How to Prepare for A Levels 2027: An AS and A2 Plan

Last updated 10 October 2026. Confirm dates, entries and routes with your school's exams officer and cambridgeinternational.org.

#When are the next A Level exams?

As of October 2026, the June 2026 series is over, the November 2026 series is running, and the next main series is May/June 2027.

These dates are from Cambridge's key dates documents for June 2026 and November 2026. Provisional June 2027 timetables are available to schools on Cambridge's Direct portal (Cambridge exams officer newsletter). Your exact paper dates depend on your administrative zone, so use your school's copy.

Retaking in November? For the November 2026 series, entries for students retaking from June 2026 closed on 21 September 2026. For June 2026 the final entries deadline was 21 February, so plan June 2027 entries early.

#How are Cambridge A Levels graded?

Cambridge International A Level is graded A*, A, B, C, D and E, and AS Level is graded a, b, c, d and e (Cambridge help centre). A candidate who narrowly misses an E at A Level may receive a compensatory AS grade. Grade thresholds change every series, so check published thresholds to see what a given grade needed.

In Pakistan, IBCC equivalence generally needs three A Level subjects at E or above along with your O Level equivalence (Eduvision IBCC guidance). A commonly cited IBCC grade-to-marks scale, published by NU, is A* 90%, A 85%, B 75%, C 65%, D 55% and E 45%. Universities also set their own subject and grade requirements, so check early. Still finishing O Levels? Start with our O Level preparation guide.

#Should I take AS and A Level together or staged?

Cambridge offers three routes, according to its AS and A Level factsheet:

1. Staged: Take AS components in one series and the remaining A Level components in a later series. Your AS result carries forward into the A Level grade. Not available in every subject.
2. All in one series: Take every component at the end of the course (usually two years).
3. AS only: Stop at AS as a qualification of its own.

The staged route spreads the load and gives you an early result, which helps with university applications. The one-series route gives you more time to mature in the subject. Ask your school which they offer for each subject.

#How do I start A Level preparation?

Start A Level preparation by building a syllabus checklist and learning how marks are awarded.

1. Get the syllabus for your exam year and check the code and years on the cover.
2. Split AS and A2 content. The syllabus shows which topics are assessed in which papers.
3. Read the assessment objectives. A Level papers reward application and analysis much more than O Level, so knowing the content is only step one.
4. Learn the command words. "Discuss", "evaluate", "deduce" and "suggest" need different kinds of answers.

#How do I prepare for A Levels 2027 (the May/June series)?

Plan A Level revision by counting back from late April, in three phases.

1. October to February, content plus topical questions: Finish every topic. After each, answer topical past-paper questions from several years.
2. March to early April, full papers: At least one timed full paper per subject per week, every paper you're entered for.
3. Final 3 weeks, polish: Error notebook, definitions, derivations and examiner-report advice.

With three or four demanding subjects, give each one a daily slot, even if short. Most A Level students do best with 3 to 4 focused hours on school days. Late-night studier? Read how to focus while studying at night.

#How should I use A Level past papers?

Use A Level past papers topically while learning, and as full timed papers from March.

1. Topical first: All past questions on a topic once you finish it.
2. Full papers under time: Exact timing, no notes.
3. Mark with the official mark scheme: Notice how marks are split between method and answer.
4. Read the examiner report: It shows the mistakes that cost most candidates marks.
5. Error notebook: Retry mistakes after 3 days and after a week.

Your school can download official papers, mark schemes and examiner reports from Cambridge's School Support Hub. More in how to use past papers.

#How do I prepare each A Level subject type?

Each A Level subject type rewards a different habit, so match your practice to how the subject is marked.

• Mathematics and Further Mathematics: Daily problems, mixed topics. Write every step clearly.
• Physics: Derivations as logical chains, numericals with units and significant figures, and practical skills (uncertainties, graphs) for the practical paper.
• Chemistry: Reaction maps for organic chemistry, practised mechanisms, and exact definitions.
• Biology: Precise terminology, labelled diagrams, and data-analysis practice.
• Economics, Business, Sociology and other essay subjects: Plan essays in 5 minutes, use diagrams where relevant, and always evaluate.
• Computer Science: Trace and write pseudocode and code by hand; practise the programming paper with real code.

#What should I do in the final month before A Levels?

In the final month, sit full timed papers, re-read examiner reports and revise from compact notes. Sleep 7 to 8 hours; A Level papers reward clear thinking more than late-night memorising. On exam day, read the whole paper first, plan longer answers, and use the marks on offer to judge answer length.

Going for A*s is a great goal. Toppers are built, not crammed: understand deeply, practise daily, and learn from every mistake. Thinking about what comes after? Explore careers.

#How can Qurricular help A Level students?

Qurricular is a board exam prep app for Pakistani students from Class 9 to A Level. For Cambridge AS and A Level, the syllabus is mapped and content is still being added. You can upload your own notes, PDFs and past papers and ask Ryder, the AI study partner, to explain them step by step, use the Code Studio for Computer Science, and keep focus with the Pomodoro timer.