If you have already taken Cambridge International AS Level, those marks can count towards your full A Level — but only the AS marks your entry option allows Cambridge to use. A stronger result from an earlier sitting does not count automatically.
This matters most if you are resitting AS, completing A2 in a later series, or holding more than one AS result. The entry option your school or exam centre selects decides which marks Cambridge combines, so it is worth understanding before entries close.
The essentials
- Linear: you take AS and A2 in the same series. Only those current AS marks count.
- Staged: you take A2 now and carry forward the AS marks from one specified previous series.
- Best of both: you take AS and A2 now, and Cambridge uses whichever eligible AS set gives your best A Level result.
- The limits: AS marks can be carried forward twice, within 13 months of the series you sat them.
- Cambridge does not pick for you on a staged entry, and does not check that your centre chose the right option.
The short answer: which AS marks count?
| Entry route | What you take this series | Which AS marks count |
|---|---|---|
| Linear | AS and A2 components | Your AS marks from this series only |
| Staged | A2 components only | Your AS marks from the one previous series named in your entry |
| Best of both | AS and A2 components | The eligible AS set (this series or a previous one) that gives your best A Level result |
Your centre selects the route by choosing an entry option code, using Cambridge's guide to making entries for your exam series and administrative zone. Everything below explains how each route works, so you can check that your entry matches your plans.
This guide covers Cambridge International AS & A Levels. Pearson Edexcel International A Levels and UK A Levels have different rules.
Key terms in two minutes
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| AS Level | A qualification in its own right, and the first half of the full A Level in most subjects |
| A2 | The additional components that complete the A Level. A2 is not a standalone qualification |
| Exam series | An exam session, such as June or November |
| Carry forward | Using eligible AS marks from an earlier series alongside A2 marks taken later |
| Entry option code | The code that tells Cambridge which components you are taking and which earlier marks to use |
| Carry-forward component | A code representing your earlier AS marks. It is not an extra exam you sit |
Linear, staged and best of both compared
| Question | Linear | Staged | Best of both |
|---|---|---|---|
| What do you take now? | AS and A2 components | A2 components | AS and A2 components |
| Can earlier AS marks count? | No | Yes, from the series named in the entry | Yes, if eligible |
| Are several AS sittings compared? | No | No | Yes, every eligible set is considered |
| If your new AS sitting goes badly? | Your current AS marks still count | You normally take no new AS papers | An eligible earlier AS set can be used instead |
| Typical purpose | Sit the whole A Level in one series | Keep an AS result and finish A2 later | Try to improve AS, with your earlier marks as a safety net |
Key point
a staged entry names one previous series. A best of both entry lets Cambridge compare every eligible AS set. The exact options available depend on your syllabus, exam series and administrative zone.
Linear entry: only your current marks count
A linear entry uses the AS and A2 components you complete in the same exam series. No earlier marks are considered.
Example
You sit the full A Level in June 2027. Your June 2027 AS and A2 marks decide your A Level grade. You also took AS in November 2026 and did better then — but under a linear entry, that November result does not count.
Watch out
taking AS again alongside A2 does not protect your earlier AS result on a linear entry. If you have eligible earlier AS marks, Cambridge itself suggests centres consider a best of both entry instead, so those marks are also considered.
Ask about this before results. Once provisional results are issued, Cambridge does not allow an entry to be switched from a linear option to a staged one, or the other way round.
Staged entry: one named AS sitting counts
A staged entry lets you complete AS in one series and A2 in a later one.
| Stage | Exam series | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| AS | June 2026 | You complete all the AS components |
| A2 | June 2027 | You complete the A2 components |
| Final A Level | June 2027 | Your eligible June 2026 AS marks are combined with your June 2027 A2 marks |
Different option codes carry forward marks from different series — for example, a "June carry forward" option and a "November carry forward" option. Your centre must select the one that matches the series you actually want to use.
What if you took AS more than once?
A staged entry does not choose your strongest sitting.
Example
You took AS in June 2026 and again in November 2026. If your June 2027 entry is a November carry-forward option, Cambridge uses your November marks — even if the June marks would have given you a better A Level.
Cambridge states plainly that it will not select the better set for you. Deciding which previous result to carry forward is your centre's responsibility, so check it together before the entry is submitted.
Which previous AS result should you carry forward?
Cambridge's guidance for centres sets out this order:
- Different grades: carry forward the sitting with the higher AS grade.
- Countries where Cambridge provides PUMs: carry forward the sitting with the higher Percentage Uniform Mark (what PUMs are).
- Same grade and no PUMs: compare how far each mark sits through its grade band.
Do not just compare raw totals. Grade thresholds change between series, so if one series was harder and its thresholds were lower, a lower total can be the stronger result.
