How Many IGCSE Biology Papers Are There?

Trying to figure out how many IGCSE Biology exams you’ll actually sit? You’re not alone. Many students find the exam structure confusing, especially when different exam boards use different paper combinations and tiering systems.

This matters more than you might think. If you don’t know how many papers you’re sitting—or what each one tests—it’s much harder to plan your revision properly.

In this guide, we’ll clearly explain:

• how many IGCSE Biology papers there are for each major exam board

• the difference between Core and Extended tiers

• what each paper tests and how much it’s worth

At Save My Exams, we’ve helped thousands of students prepare for IGCSE Biology. Understanding the exam structure is one of the simplest ways to feel more confident and organised before exams.

Key Takeaways

• Most IGCSE Biology courses involve 2-3 exam papers depending on your exam board and tier

• Cambridge IGCSE uses Core and Extended tiers with different paper combinations

• Edexcel and OxfordAQA have slightly different structures but typically involve two papers

• Different papers assess different skills: multiple choice, theory, and practical skills

• Knowing the structure helps you revise more effectively and manage exam stress

Why It's Important to Know the Exam Structure

Understanding how many papers you’ll sit—and what each one involves—makes revision far more effective.

When you understand the exam structure, you can divide your study time properly. Instead of vaguely "revising Biology," you can focus specifically on the skills each paper needs—like multiple choice techniques, long-answer writing, or practical analysis.

It reduces exam stress too. Walking into an exam knowing exactly what to expect—timing, question style, and mark weighting—makes a big difference to confidence and performance.

Understanding how each paper contributes to your final grade helps you prioritise too. If one paper is worth more marks, you might want to spend extra time practising for it.

IGCSE Biology Exam Structure by Exam Board

Let's break down each major exam board, so you know exactly what you're facing.

Cambridge IGCSE Biology (0610/0970)

For Cambridge Assessment International Education (opens in a new tab), there are three papers available. Which papers you take depends on whether you're entered for Core or Extended tier.

Paper 1: Multiple Choice (Core)

• 40 questions based on the Core subject content only

• 45 minutes

• Worth 40 marks (30% of total grade)

• Tests all topics at Core level

Paper 2: Multiple Choice (Extended)

• 40 questions based on the Core and Supplement subject content

• 45 minutes

• Worth 40 marks (30% of total grade)

• Tests all topics at Extended level (harder than Paper 1)

Paper 3: Theory (Core)

• Short-answer and structured questions based on the Core subject content only

• 1 hour 15 minutes

• Worth 80 marks (50% of total grade for Core candidates)

Paper 4: Theory (Extended)

• Short-answer and structured questions based on the Core and Supplement subject content

• 1 hour 15 minutes

• Worth 80 marks (50% of total grade for Extended candidates taking this route)

Papers 5 and 6: Practical papers

All candidates take one of the following:

• Paper 5: Practical Test

  • Questions will be based on experimental skills

  • 1 hour 15 minutes

  • Worth 40 marks (20% of total grade for Extended candidates)

• Paper 6: Alternative to Practical

• Questions will be based on the experimental skills

• 1 hour

• Worth 40 marks (20% of total grade for Extended candidates)

Here's how it works:

If you're entered for Core tier (targeting grades C-G or 5-1), you'll take Paper 1, Paper 3 and either Paper 5 or Paper 6

If you're entered for Extended tier (targeting grades A*-G or 9-1), you’ll take Paper 2, Paper 4 and either Paper 5 or Paper 6. 

Edexcel IGCSE Biology

Pearson Edexcel (opens in a new tab) uses a simpler structure with two papers for all students. There is no tiering system.

Paper 1

• Multiple choice, short-answer, calculations and extended open-response questions

• 2 hours

• Worth 110 marks (61.1% of total grade)

• Tests topics 1-5

Paper 2

• Same question styles as Paper 1

• 1 hour 15 minutes

• 70 marks (38.9%)

• Tests topics 1-5 (the same topics as Paper 1 but includes syllabus content that is in bold and has a ‘B’ reference)

Our Edexcel IGCSE resources include past papers all in one place.

