Every Cambridge IGCSE syllabus change for 2027, 2028 and 2029

Cambridge's Syllabus Changes (International) September 2026 guide lists 28 Cambridge IGCSE syllabuses as new or significantly revised for first exams in 2027, 2028 or 2029. The biggest changes are Business moving from 0450 to a new code, 0264 (from March 2027), revised First Language English 0500, Economics 0455, Accounting 0452 and Geography 0460 (2027), revised Literature in English 0475 and the modern foreign languages (2028), and a revised Computer Science 0478 plus a new digital-only Computer Science 0265 (2029).

This page is the overview. Each row in the table links to a detailed post where one exists. Everything here is taken from Cambridge's September 2026 guide and the published syllabuses, as of October 2026.

Which IGCSE syllabuses change, and when?

Eleven IGCSE syllabuses change for 2027, thirteen for 2028 and four for 2029. One point catches people out: where the first exam is "March", that is the India-only March series. Cambridge's availability table says the March series for these syllabuses is only available to centres in India, so most schools first meet the new syllabus in June (or in November for Hindi as a Second Language 0549, which has no June series).

If you teach Pearson Edexcel International GCSE as well, see the separate round-up of Edexcel International GCSE changes for 2026 and 2027.

What changes for exams in 2027?

Six established syllabuses change at once: Business, First Language English, Economics, Accounting, Geography and Environmental Management. These all affect this year's Year 11 (Grade 10) mocks.

• Business 0450 becomes 0264. Same two-paper structure, but AO2 Application rises from 20% to 30%. The 9–1 version becomes 0774 (June 2027) and O Level Business becomes 7081 (June 2027).
• First Language English 0500. Paper 1 is rebuilt as four compulsory 20-mark questions on three texts. Paper 2 Directed Writing splits into 1(a) and 1(b). The 9–1 version, 0990, follows in June 2027.
• Economics 0455. Paper 1 grows from 30 to 40 multiple-choice marks and from 45 minutes to 1 hour; Paper 2 drops from 90 to 80 marks and from 2 h 15 to 2 hours. The 9–1 version, 0987, and O Level Economics 2281 follow in June 2027.
• Accounting 0452. Paper 1 grows from 35 to 40 questions and from 1 h 15 to 1 h 30; Paper 2 is unchanged. New content on ethics and on technology and sustainability. The 9–1 version, 0985, and O Level 7707 follow in June 2027.
• Geography 0460. Paper 1 becomes physical geography, Paper 2 human geography, and the separate skills paper goes. Settlement, water and weather are removed and climate change is added. The 9–1 version, 0976, follows in June 2027 and O Level Geography 2217 in November 2027.
• Environmental Management 0680. Papers are retitled and restructured, the single-country context is removed from Paper 2, and new sub-topics include fracking and plastic pollution. O Level 5014 follows in June 2027.
• First Language Arabic 0508 (June 2027) adds a grammar section and replaces the summary with directed writing. Hindi as a Second Language 0549 drops its Speaking component.
• New syllabuses: Psychology 0266, Statistics 0479 and Japanese 0716, all first examined in June 2027.

What changes for exams in 2028?

For 2028 the main changes are Literature in English and the foreign languages, plus Art & Design, Design & Technology, Pakistan Studies and World Literature.

• Literature in English 0475. Two routes only: Paper 1 Poetry and Prose (compulsory) plus either Paper 2 Drama and Unseen or Component 3 Coursework, each 50%. Both papers become open text. The 9–1 version, 0992, and O Level 2010 follow in June 2028.
• French 0520, Spanish 0530 (March 2028) and Arabic 0544, German 0525, Italian 0535, Malay 0546 (June 2028). Paper 2 Reading becomes 40 marks, all multiple choice. Paper 4 Writing becomes 40 marks (5, 10 and 25 across three questions). Candidates may now write notes in the speaking preparation time. Mandarin Chinese 0547 changes Writing and Speaking but not Reading.
• Art & Design 0400. Component 1 (now called Portfolio) is weighted 60% and Component 2 is weighted 40%, and both get new mark schemes.
• Design & Technology 0445. The Systems and control option and its paper are removed, and Paper 1 is cut to 1 hour.
• Pakistan Studies 0448 gets new topics and longer papers (1 h 45 each). World Literature 0408 gets a new Paper 2 Poetry. Commerce 0715 is a new syllabus.

What changes for exams in 2029?

Computer Science is the headline: 0478 is revised and a new digital-only syllabus, 0265, is added. In 0478, all programming answers must be in Python 3.10 or higher, and pseudocode is no longer required. AI content is significantly expanded, quantum computing is introduced, and digital currency is removed. The scenario question becomes points-based instead of levels-based. The 9–1 version, 0984, and O Level 2210 follow in June 2029.

Drama 0411 replaces pre-release material with set plays and cuts the total to 150 marks. Physical Education 0413 is listed for June 2029, but in September 2026 Cambridge described its new syllabus as "coming soon".

Which syllabuses have no significant change?

Most science and maths syllabuses have been republished with minor changes rather than revised. Cambridge's guide lists these IGCSE syllabuses as republished, with the years they cover:

• English as a Second Language 0510 and 0511 (2027–2029), and the 9–1 versions 0991 and 0993 (2027–2029)
• History 0470 (2027–2028, then 2029–2030) and Travel & Tourism 0471 (2027–2029)
• Mathematics 0580 and 0980, Additional Mathematics 0606, International Mathematics 0607, Combined Science 0653 and Co-ordinated Sciences 0654 (2028–2030)
• Global Perspectives 0457 and Sociology 0495 (2028–2030), and Enterprise 0454 (republished each year)
• Biology 0610, Chemistry 0620, Physics 0625 and ICT 0417 (republished for 2029)

"Minor" still means you should check the version number. Cambridge has issued updated versions of the 0610, 0620 and 0478 syllabuses for exams from March 2027, and of 0580 from June 2028.

