Cambridge & Edexcel Grade Converter (9-1 to A*-G)

Two grade scales are in circulation for international qualifications, and they do not line up neatly. Enter your grades on either scale to see how they convert, which conversions the awarding bodies actually fix, and how a mixed set adds up.

Your grades

Enter grades on either scale — 9 to 1, or A* to G. They can be mixed.

6.70

Average points

on the 9-1 scale

5

Standard passes

grade 4 / C and above

3

Strong passes

grade 7 / A and above

How each grade converts

  • Mathematics8→8/A*
  • PhysicsA→7/A fixed
  • Chemistry7→7/A fixed
  • English LanguageB→6/B
  • Biology6→6/B

The full comparison

Only three points are fixed by the awarding bodies. Everything else is the conventional interpolation and should be read as “about”.

9–1A*–GSri Lanka O/LNotes
9A*A*Above the old A*. Introduced to separate the very top.
8A*A*Between the old A* and A.
7AAFixed alignment: grade 7 is the bottom of the old A.
6BA / BUpper half of the old B.
5BBA 'strong pass' in UK reporting, between the old B and C.
4CCFixed alignment: grade 4 is the bottom of the old C, the standard pass.
3DSBetween the old D and E.
2ESAround the old E and F.
1GS / WFixed alignment: grade 1 is the bottom of the old G.
UUWUngraded.

The Sri Lankan O/L column is indicative. No Sri Lankan authority publishes an official equivalence, and each university, professional body, and employer sets its own rule for recognising international qualifications. Check the specific entry requirement rather than relying on this column.

Only three points are actually fixed

When the numeric scale was introduced, the awarding bodies anchored it to the letter scale at exactly three places: grade 7 to the bottom of A, grade 4 to the bottom of C, and grade 1 to the bottom of G. Every other correspondence is interpolation.

Grade 9 is the case most tables get wrong. It sits above A, not alongside it - the whole reason for the numeric scale was to separate the top of the old A band, which had become too crowded to discriminate between candidates. There is no letter grade that means the same thing as a 9.

The two scales side by side
9-1A*-GFixed by the boards?
9Above A*No - interpolated
8A*No - interpolated
7AYes
6BNo - interpolated
5B / CNo - interpolated
4CYes
3DNo - interpolated
2ENo - interpolated
1GYes

Standard pass and strong pass

Grade 4 is the standard pass and aligns to the old C. Grade 5 is reported as a strong pass and sits between the old B and C. Both are passes; which one an institution asks for is its own choice, and requirements quoted as "C or above" and "grade 5 or above" are not the same bar.

Comparing with Sri Lankan qualifications

There is no official conversion between international grades and the Sri Lankan Ordinary Level. Institutions handle it case by case, and the same set of grades can be treated differently by two universities.

The indicative column in this tool positions each grade by where it sits within its own scale. Use it to get oriented, then check the actual entry requirement of the institution you are applying to.

  • Confirm how many subjects the institution requires, not just the grades.
  • Some require specific subjects at a specific grade regardless of the overall set.
  • Professional bodies often maintain their own recognition lists.
  • A qualification recognised for one course may not be for another at the same university.

More student tools

Frequently asked questions

The awarding bodies fix only three points: grade 7 aligns to the bottom of A, grade 4 to the bottom of C, and grade 1 to the bottom of G. Everything between those anchors is interpolation. Grade 9 sits above A* entirely - it was introduced to separate the very top of the old A* band, so no letter grade corresponds to it on its own.

Both are passes, at different standards. Grade 4 is the standard pass and aligns to the old C. Grade 5 is reported as a strong pass and sits between the old B and C. Which one an institution requires is its own choice, so check the specific entry requirement.

There is no official equivalence published by any Sri Lankan authority. The comparison shown here is indicative, based on the position of each grade within its own scale. Universities, professional bodies, and employers each set their own rule for recognising international qualifications, so confirm the requirement directly rather than relying on a conversion table.

Not always. Cambridge IGCSE reports most subjects on A*-G, with 9-1 used for some syllabuses. Edexcel International GCSE largely uses 9-1. Because a student can end up holding both, this converter accepts a mixed set and puts them on one footing.

Every grade is placed on the 9-1 numeric scale and averaged. A letter grade that spans two numbers takes their midpoint, so a set of A* grades averages 8.5 rather than 9 - the letter cannot distinguish a 9 from an 8. Treat the average as a rough indicator, not a formal score.

Above an A*. The 9-1 scale was designed to spread the top end further than the letter scale did, so grade 9 sits above the old A* rather than matching it. Only three points are formally aligned between the scales - 7 to A, 4 to C, and 1 to G - and everything else is interpolation.

Grade 4 is the standard pass and grade 5 the strong pass, and which one an institution wants is their decision, not the awarding body's. Sri Lankan schools and universities set their own entry requirements, so check what the specific institution asks for.

Local university admission runs on the Sri Lankan A/L Z-score system, so IGCSE and international qualifications are handled through different routes than the UGC district-quota process. Private and foreign-affiliated institutions set their own criteria. Check with the specific institution.