source: Cambridge’s grade threshold table for Feb/March 2025.

Oct/Nov 2024

Component thresholds — the raw mark each paper needed. Grade A* is not set at component level.

PaperMaxABCDEFG
Paper 1156——272218138
Paper 1256——3832262014
Paper 1356——3832262014
Paper 21705039292419——
Paper 22705850433629——
Paper 23705846342619——
Paper 31104——614835229
Paper 32104——6555463728
Paper 33104——7058473625
Paper 411309073554230——
Paper 4213010280574635——
Paper 431309169473726——
Paper 509067574738302112

Syllabus thresholds — the overall mark, after weighting, needed across a combination of papers. This is where A* exists. Which row applies to a student depends on which papers they were entered for.

Papers combinedMaxA*ABCDEFG
11 + 31option AX160———8870533517
12 + 32option AY160———10387725742
13 + 33option AZ160———10890735639
21 + 41option BX200168140112846649——
22 + 42option BY2001801601301008264——
23 + 43option BZ200174149115816345——
50option P1907767574738302112

Source: Cambridge’s grade threshold table for Oct/Nov 2024.

May/June 2024

Component thresholds — the raw mark each paper needed. Grade A* is not set at component level.

PaperMaxABCDEFG
Paper 1156——272218138
Paper 1256——312519137
Paper 1356——3428231813
Paper 21704535252118——
Paper 22705644332620——
Paper 23705241312519——
Paper 31104——5041322314
Paper 32104——5847362514
Paper 33104——5951423324
Paper 411308063473522——
Paper 421309473524028——
Paper 431309273544026——
Paper 509067574738302112

Syllabus thresholds — the overall mark, after weighting, needed across a combination of papers. This is where A* exists. Which row applies to a student depends on which papers they were entered for.

Papers combinedMaxA*ABCDEFG
11 + 31option AX160———7763503622
12 + 32option AY160———8972553821
13 + 33option AZ160———9379655137
21 + 41option BX20015212598725640——
22 + 42option BY200175150117856648——
23 + 43option BZ200172144114856545——
50option P1907767574738302112

Source: Cambridge’s grade threshold table for May/June 2024.

Feb/March 2024

Component thresholds — the raw mark each paper needed. Grade A* is not set at component level.

PaperMaxABCDEFG
Paper 1256——3428221610
Paper 22706051433732——
Paper 32104——6351402918
Paper 4213010281604938——

Syllabus thresholds — the overall mark, after weighting, needed across a combination of papers. This is where A* exists. Which row applies to a student depends on which papers they were entered for.

Papers combinedMaxA*ABCDEFG
12 + 32option AY160———9779624528
22 + 42option BY2001811621321038670——

Source: Cambridge’s grade threshold table for Feb/March 2024.

Oct/Nov 2023

Component thresholds — the raw mark each paper needed. Grade A* is not set at component level.

PaperMaxABCDEFG
Paper 1156——3126201510
Paper 1256——373023169
Paper 1356——302521159
Paper 21705646373126——
Paper 22705950423631——
Paper 23705343342721——
Paper 31104——6048372513
Paper 32104——7260483624
Paper 33104——6048362616
Paper 411309072544331——
Paper 421308768494031——
Paper 431309069473828——
Paper 509067574738302112

Syllabus thresholds — the overall mark, after weighting, needed across a combination of papers. This is where A* exists. Which row applies to a student depends on which papers they were entered for.

Papers combinedMaxA*ABCDEFG
11 + 31option AX160———9174574023
12 + 32option AY160———10990715233
13 + 33option AZ160———9073574125
21 + 41option BX200173146118917457——
22 + 42option BY200173146118917662——
23 + 43option BZ200171143112816549——
50option P1907767574738302112

Source: Cambridge’s grade threshold table for Oct/Nov 2023.

May/June 2023

Component thresholds — the raw mark each paper needed. Grade A* is not set at component level.