To compare positions within the grade band, use:
Rule
(your mark − threshold for your grade) ÷ (threshold for the next grade − threshold for your grade)
The larger answer is the result further up its grade band. You can find each series' thresholds on Starley's Cambridge AS grade boundary pages, such as AS Chemistry 9701.
Worked example
Both sittings are grade b. The thresholds below are invented for illustration.
- June: 63 marks. Grade b starts at 60 and grade a at 70. Position: (63 − 60) ÷ (70 − 60) = 0.30
- November: 58 marks. Grade b starts at 52 and grade a at 60. Position: (58 − 52) ÷ (60 − 52) = 0.75
June has the higher total, but November is the stronger grade b: it sits three-quarters of the way to an a. Carry forward November.
Your turn
Both sittings are grade c (invented thresholds). June: 50 marks, with c at 46 and b at 55. November: 47 marks, with c at 41 and b at 49. Which should you carry forward?
AnswerShow answerHide answer
- June: (50 − 46) ÷ (55 − 46) = 4 ÷ 9 ≈ 0.44
- November: (47 − 41) ÷ (49 − 41) = 6 ÷ 8 = 0.75
Carry forward November. It is three marks lower, but much further up the grade c band.
Best of both: Cambridge compares your AS sets
A best of both entry lets you try to improve your AS marks while keeping your earlier marks as a safety net.
Example
- You take AS in June 2026.
- You resit AS in November 2026.
- In June 2027, you take AS again alongside A2 on a best of both entry.
Cambridge considers your June 2027 AS marks and every earlier AS set that meets the carry-forward rules, and uses whichever gives the best A Level result with your June 2027 A2 marks. Your centre does not need to say which earlier sets to consider.
If your new AS performance is stronger, it counts. If it is weaker, an eligible earlier set can count instead.
What the safety net does and does not cover
- It covers your AS contribution, provided your earlier marks are eligible.
- It does not guarantee your target grade. Your A2 marks in the current series still decide much of the result.
- It does not keep an earlier A2 result. You must take the A2 components again (see below).
Can you miss the current AS papers?
Cambridge says a candidate on a best of both entry who misses one or more current AS components can still receive an A Level result, if they have a valid AS set from the previous 13 months to carry forward and they sat the A2 components.
If you have no eligible earlier AS set, missing a current AS paper means you cannot get an A Level result from that entry.
Watch out
never skip a paper on the assumption your old marks will cover it. If you plan to take only A2, ask your centre whether a staged entry is the better route — and before missing any paper, have your exams officer confirm your earlier marks are eligible and correctly linked to your entry.
You cannot combine your best papers from different sittings
For carrying forward an AS Level, all of the AS marks must come from the same series. Each sitting counts as one complete set.
| Sitting | Paper 1 | Paper 2 | Complete AS total |
|---|---|---|---|
| June | 42 | 58 | 100 |
| November | 50 | 45 | 95 |
These invented marks illustrate the rule. You cannot take November's Paper 1 (50) and June's Paper 2 (58) to make 108. A staged entry uses the complete set from the named series. A best of both entry compares complete sets.
The table also does not prove which sitting gives the better A Level, because thresholds differ between series.
Note
coursework has its own provisions. In some syllabuses, an AS coursework mark can be carried forward on its own as long as you take all the other components in the current series. But an AS Level built from components sat in different series (a "mixed series" AS Level) cannot itself be carried forward.
How long can AS marks be carried forward?
Two limits apply at the same time:
- Time: within 13 months of the series in which you sat the AS components.
- Uses: the same AS marks can be carried forward twice at most.
| Original AS sitting | Proposed A2 sitting | Within the time limit? |
|---|---|---|
| June 2026 | November 2026 | Yes |
| June 2026 | June 2027 | Yes |
| June 2026 | November 2027 | No |
| November 2026 | June 2027 | Yes |
| November 2026 | November 2027 | Yes |
These examples cover timing only. The syllabus must offer the carry-forward option, and your marks must meet the other rules below.
Carrying forward does not restart the clock
If you sit AS in June 2026 and use those marks for an A Level in November 2026, they remain June 2026 marks. The 13 months always count from the series where you first earned them.
Other rules that catch students out
- Every component needs a mark. You must have a mark, even zero, for every AS component. If you missed a paper, that AS sitting cannot be carried forward — and an AS X result (no result, because of missing marks) cannot be carried forward at all.
- The syllabus code must match. You cannot carry forward between different syllabus codes, even when the subject name is the same.
- March to June does not work. The March series (India only) releases results after the June exams start, so March marks cannot go into the June series of the same year.
- Mathematics and Further Mathematics: your AS components must form a valid combination with the A2 components you take to complete the A Level.
Can you keep your A2 marks and resit only AS?
No. There is no route that carries forward a complete set of A2 marks, and AS marks cannot be carried backwards to an earlier A2 sitting.
