Cambridge 9708 · grade thresholds

A Level Economics 9708 grade boundaries

In May/June 2026, a grade A on Cambridge 9708 Paper 3 cost 24 marks on variant 33 but only 22 on variant 32 — a 2-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 9708 — 2023 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 22 September 2026

Component and syllabus thresholds are different numbers

Almost every page that quotes “the 9708 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 21 9708 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.

Paper	Max	A	B	C	D	E
Paper 11	30	25	22	18	15	12
Paper 12	30	23	20	17	14	12
Paper 13	30	25	21	18	15	12
Paper 14	30	25	22	19	16	13
Paper 21	60	24	21	18	15	12
Paper 22	60	25	22	19	16	13
Paper 23	60	26	22	18	15	12
Paper 24	60	24	21	18	15	12
Paper 31	30	24	20	18	15	13
Paper 32	30	22	20	18	16	14
Paper 33	30	24	20	18	15	13
Paper 34	30	22	20	18	16	14
Paper 41	60	36	31	29	26	22
Paper 42	60	36	31	28	25	21
Paper 43	60	36	31	29	26	22
Paper 44	60	36	32	29	25	22
Paper 50	75	47	42	35	28	21
Paper 60	75	56	51	43	35	27

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 combined	Max	A*	A	B	C	D	E
11 + 21 + 31 + 41	180	124	109	94	82	70	59
12 + 22 + 31 + 42	180	123	108	93	81	70	59
12 + 22 + 32 + 42	180	119	106	93	82	71	60
13 + 23 + 33 + 43	180	128	111	94	82	70	59
14 + 24 + 34 + 44	180	119	107	95	83	72	61
50 + 60	150	113	103	93	78	63	48
31 + 41 + 87	180	124	108	92	80	68	56
31 + 41 + 97	180	123	110	97	85	73	62
31 + 42 + 88	180	124	109	94	82	70	58
31 + 42 + 98	180	121	107	93	82	71	60
32 + 42 + 88	180	120	107	94	82	70	59
32 + 42 + 98	180	117	105	93	82	71	61
33 + 43 + 89	180	125	108	91	79	67	55
33 + 43 + 99	180	124	109	94	82	70	58
34 + 44 + 84	180	119	106	93	81	70	59
34 + 44 + 94	180	118	107	96	84	72	61
60 + 80	150	128	116	104	88	72	57

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.

Paper	Max	A	B	C	D	E
Paper 12	30	27	24	21	18	16
Paper 22	60	29	26	22	19	15
Paper 32	30	25	23	20	17	14
Paper 42	60	37	32	28	24	20

Papers combined	Max	A*	A	B	C	D	E
12 + 22 + 32 + 42	180	131	118	105	91	78	65

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

May/June 2025

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

Paper	Max	A	B	C	D	E
Paper 11	30	25	21	17	14	11
Paper 12	30	23	20	17	14	11
Paper 13	30	24	20	17	14	11
Paper 14	30	23	20	17	14	11
Paper 21	60	23	20	17	13	10
Paper 22	60	26	23	19	16	13
Paper 23	60	24	20	16	12	9
Paper 24	60	25	21	18	15	12
Paper 31	30	22	18	16	13	11
Paper 32	30	23	20	18	16	14
Paper 33	30	22	18	16	13	11
Paper 34	30	22	20	18	16	14
Paper 41	60	35	31	29	27	24
Paper 42	60	35	31	28	25	22
Paper 43	60	35	31	29	27	24
Paper 44	60	33	30	27	24	21
Paper 50	75	47	40	34	28	22
Paper 60	75	55	47	38	29	20