Which syllabuses are being withdrawn?

Four IGCSE syllabuses are being withdrawn:

The September 2026 guide also lists American History 0409 among the republished syllabuses. However, its withdrawal table, its availability table and the 0409 syllabus page all give June 2027 as the last exam. At O Level, Statistics 4040 has its final exam in November 2027 and is replaced by IGCSE Statistics 0479.

Which subjects will have digital exams?

Cambridge's digital exam availability page lists IGCSE digital exams being introduced from 2026 to 2030, and Cambridge says the roadmap is subject to change.

Cambridge's long-term ambition is for 85% of IGCSE and International AS & A Level subjects to be available in both digital and paper formats by 2033. Computer Science 0265 is different: its syllabus says all components are assessed using digital exams. For everything else, check the syllabus for your exam year to see whether a digital component is optional or mandatory.

What do the revisions have in common?

Across the revised syllabuses, Cambridge is doing the same five things: rewording AOs, adding learner attributes, tidying command words, adding sustainability and technology, and in some subjects moving marks away from evaluation.

• Reworded assessment objectives. Business, Accounting, Economics, First Language English, First Language Arabic and Environmental Management all have reworded AOs. In several cases Cambridge says the new wording tests the same knowledge and skills as before. Literature in English and World Literature both change AO3, and World Literature adds the word "analysis".
• Learner attributes. Business, Accounting and Economics add a description of how the syllabus supports students to develop as Cambridge learners. First Language English and Hindi introduce learner attributes, and Environmental Management introduces subject-specific ones.
• Command words. Accounting and First Language English update their command word lists. Environmental Management and Pakistan Studies replace their old glossaries with command word lists. Computer Science adds "Convert".
• Sustainability and technology. Business adds 4.2 Technology and production and 4.3 Sustainable production. Accounting adds 7.3 Technology and sustainability, Economics integrates the environment throughout, Geography adds climate change, and Design & Technology embeds sustainable design.
• Less weight on evaluation. In Business 0264, AO4 Evaluation falls from 15% to 13% while AO2 Application rises from 20% to 30%. In Economics 0455, the weighting of AO3 Evaluation decreases while knowledge and analysis increase.

What this means for marking mocks this year

If your students sit a revised syllabus in 2027, mark their mocks against the new syllabus, using Cambridge's specimen papers and mark schemes as the model. Those are on each syllabus page and on the School Support Hub.

• Old past papers still have value. Questions on unchanged content remain good practice. Check each question against the new subject content, and drop or rewrite questions on removed topics.
• Re-mark against the new criteria where the format changed. For example, an old 0500 Paper 1 does not match the new four-question structure, and an 0455 Paper 2 is out of 90 marks, not 80. Our guide to marking IGCSE First Language English 0500 covers levels marking in more detail.
• Follow the AO shift. In Business, a 0264 answer that analyses and evaluates well but never refers to the business in the question will now lose more marks than it would have under 0450.
• Be careful with grades. Cambridge only publishes thresholds after a series is sat, so there are none yet for a brand-new syllabus. Any grade you give a mock is an estimate. See which grade boundaries to use for IGCSE mocks.

FAQ

When does IGCSE Business 0450 change to 0264?

Cambridge IGCSE Business 0264 is first examined in March 2027 (India only) and in June 2027 for other schools. The 0450 syllabus is published for exams in 2026.

Is the March 2027 series the first exam for every school?

No. For the syllabuses listed as first examined in March, Cambridge's availability table says the March series is only available to centres in India. Most schools first take the new syllabus in June.

Which Cambridge IGCSE syllabuses are being withdrawn?

First Language Malay 0696, Sanskrit 0499 and American History (US) 0409 have their final exams in June 2027. Latin 0480 has its final exam in June 2028.

Is IGCSE Computer Science 0478 being replaced by 0265?

No. 0478 is revised for first exams in March 2029 and continues as a paper-based syllabus. 0265 is a separate new syllabus, first examined in June 2029, and all its components are assessed by digital exams.

Are Cambridge IGCSE Maths and the sciences changing?

Not significantly. Mathematics 0580, Additional Mathematics 0606, International Mathematics 0607, 0653 and 0654 are republished for 2028–2030, and Biology, Chemistry and Physics are republished for 2029. Check the version number of the syllabus you are using.

Sources

• Syllabus Changes (International), September 2026 version 1 — Cambridge International
• Digital exam availability — Cambridge International, accessed October 2026
• Cambridge IGCSE Business 0264 syllabus 2027–2029 and Business Studies 0450 syllabus 2026
• First Language English 0500 syllabus 2027–2029, Economics 0455 syllabus 2027–2029, Accounting 0452 syllabus 2027–2029, Geography 0460 syllabus 2027–2029, Environmental Management 0680 syllabus 2027–2029, First Language Arabic 0508 syllabus 2027–2029, Hindi as a Second Language 0549 syllabus 2027–2029
• Literature in English 0475 syllabus 2028–2030, French 0520 syllabus 2028–2030, Mandarin Chinese 0547 syllabus 2028–2030, Art & Design 0400 syllabus 2028–2030, Design & Technology 0445 syllabus 2028–2030, Pakistan Studies 0448 syllabus 2028–2030, World Literature 0408 syllabus 2028–2030
• Computer Science 0478 syllabus 2029–2031, Computer Science 0265 syllabus 2029, Drama 0411 syllabus 2029–2031
• Cambridge IGCSE American History (US) 0409 syllabus page — withdrawal notice