Example
You complete the full A Level in June 2026, then improve your AS in November 2026. You cannot attach the November AS marks to your June A2 marks to create a new A Level result.
To get a new A Level award, you need an entry that includes the A2 components in the current series. Your eligible AS marks can be carried forward alongside them, where the rules allow.
Which subjects do not offer a staged route?
Cambridge does not offer staged assessment in language syllabuses, because the same skills develop across the whole course. In those subjects, the AS Level is often a separate syllabus with its own code, so its marks cannot be carried forward into the A Level. To get the A Level, you take the full linear entry.
Check
before you plan AS one year and A2 the next, look at your syllabus and your centre's guide to making entries to confirm a staged option exists in your subject.
Should you resit AS or focus on A2?
This is a study-planning decision as much as an entry decision.
| Your situation | What to discuss with your teacher and exams officer |
|---|---|
| Strong, eligible AS result you are happy to keep | A staged entry and a focused A2 revision plan |
| Weak AS result with clear room to improve | Best of both, if offered, and whether you can prepare both halves well |
| Several eligible AS results | Which set to name on a staged entry, or whether best of both suits you better |
| AS marks outside the 13-month window | A new AS sitting or a full linear entry |
| A2 was the main weakness | Retaking A2 while carrying forward eligible AS marks |
Resitting AS adds revision time that comes out of your A2 preparation. Before deciding:
- Find which AS components lost you the most marks.
- Judge honestly whether those weaknesses are fixable before the exams.
- Weigh the extra work against your A2 preparation and your other subjects.
- Ask your teacher to model outcomes using your actual component marks and the subject's weightings.
Your AS letter grade alone is not enough to decide. Past grade thresholds help you set a target, but cannot guarantee the marks needed in a future series.
Does best of both cost more?
Cambridge's guidance says the entry fees differ:
| Entry route | Cambridge fee category |
|---|---|
| Staged | The lower AS or A2 fee on the fees list |
| Best of both | The full A Level fee |
| Linear | A full A Level entry |
Ask your centre for the total you will pay. Cambridge's fee is often not the whole charge: centres can add their own administration costs, and late entries cost more.
Common questions
Can an ungraded (U) AS result be carried forward?
Yes. A U result still contains marks, and those marks can be carried forward if the normal rules are met. But carrying forward a very low AS contribution makes a strong A Level grade much harder, so discuss whether a best of both entry would give you a better chance.
Can AS marks from an earlier full A Level attempt be used?
Yes. AS marks earned as part of a linear or best of both A Level entry can be carried forward later, just like a standalone AS result. The 13-month and twice-only limits still apply.
Can I change schools or countries?
Yes. Cambridge allows AS results from a centre in one administrative zone to count towards an A Level completed in another, within the usual rules. Different paper variants do not prevent this: Cambridge has a process to account for variant differences. Give your new centre your previous centre number and candidate number.
Why does my centre need my previous centre and candidate numbers?
They let Cambridge find your earlier marks. On a staged entry, the option code says which series to use; your previous entry details say who you are across sittings. Both have to be right, so check both.
What if I miss the A Level grade on a linear or best of both entry?
Almost every Cambridge A Level syllabus has a compensatory AS Level route. If your marks across all components are not enough for an A Level grade, Cambridge checks whether your AS components alone earn an AS grade, and awards that AS Level if so.
Does a worse AS resit erase my earlier result?
Your earlier AS result stays on record, but the question for your new A Level is which marks your entry lets Cambridge use. A linear entry uses your current AS marks. A staged entry uses the named earlier set. Best of both compares the eligible sets. A stronger earlier sitting will not count automatically on every route.
Can the entry be changed after results?
Partly. After provisional results, Cambridge allows a switch from one carry-forward option to another (for example, June carry forward to November carry forward) if the carry-forward rules are met, with very late entry fees. It does not allow a switch between linear and staged options. Cambridge also does not automatically check entry codes, which is another reason to confirm yours early.
Your checklist before exam entries close
Ask your exams officer to confirm:
- You are entered for the right qualification and syllabus code.
- The exam series in which you will complete the A Level.
- Your entry route: linear, staged or best of both.
- Exactly which papers or assessments you must take now.
- On a staged entry, which earlier AS sitting is being carried forward.
- Your AS marks are within 13 months and have not already been carried forward twice.
- Your previous centre and candidate numbers are included.
- The total cost, and your centre's own entry deadline.
You can send your centre this message:
Copy this message
"Please could you confirm whether my [subject and syllabus code] entry for [series and year] is linear, staged or best of both? My previous AS sittings were [series and years]. Which AS marks will be eligible to count, which components must I take now, and have my previous centre and candidate numbers been included?"
For the exact option code, your centre should use Cambridge's guide to making entries for your exam series, together with the current syllabus, the Cambridge Handbook and Cambridge's carry-forward regulations supplement.