Papers combined	Max	A*	A	B	C	D	E
14 + 24 + 34 + 44option AC	180	115	103	91	80	69	58
11 + 21 + 31 + 41option AX	180	120	105	90	78	67	56
12 + 22 + 32 + 42option AY	180	120	107	94	82	71	60
13 + 23 + 33 + 43option AZ	180	121	105	89	77	66	55
34 + 44 + 88option BN	180	112	101	90	79	68	58
32 + 42 + 87option BT	180	123	108	93	80	67	55
31 + 41 + 87option BX	180	123	107	91	78	66	54
32 + 42 + 88option BY	180	117	104	91	80	69	59
33 + 43 + 89option BZ	180	121	105	89	77	66	55
34 + 44 + 98option CN	180	112	102	92	80	69	58
31 + 41 + 97option CX	180	119	105	91	80	69	59
32 + 42 + 98option CY	180	117	105	93	81	70	59
33 + 43 + 99option CZ	180	120	106	92	81	70	59
34 + 44 + 88option DN	180	112	101	90	79	68	58
50 + 60option P2	150	117	102	87	72	57	42
14 + 24option SC	90	—	48	41	35	29	23
11 + 21option SX	90	—	48	41	34	27	21
12 + 22option SY	90	—	49	43	36	30	24
13 + 23option SZ	90	—	48	40	33	26	20

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

Oct/Nov 2025

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

Paper	Max	A	B	C	D	E
Paper 11	30	24	22	19	17	15
Paper 12	30	25	22	19	17	15
Paper 13	30	25	22	19	16	13
Paper 14	30	25	22	19	16	14
Paper 21	60	26	24	20	16	12
Paper 22	60	22	20	17	14	11
Paper 23	60	24	21	17	13	10
Paper 24	60	24	22	18	15	11
Paper 31	30	23	19	17	15	14
Paper 32	30	24	19	17	15	14
Paper 33	30	23	19	17	16	14
Paper 34	30	23	18	16	14	13
Paper 41	60	38	31	29	26	22
Paper 42	60	38	33	30	26	21
Paper 43	60	38	32	28	23	18
Paper 44	60	39	32	29	25	21

Papers combined	Max	A*	A	B	C	D	E
14 + 24 + 34 + 44option AC	180	128	111	94	82	70	59
11 + 21 + 31 + 41option AX	180	126	111	96	85	74	63
12 + 22 + 32 + 42option AY	180	124	109	94	83	72	61
13 + 23 + 33 + 43option AZ	180	126	110	94	81	68	55
34 + 44 + 84option BC	180	129	110	91	79	68	57
31 + 41 + 87option BX	180	127	109	91	79	68	57
32 + 42 + 88option BY	180	127	111	95	83	71	59
33 + 43 + 89option BZ	180	127	109	91	78	65	52
34 + 44 + 98option CN	180	126	109	92	80	68	57
31 + 41 + 97option CX	180	126	109	92	81	70	60
32 + 42 + 98option CY	180	124	109	94	82	70	58
33 + 43 + 99option CZ	180	126	110	94	81	68	56
32 + 42 + 78option EV	180	130	114	98	86	74	62
14 + 24option SC	90	—	49	44	37	31	25
11 + 21option SX	90	—	50	46	39	33	27
12 + 22option SY	90	—	47	42	36	31	26
13 + 23option SZ	90	—	49	43	36	29	23

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

Feb/March 2025

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

Paper	Max	A	B	C	D	E
Paper 12	30	23	20	17	14	12
Paper 22	60	29	26	22	19	15
Paper 32	30	23	21	18	15	13
Paper 42	60	35	30	26	22	17

Papers combined	Max	A*	A	B	C	D	E
12 + 22 + 32 + 42option AY	180	123	110	97	83	70	57
32 + 42 + 87option BT	180	123	108	93	78	63	49
32 + 42 + 88option BY	180	117	104	91	78	65	53
32 + 42 + 98option CY	180	117	105	93	79	66	53
32 + 42 + 78option EV	180	124	111	98	84	71	58
12 + 22option SY	90	—	52	46	39	33	27

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

May/June 2024

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

Paper	Max	A	B	C	D	E
Paper 11	30	24	20	16	13	10
Paper 12	30	23	20	17	14	11
Paper 13	30	24	20	17	14	11
Paper 21	60	26	22	18	13	9
Paper 22	60	23	20	17	14	12
Paper 23	60	24	20	16	12	9
Paper 31	30	24	21	19	16	14
Paper 32	30	23	21	19	17	15
Paper 33	30	24	21	19	16	14
Paper 41	60	38	32	29	26	22
Paper 42	60	35	31	28	25	21
Paper 43	60	38	32	29	26	22
Paper 50	75	47	40	34	28	22
Paper 60	75	55	47	38	29	20