OxfordAQA IGCSE Biology

Those studying OxfordAQA (opens in a new tab), OxfordAQA International GCSE Biology will take two untiered papers, with all students able to access grades 9–1.

Paper 1

• Short-answer, and extended-answer questions

• 1 hour 30 minutes

• Worth 90 marks (50% of total grade)

Paper 2

• Short-answer, and extended-answer questions

• 1 hour 30 minutes

• Worth 90 marks (50% of total grade)

At Save My Exams you can find a full list of past papers as part of our Oxford AQA IGCSE resources. 

Core vs Extended: Do Students Sit Different Papers?

This only applies to Cambridge IGCSE.

• Core students sit easier papers covering Core content only

• Extended students sit more demanding papers covering additional content in greater depth

Edexcel and OxfordAQA do not use tiers—everyone sits the same papers, with questions of varying difficulty.

Your school decides your tier entry based on predicted performance, so check with your teacher if you’re unsure.

At Save My Exams we have a full suite of resources for Cambridge IGCSE including past papers. 

How Each IGCSE Biology Paper Contributes to the Final Grade

Let's break down how your papers add up to create your final grade.

Cambridge IGCSE Biology:

If you're taking the Core route:

• Paper 1 (Multiple Choice) = 30% of your final grade

• Paper 3 (Theory) = 50% of your final grade

• Paper 5 or 6 (Practical/Alternative to Practical) = 20% of your final grade

If you're taking the Extended route:

• Paper 2 (Multiple Choice) = 30% of your final grade

• Paper 4 (Theory) = 50% of your final grade

• Paper 5 or 6 (Practical/Alternative to Practical) = 20% of your final grade

Theory papers always carry the most weight, so it's super important to prepare well for those long-answer questions.

Edexcel IGCSE Biology:

• Paper 1 = 61.1% of your final grade (110 marks)

• Paper 2 = 38.9% of your final grade (70 marks)

Paper 1 is worth more, so you'll want to make sure you're really prepared for that longer exam.

OxfordAQA IGCSE Biology:

This one's straightforward:

• Paper 1 = 50% of your final grade (90 marks)

• Paper 2 = 50% of your final grade (90 marks)

Both papers count equally, so you need to perform consistently across both.

Tips for Preparing for Each Paper Type

Our Save My Exams IGCSE Biology resources have a range of ways to help you prepare and practice for your IGCSE exams, including:

• flash cards

• mock papers

• revision notes

• test builders

• past papers

Different paper types need different revision strategies. Here's how to tackle each one.

Multiple Choice Papers

Don't underestimate these! Multiple choice questions can be really tricky.

As a teacher I advised my students to practise eliminating wrong answers systematically. Often you can cross out one or two options straight away, improving your odds.

Watch out for words like "always," "never," "most," and "least"—they can completely change the meaning of a question.

I advise you to time yourself when practising. You've got just over a minute per question, so you need to work quickly without rushing.

Read every option carefully before choosing. Sometimes answers look similar, and the difference between them is really subtle.

Check out our multiple choice exam questions for Cambridge CIE IGCSE for practise in tackling these questions. 

Theory Papers

These papers test your ability to explain, describe, and analyse—not just recall facts.

My top tip as a Biology teacher is to pay attention to command words. "Describe" means say what happens, "explain" means say why it happens, "compare" means identify similarities and differences.Always check the exam board command word definitions to be sure you understand what is needed for each type. 

Plan your longer answers before you start writing. A quick 30-second plan ensures you include all the key points and don't ramble.

Use scientific terminology precisely. Words like "osmosis," "mitochondria," and "photosynthesis" need to be used accurately.

Check how many marks each question is worth—that tells you how much detail to include. A 1-mark question needs a short answer; a 6-mark question needs much more.

Practise past paper questions regularly and compare your answers to the mark schemes. This shows you exactly what examiners want to see.