PaperMaxABCDEFG
Paper 1156——262117139
Paper 1256——312418126
Paper 1356——3226211611
Paper 21704636272319——
Paper 22705544332619——
Paper 23705444342619——
Paper 31104——4537292215
Paper 32104——6352413121
Paper 33104——5244352719
Paper 411308670543925——
Paper 421309369453525——
Paper 431309273544026——
Paper 509067574738302112

Syllabus thresholds — the overall mark, after weighting, needed across a combination of papers. This is where A* exists. Which row applies to a student depends on which papers they were entered for.

Papers combinedMaxA*ABCDEFG
11 + 31option AX160———7158463524
12 + 32option AY160———9476594327
13 + 33option AZ160———8470564330
21 + 41option BX200158132106816244——
22 + 42option BY200174148113786144——
23 + 43option BZ200173146117886645——
50option P1907767574738302112

Source: Cambridge’s grade threshold table for May/June 2023.

Feb/March 2023

Component thresholds — the raw mark each paper needed. Grade A* is not set at component level.

PaperMaxABCDEFG
Paper 1256——322518126
Paper 22705242322417——
Paper 32104——6553423018
Paper 421309372523926——

Syllabus thresholds — the overall mark, after weighting, needed across a combination of papers. This is where A* exists. Which row applies to a student depends on which papers they were entered for.

Papers combinedMaxA*ABCDEFG
12 + 32option AY160———9778604224
22 + 42option BY200172145114846343——

Source: Cambridge’s grade threshold table for Feb/March 2023.

Oct/Nov 2022

Component thresholds — the raw mark each paper needed. Grade A* is not set at component level.

PaperMaxABCDEFG
Paper 1156——292317115
Paper 1256——4033272115
Paper 1356——272116116
Paper 21705141322620——
Paper 22705040312723——
Paper 23704132241914——
Paper 31104——5342312111
Paper 32104——6553412917
Paper 33104——5846342210
Paper 411307659423325——
Paper 421309070494031——
Paper 431308062433323——
Paper 509067584940312213

Syllabus thresholds — the overall mark, after weighting, needed across a combination of papers. This is where A* exists. Which row applies to a student depends on which papers they were entered for.

Papers combinedMaxA*ABCDEFG
11 + 31option AX160———8265483216
12 + 32option AY160———10586685032
13 + 33option AZ160———8567503316
21 + 41option BX200154127100745945——
22 + 42option BY200170140110806754——
23 + 43option BZ20014812194675237——
50option P1907667584940312213

Source: Cambridge’s grade threshold table for Oct/Nov 2022.

Practise Mathematics against real mark schemes

Quanta has real Cambridge IGCSE Maths 0580 past-paper questions, broken into skill checkpoints, marked criterion by criterion the way examiners mark — and it tracks which skills you’re missing. Free for individual students.

Start practising free

Common questions

What do you need for an A* in IGCSE Maths 0580?

In May/June 2026, an A* needed 162 to 177 out of 200 overall — 81–88.5%, depending on which variants were sat (3 combinations of papers). A* is awarded only on that overall total; no single paper has an A* threshold. The calculator above shows what you need on a paper you haven’t sat yet.

What were the 0580 grade boundaries for May/June 2026?

Every paper’s threshold for that series is in the table above. Paper 42 needed 79 of 100 for a A, and Paper 21 needed 64 of 100. The overall syllabus thresholds, which are the ones that decide the grade on your certificate, are listed beneath them.

Why do grade boundaries change every series?

Because the papers differ slightly in difficulty and the standard must not. Cambridge sets thresholds after marking, so a harder paper gets a lower boundary and a candidate is not penalised for which version they sat. It also means last year’s boundary is a guide, never a promise.

Is there an A* for a single 0580 paper?

No. Cambridge’s own tables say grade A* does not exist at the level of an individual component. A* is set only on the overall syllabus thresholds, across the combination of papers you were entered for.

Where does Cambridge publish these?

As one PDF per syllabus per series, free and without a login, on cambridgeinternational.org. Each series above links to the exact table its numbers were read from — the figures here are re-keyed facts, not a copy of Cambridge’s document.