Papers combined	Max	A*	A	B	C	D	E
11 + 21 + 32 + 41option AW	180	127	111	95	82	69	56
11 + 21 + 31 + 41option AX	180	129	112	95	81	68	55
12 + 22 + 32 + 42option AY	180	116	104	92	81	70	59
13 + 23 + 33 + 43option AZ	180	127	110	93	80	68	56
31 + 41 + 87option BX	180	129	111	93	80	68	56
32 + 42 + 88option BY	180	118	105	92	80	68	57
33 + 43 + 89option BZ	180	125	109	93	81	69	57
31 + 41 + 97option CX	180	129	113	97	84	72	60
32 + 42 + 98option CY	180	118	107	96	84	72	61
33 + 43 + 99option CZ	180	130	114	98	86	74	62
11 + 21 + 32 + 41option DW1	180	127	111	95	82	69	56
32 + 41 + 86option DW2	180	125	109	93	81	69	57
32 + 41 + 98option DW3	180	123	110	97	85	73	62
50 + 60option P2	150	117	102	87	72	57	42
11 + 21option SX	90	—	50	42	34	26	19
12 + 22option SY	90	—	46	40	34	28	23
13 + 23option SZ	90	—	48	40	33	26	20

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

Oct/Nov 2024

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

Paper	Max	A	B	C	D	E
Paper 11	30	23	20	18	16	14
Paper 12	30	23	20	17	14	12
Paper 13	30	25	22	19	16	14
Paper 21	60	25	22	18	14	10
Paper 22	60	24	22	18	15	11
Paper 23	60	24	21	17	14	10
Paper 31	30	23	20	18	16	14
Paper 32	30	24	19	17	16	14
Paper 33	30	23	19	17	16	14
Paper 41	60	38	31	28	25	22
Paper 42	60	39	32	28	23	18
Paper 43	60	38	32	28	23	18

Papers combined	Max	A*	A	B	C	D	E
11 + 21 + 31 + 41option AX	180	125	109	93	82	71	60
12 + 22 + 32 + 42option AY	180	127	110	93	80	67	55
13 + 23 + 33 + 43option AZ	180	126	110	94	81	68	56
31 + 41 + 87option BX	180	129	111	93	80	67	55
32 + 42 + 88option BY	180	127	109	91	79	67	55
33 + 43 + 89option BZ	180	127	109	91	78	65	52
31 + 41 + 97option CX	180	129	112	95	83	71	60
32 + 42 + 98option CY	180	129	112	95	82	69	57
33 + 43 + 99option CZ	180	130	113	96	83	70	58
32 + 42 + 78option DV	180	134	116	98	85	72	60
32 + 42 + 87option GT	180	133	113	93	79	65	51
11 + 21option SX	90	—	48	42	36	30	24
12 + 22option SY	90	—	47	42	35	29	23
13 + 23option SZ	90	—	49	43	36	30	24

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

Feb/March 2024

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

Paper	Max	A	B	C	D	E
Paper 12	30	25	22	19	16	14
Paper 22	60	28	25	21	18	14
Paper 32	30	24	22	19	17	14
Paper 42	60	33	28	24	20	15

Papers combined	Max	A*	A	B	C	D	E
12 + 22 + 32 + 42option AY	180	123	110	97	83	70	57
32 + 42 + 87option BT	180	122	106	90	76	62	49
32 + 42 + 88option BY	180	118	104	90	76	63	50
32 + 42 + 97option CT	180	122	108	94	80	66	53
32 + 42 + 98option CY	180	118	106	94	80	67	54
32 + 42 + 78option EV	180	116	103	90	76	63	50
12 + 22option SY	90	—	53	47	40	34	28

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

May/June 2023

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

Paper	Max	A	B	C	D	E
Paper 11	30	23	19	16	13	10
Paper 12	30	22	19	16	13	10
Paper 13	30	22	19	16	13	10
Paper 21	60	26	21	17	13	10
Paper 22	60	25	21	17	14	11
Paper 23	60	25	21	17	14	11
Paper 31	30	25	22	19	16	14
Paper 32	30	25	22	20	18	16
Paper 33	30	25	22	19	16	14
Paper 41	60	39	32	29	25	20
Paper 42	60	37	32	29	25	20
Paper 43	60	39	32	29	25	20
Paper 50	75	47	40	34	28	22
Paper 60	75	55	47	38	29	20