Our How to Revise Start Revising article can help you develop these skills further.

Practical Papers (Paper 5)

If your school offers practical exams, you'll actually perform experiments during the exam.

Follow instructions carefully and write down exactly what you observe. Don't make up results or write what you think should happen.

Show all your working for calculations, even if you're not confident about the answer. You can earn method marks even if your final answer is wrong.

Practice drawing scientific diagrams with clear labels and a pencil. Don't use colours or shading unless specifically asked.

Familiarise yourself with common practical techniques like measuring pH, using a microscope, or setting up investigations. The more comfortable you are with equipment, the less nervous you'll feel.

Alternative to Practical Papers (Paper 6):

This is a written paper about practical skills for students whose schools can't offer practical exams.

You'll be given information about experiments and asked to analyse results, identify variables, suggest improvements, and evaluate procedures.

Practice interpreting graphs and tables from unfamiliar experiments. You won't have seen the exact scenarios before, so you need to apply your practical knowledge.

Learn how to identify independent variables (what you change), dependent variables (what you measure), and control variables (what you keep the same).

Understand how to suggest improvements to investigations and comment on reliability and accuracy.

Check out our IGCSE Biology revision notes to help you prepare for this paper type, for example, these Edexcel IGCSE Biology practical notes on food tests. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I Need to Do Practical Work for IGCSE Biology?

For Cambridge IGCSE:

If you're taking Paper 5, yes—you'll perform actual practical experiments during your exam under supervised conditions.

If you're taking Paper 6 (Alternative to Practical), no—it's a written paper about practical skills. Many schools choose Paper 6 because they don't have the facilities for Paper 5, or because it's easier to organise.

For Edexcel and OxfordAQA:

Both exam boards include practical skills questions within their theory papers, but you don't sit a separate practical exam. You'll answer written questions about experiments, methods, and practical techniques.

Your school will tell you which papers you're entered for, so check with your teacher if you're not sure.

How Long Are the IGCSE Biology Papers?

Here's a quick breakdown by exam board:

Cambridge IGCSE:

• Paper 1 (Multiple Choice - Core): 45 minutes

• Paper 2 (Multiple Choice - Extended): 45 minutes

• Paper 3 (Theory - Core): 1 hour 15 minutes

• Paper 4 (Theory - Extended): 1 hour 15 minutes

• Paper 5 (Practical): 1 hour 15 minutes

• Paper 6 (Alternative to Practical): 1 hour

Edexcel IGCSE:

• Paper 1: 2 hours

• Paper 2: 1 hour 15 minutes

OxfordAQA IGCSE:

• Paper 1: 1 hour 30 minutes

• Paper 2: 1 hour 30 minutes

These timings are designed to give you enough time to complete all questions without rushing, as long as you manage your time sensibly.

A top tip I share as a Biology teacher is to make sure you practise completing papers in these time limits so you get used to the pace you need to work at. Set yourself up for success by using a stop watch and completing each paper in the allotted time. 

Final Thoughts

Now you know exactly how many IGCSE Biology papers you'll be sitting—and that's a huge step towards feeling prepared.

Each paper tests different skills, so revise strategically rather than trying to do everything at once. Break your revision down by paper type, practise with past papers, and focus on exam technique as well as content.

You've got this! Understanding the exam format is really half the battle. Now you can focus on learning the content and developing the skills you need to smash those exams.

For more help with your IGCSE Biology revision, check out our complete topic notes for IGCSE Biology courses, exam technique guides, and practice exam questions designed specifically for each exam board and paper type by biology specialists, all with teaching experience, so we know exactly what you need to know.

References

• Cambridge IGCSE Biology (0610) Syllabus (opens in a new tab) – Cambridge Assessment International Education

• Edexcel International GCSE Biology (2017) Specification (opens in a new tab) – Pearson Edexcel

• OxfordAQA International GCSE Biology (9201) Specification (opens in a new tab) – OxfordAQA