AQA A-level Computer Science grade boundaries 2026: what each grade needed

AQA A-level Computer Science grade boundaries June 2026

From the Computer Science Adv rows of AQA's A-level grade boundaries for June 2026 (version 1.0, published 13 August 2026). The 375 breaks down as 150 for the on-screen Paper 1, 150 for the written Paper 2 and 75 for the project (the NEA). C#, Java, Python and VB.NET candidates are graded on the same boundaries, so one row covers everybody.

The 2025 column is from AQA's 2025 document. Our guides to A-level Computer Science and AQA A-level Computer Science cover the content.

An even shift upward

The six boundaries rose by 14, 12, 12, 12, 13 and 14 marks, so every grade moved by almost the same amount. The A* of 314 is 84% of the total, and the E of 83 is 22%, up from 18%. Over four summers, the A boundary has gone 237, 239, 245, 257.

AQA's notional paper figures show where the rise came from: the NEA boundaries hardly changed (A* 68 then 69), while the two exam papers rose, as the table below shows.

Weighted Paper 1's notional A* went from 119 to 123 out of 150, and Paper 2's from 114 to 122. These notional figures are for illustration only.

Worked example: the same total, two summers

A candidate has 118 weighted on Paper 1, 110 weighted on Paper 2 and 22 on the NEA, a total of 250 out of 375. The 2026 A boundary is 257, so 250 is a B, 7 marks short of an A. In 2025 the A boundary was 245, so the same 250 would have been an A.

At the pass line, 80 marks is a U in 2026 (E needs 83) and would have been an E in 2025 (E needed 69).

Using the 2026 numbers

• An A* is 84%. 314 marks, 61 below full marks.
• An A is 69%. 257 marks.
• A C is 45%. 169 marks.

Use today's paper to estimate your grade

Open today's A-level Computer Science paper, a short timed paper of 8 questions worth 25 to 35 marks, written by us and not by AQA. Mark it and divide by the total: 22 out of 30 is 73%, above the A share of 69% and below the A* share of 84%. Several days averaged make a steadier estimate than one.

Mistakes to avoid

• Using the 2025 table. Every grade was 12 to 14 marks higher in 2026.
• Thinking the NEA changed. Its notional boundaries barely moved.
• Looking for a language row. There is only one set.

Read next

UK · A-levelAQA A-level Computer Science grade boundaries 2025AQA's official June 2025 A-level Computer Science (7517) grade boundaries, A* to E out of 375, with 2024 and 2023 and a worked example.