Papers combined	Max	A*	A	B	C	D	E
12 + 21 + 31 + 42option AW	180	126	110	94	80	67	54
11 + 21 + 31 + 41option AX	180	132	113	94	80	67	54
12 + 22 + 32 + 42option AY	180	124	109	94	81	69	57
13 + 23 + 33 + 43option AZ	180	128	111	94	81	68	55
32 + 42 + 85option BO	180	128	114	100	86	72	59
31 + 41 + 87option BX	180	137	119	101	86	71	57
32 + 42 + 88option BY	180	126	112	98	85	72	60
33 + 43 + 89option BZ	180	137	119	101	86	71	57
31 + 41 + 97option CX	180	134	116	98	84	70	57
32 + 42 + 98option CY	180	136	120	104	90	77	64
33 + 43 + 99option CZ	180	137	120	103	89	75	61
31 + 42 + 98option DW	180	136	120	104	90	76	62
50option P1	75	—	47	40	34	28	22
50 + 60option P2	150	117	102	87	72	57	42
60 + 80option P3	150	130	115	100	83	66	50
12 + 21option SW	90	—	48	40	33	26	20
11 + 21option SX	90	—	49	40	33	26	20
12 + 22option SY	90	—	47	40	33	27	21
13 + 23option SZ	90	—	47	40	33	27	21

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

Oct/Nov 2023

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

Paper	Max	A	B	C	D	E
Paper 11	30	24	21	18	16	14
Paper 12	30	25	22	19	16	14
Paper 13	30	25	22	19	16	14
Paper 21	60	27	23	19	14	10
Paper 22	60	24	22	18	15	11
Paper 23	60	27	23	19	16	12
Paper 31	30	23	20	18	16	14
Paper 32	30	25	19	17	15	14
Paper 33	30	23	19	17	15	14
Paper 41	60	38	31	28	25	22
Paper 42	60	43	36	32	28	22
Paper 43	60	38	32	28	23	18

Papers combined	Max	A*	A	B	C	D	E
11 + 21 + 31 + 41option AX	180	129	112	95	83	71	60
12 + 22 + 32 + 42option AY	180	135	117	99	86	73	61
13 + 23 + 33 + 43option AZ	180	130	113	96	83	70	58
31 + 41 + 87option BX	180	129	110	91	79	67	56
32 + 42 + 88option BY	180	135	115	95	82	69	57
33 + 43 + 89option BZ	180	125	108	91	78	65	53
31 + 41 + 97option CX	180	131	113	95	83	71	59
32 + 42 + 98option CY	180	147	126	105	91	77	64
33 + 43 + 99option CZ	180	134	117	100	86	72	59
32 + 42 + 78option DV	180	133	114	95	82	69	57
32 + 42 + 86option DW	180	137	116	95	82	69	56
11 + 21option SX	90	—	51	44	37	30	24
12 + 22option SY	90	—	49	44	37	31	25
13 + 23option SZ	90	—	52	45	38	32	26

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

Feb/March 2023

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

Paper	Max	A	B	C	D	E
Paper 12	30	21	18	15	12	10
Paper 22	60	25	22	18	15	11
Paper 32	30	23	21	18	15	12
Paper 42	60	33	29	25	20	16

Papers combined	Max	A*	A	B	C	D	E
12 + 22 + 32 + 42option AY	180	114	102	90	76	62	49
32 + 42 + 88option BY	180	118	106	94	80	66	52
32 + 42 + 98option CY	180	128	114	100	85	70	56
32 + 42 + 78option EV	180	122	109	96	81	66	52

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

Practise Economics against real mark schemes

Quanta has real Cambridge A Level Economics 9708 past-paper questions, with every answer explained after you commit to it and each question tied to the syllabus topic it tests — and it tracks which skills you’re missing. Free for individual students.

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Common questions

What were the 9708 grade boundaries for May/June 2026?

Every paper’s threshold for that series is in the table above. Paper 33 needed 24 of 30 for a A, and Paper 32 needed 22 of 30. 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 9708 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.