IGCSE Computer Science 0478 from 2029: what changes?
From 2029, Cambridge IGCSE Computer Science 0478 requires every programming answer to be written in Python 3.10 or higher, and candidates no longer need to use pseudocode. The two papers keep their 1 hour 45 minutes and 75 marks, but are renamed Computer Systems and Logic and Algorithms and Programming. Cambridge is also launching 0265, a digital-only route with the same content. The new 0478 syllabus covers exams in 2029, 2030 and 2031.
As of November 2026, the 2026–2028 syllabus is still the one examined, so students sitting 0478 up to and including 2028 are not affected. Departments that start the cohort sitting in 2029 need to plan for Python-only teaching, the moved logic content and the new scenario question. This guide sets out the old and new syllabuses side by side. For the other Cambridge changes, see our hub of IGCSE syllabus changes for 2027 to 2029.
When does the new 0478 syllabus start?
The 2029–2031 syllabus is first examined in 2029: in the March series for schools in India, and in June 2029 elsewhere. The current 2026–2028 syllabus is used for exams in 2026, 2027 and 2028.
| Syllabus | Exam years | Series |
|---|---|---|
| Cambridge IGCSE Computer Science 0478 (current) | 2026, 2027, 2028 | June and November, plus March in India |
| Cambridge IGCSE Computer Science 0478 (new) | 2029, 2030, 2031 | June and November, plus March in India |
| Cambridge IGCSE (9–1) Computer Science 0984 | 2029, 2030, 2031 | June and November |
| Cambridge O Level Computer Science 2210 | 2029, 2030, 2031 | June and November |
| Cambridge IGCSE Computer Science 0265 (digital) | 2029 | June and November |
The syllabus gives a first examination year (2029) rather than a first-teaching date. To work out which of your classes are affected, count back from the year they will sit the exam: anyone sitting in 2029 or later takes the new syllabus.
How do the old and new papers compare?
Both papers stay at 1 hour 45 minutes, 75 marks and 50% each, but the topics are regrouped, and calculators are now allowed in Paper 2.
| Paper | 2026–2028 syllabus | 2029–2031 syllabus |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | Computer Systems: Topics 1–6, 1 h 45 min, 75 marks, 50%, no calculators | Computer Systems and Logic: Topics 1–7, 1 h 45 min, 75 marks, 50%, no calculators |
| Paper 2 | Algorithms, Programming and Logic: Topics 7–10, 1 h 45 min, 75 marks, 50%, no calculators | Algorithms and Programming: Topics 8–11, 1 h 45 min, 75 marks, 50%, calculators allowed |
The assessment objectives don't change. AO1 (knowledge and understanding) is 40%, AO2 (application) is 40% and AO3 (evaluation and solutions) is 20%. Paper 1 is still weighted 60% AO1 and Paper 2 60% AO2.
Where did logic go?
Logic gates and logic circuits move from Paper 2 to Paper 1. In the 2026–2028 syllabus, Boolean logic is Topic 10 and is examined in Paper 2. In the 2029–2031 syllabus, it sits in Topics 1 (Data representation and logic gates) and 2 (Logic circuits and hardware), both examined in Paper 1.
| 2026–2028 topics | 2029–2031 topics |
|---|---|
| Paper 1: 1 Data representation | Paper 1: 1 Data representation and logic gates |
| 2 Data transmission | 2 Logic circuits and hardware |
| 3 Hardware | 3 Data transmission and networking |
| 4 Software | 4 Data integrity and cybersecurity |
| 5 The internet and its uses | 5 Software |
| 6 Automated and emerging technologies | 6 Automated systems and robotics |
| Paper 2: 7 Algorithm design and problem-solving | 7 Emerging technologies |
| 8 Programming | Paper 2: 8 Programming fundamentals |
| 9 Databases | 9 Algorithm design |
| 10 Boolean logic | 10 Further programming and testing |
| 11 Databases and Structured Query Language (SQL) |
What does Python-only mean for Paper 2?
All programming responses in Paper 2 must be written in Python 3.10 or higher. Pseudocode is no longer required, although Cambridge says knowing its purpose is still valuable.
Under the 2026–2028 syllabus, coded answers in Paper 2 have to be in pseudocode, and only the 15-mark scenario question accepts a real language: pseudocode, Python, Visual Basic or Java. That syllabus says syntax is not examined and logic matters more than syntax. The new syllabus reverses the emphasis. It replaces the pseudocode guide with a "Python 3.10 guide" that shows how Python will appear in exam papers. It also expects learners to write, run, test and debug their own Python programs in class.
For teachers, that means:
- Visual Basic and Java are no longer accepted for any answer.
- Python syntax now matters. Indentation, for example, defines code blocks in the Python guide.
- The program development life cycle is no longer explicitly assessed.
- Trace tables and flowcharts stay. Students still complete trace tables and design algorithms as flowcharts or Python code.
How is the scenario question changing?
The final question in Paper 2 is still a 15-mark unseen scenario, with about 30 minutes expected, but it is now split into separate sub-parts and marked with a points-based mark scheme instead of a levels-based one. Students must answer it in Python 3.10 or higher.
Cambridge's 0478 page describes it as a redesigned structured question with increasing levels of challenge. The syllabus says the split into sub-parts is to support accessibility. Cambridge advises teachers to work through the updated Paper 2 specimen paper and mark scheme for first assessment in 2029, which are on the 0478 past papers page.
What content was added and removed?
