CCEA A-level Biology grade boundaries 2026: raw marks by unit
A-level Biology: Year 1
Start today's paperA-level Biology: Year 2
Start today's paperPapers reset in
CCEA A-level Biology grade boundaries 2026
The tables copy CCEA's Raw to Uniform Mark Boundaries for GCE Biology, Summer 2026, dated 13 August 2026. A-level Biology has six units. AS 1 is Molecules and Cells (1 hour 30, 75 marks, 15% of the A-level) and AS 2 is Organisms and Biodiversity (1 hour 30, 75 marks, 15%). AS 3 is Practical Skills in AS Biology (1 hour, 71 marks, 10%). A2 1 is Physiology, Co-ordination and Control, and Ecosystems (2 hours 15, 100 marks, 24%), A2 2 is Biochemistry, Genetics and Evolutionary Trends (2 hours 15, 100 marks, 24%) and A2 3 is Practical Skills in Biology (1 hour 15, 75 marks, 12%).
| Unit grade | AS 1 | AS 2 | AS 3 | A2 1 | A2 2 | A2 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Out of | 75 | 75 | 71 | 100 | 100 | 75 |
| a | 58 | 57 | 53 | 75 | 76 | 57 |
| b | 53 | 51 | 48 | 66 | 64 | 50 |
| c | 48 | 45 | 43 | 57 | 52 | 43 |
| d | 43 | 40 | 38 | 48 | 40 | 36 |
| e | 38 | 35 | 34 | 39 | 29 | 30 |
Uniform marks at each boundary
| Unit grade | AS 1 | AS 2 | AS 3 | A2 1 | A2 2 | A2 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Most you can earn | 90 | 90 | 60 | 144 | 144 | 72 |
| a | 72 | 72 | 48 | 116 | 116 | 58 |
| b | 63 | 63 | 42 | 101 | 101 | 51 |
| c | 54 | 54 | 36 | 87 | 87 | 44 |
| d | 45 | 45 | 30 | 72 | 72 | 36 |
| e | 36 | 36 | 24 | 58 | 58 | 29 |
Subject lines for AS and A-level
| Grade | AS, out of 240 | A-level, out of 600 |
|---|---|---|
| A | 192 | 480 |
| B | 168 | 420 |
| C | 144 | 360 |
| D | 120 | 300 |
| E | 96 | 240 |
The A2 papers bounced back in 2026
| Unit and grade | Summer 2024 | Summer 2025 | Summer 2026 | Change in last year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AS 1, grade a | 59 | 57 | 58 | +1 |
| AS 2, grade a | 54 | 59 | 57 | −2 |
| AS 3, grade a | 52 | 55 | 53 | −2 |
| A2 1, grade a | 75 | 69 | 75 | +6 |
| A2 2, grade a | 73 | 68 | 76 | +8 |
| A2 2, grade e | 25 | 23 | 29 | +6 |
| A2 3, grade a | 55 | 60 | 57 | −3 |
After a fall in 2025, the two big A2 papers rose sharply. A2 2 Biochemistry, Genetics and Evolutionary Trends went from 68 to 76 at grade a, eight marks, and its grade e from 23 to 29. A2 1 went from 69 to 75, six marks, back to its 2024 level of 75. The AS units moved by one or two marks: AS 1 rose one, to 58, and AS 2 and AS 3 each fell two. A2 3, the practical unit, fell from 60 to 57. The rise on the written A2 papers means they gave marks up more easily in 2026 than in 2025.
A worked example at grade c
A candidate on the grade c raw boundary in every unit scores 48, 45, 43, 57, 52, 43. These convert to 54 + 54 + 36 + 87 + 87 + 44 = 362 uniform marks, a C at 360. The A2 units contribute 218 of 360. An A* needs 324, so the same candidate would need about 106 more A2 uniform marks as well as a grade A overall.
Reading the unit sizes
The AS 3 raw total of 71 is unusual: most CCEA units are out of 100, 90 or 75. It is a practical unit worth 60 uniform marks, so each raw mark there converts to a little under one uniform mark. A grade a in AS 3 needed 53 out of 71 in 2026, which is 75% of the unit.
Using the table
- The two A2 written papers are 144 uniform marks each. Together they are 48% of the A-level.
- AS 3 and A2 3 are practical units, 22% of the A-level between them.
- In each of the six units you are tested on the same three assessment objectives, so practise applying knowledge, not only recalling it.
- Our A-level Biology guide covers the content.
Try today's Year 1 or Year 2 Biology paper as a timed check. It is 8 questions worth 25 to 35 marks, written by us and not by CCEA.
Common questions
What are the CCEA A-level Biology grade boundaries for 2026?
What raw mark is grade a in A2 2 Biology in 2026?
How many raw marks is AS 3 Biology?
Which unit changed most in 2026?
How are the six units weighted?
Revision cards
Say the answer first, then flip the card to check it.
Where to go next
- Solve it
Hardy-Weinberg Calculator
Find allele and genotype frequencies in a population
Open the tool - Learn it
Genetics & DNA
From Mendel to CRISPR: how traits are inherited and genomes are edited
Start the course - Test it
A-level Biology: Year 1
A new exam-style paper every day, with instant marking and a mark scheme
Start today's paper
UK · A-levelCCEA A-level Biology grade boundaries 2025: raw marksCCEA A-level Biology grade boundaries for Summer 2025: raw and uniform marks for all six units, compared with 2024.