Cambridge has expanded artificial intelligence, introduced quantum computing and cloud storage models, and removed digital currency and file-size calculations.
| Added or expanded (2029–2031) | Removed or reduced |
|---|---|
| AI: types of machine learning, neural network structure, ethics, bias and fairness | The whole digital currency topic |
| Quantum computing at a conceptual level | Calculating file sizes for bitmap images and sound files |
| Cloud storage models: public, private and hybrid | Storage calculations in pebibytes (PiB) and exbibytes (EiB) |
| Explicit IPv4 and IPv6, and static and dynamic IP addressing | Explicit coverage of USB |
| Session and persistent cookies | Legacy media devices and storage |
| Cybersecurity principles: confidentiality, integrity, authenticity, availability and non-repudiation | Automated systems beyond six named areas |
| New command word: Convert | Program development life cycle; pseudocode requirement |
IPv4 and IPv6, static and dynamic IP addresses, session and persistent cookies, cloud storage and machine learning already appear in the 2026–2028 syllabus. The change is depth: they become explicit learning objectives, with more detail. The six automated-systems contexts kept are transport, agriculture, domestic settings, retail, industry and medicine. Reading the two syllabuses side by side also shows cyclic shifts, Huffman coding (without building trees) and two-table relational databases with foreign keys now listed in the content.
What is the new digital Computer Science 0265?
0265 is a Cambridge IGCSE Computer Science syllabus assessed entirely by digital exams, first available in 2029. It has the same 11 topics, two 1 hour 45 minute, 75-mark components weighted 50% each, the same assessment objectives and the same Python 3.10 requirement as the new 0478.
Candidates answer on a digital platform instead of on paper. Calculators are allowed in Component 2 but not Component 1, as with 0478. Cambridge's 0478 page says students on the digital route can "compile, debug, and run code" with an IDE, rather than writing code by hand, and that paper-based routes continue. A candidate can't take 0265 in the same series as 0478, 0984 or 2210, so schools choose one route per candidate. The 0265 syllabus published so far covers 2029 exams only.
What this means for marking mocks
Students sitting 0478 in 2026, 2027 or 2028 are on the current syllabus, so your existing past papers and mark schemes remain the right ones for them. For the first 2029 cohort, mark mocks against the 2029 specimen papers and adapt older questions with care.
Old Paper 1 questions are mostly still usable for the new Paper 1. Remove questions on digital currency, file-size calculations for images and sound, PiB and EiB conversions, USB and legacy storage. Bear in mind that the new Paper 1 also needs logic gate and circuit practice, which used to sit in Paper 2.
Old Paper 2 logic questions become Paper 1 practice. Logic gate, truth table and logic circuit questions from past Paper 2s can go straight into a new-format Paper 1 mock.
Old Paper 2 programming questions need rewriting. Questions that give an algorithm in pseudocode, or expect an answer in pseudocode, don't match a Python-only paper. Rewrite the given code in Python, and write a Python model answer before you mark, so that every marker credits the same syntax.
Old scenario questions are useful for the problem, but not for the mark scheme. The old levels-based marking doesn't match the new points-based, multi-part format. Use the 2029 specimen Paper 2 mark scheme as your template for how marks are now allocated.
Grades. There are no grade threshold tables for the 2029–2031 syllabus until it has been examined. If you report grades for an early mock, use the method in which grade boundaries to use for IGCSE mocks and label them as estimates. A question-level analysis after the first new-format mock will show whether students are losing marks on Python syntax, logic or the new theory topics. With new mark schemes, it also helps to agree standards across the department before marking.
FAQ
When is the first exam for the new IGCSE Computer Science 0478 syllabus?
The 2029–2031 syllabus is first examined in 2029: in March 2029 for schools in India that use the March series, and in June 2029 for everyone else. Exams in 2026, 2027 and 2028 use the current syllabus.
Is pseudocode removed from IGCSE Computer Science?
From 2029, candidates no longer need to use pseudocode, and all programming answers in Paper 2 must be written in Python 3.10 or higher. Cambridge says an awareness of what pseudocode is for is still valuable.
Can students use Java or Visual Basic in 0478 from 2029?
No. The 2029–2031 syllabus requires all programming responses to be in Python 3.10 or higher. Java and Visual Basic were only accepted in the scenario question under the current syllabus.
What is Cambridge IGCSE Computer Science 0265?
It is a digital-only version of IGCSE Computer Science, first examined in 2029, with the same content and structure as the new 0478. Candidates cannot enter 0265 and 0478 in the same exam series.
Are calculators allowed in IGCSE Computer Science from 2029?
Calculators are allowed in Paper 2 Algorithms and Programming, but not in Paper 1 Computer Systems and Logic. In the current syllabus, calculators are not allowed in either paper.
Sources
- Cambridge IGCSE Computer Science 0478 syllabus for 2029, 2030 and 2031 (version 1, September 2026)
- Cambridge IGCSE Computer Science 0478 syllabus for 2026, 2027 and 2028 (version 6)
- Cambridge IGCSE Computer Science 0265 syllabus for 2029 (version 1)
- Cambridge IGCSE Computer Science 0478 syllabus page and summary of changes
- Cambridge IGCSE Computer Science 0478 past papers page, including 2029 specimen papers and mark schemes
- Cambridge IGCSE (9–1) Computer Science 0984 syllabus for 2029, 2030 and 2031
- Cambridge O Level Computer Science 2210 syllabus for 2029, 2030 and 2031