Cambridge · 0610 & 0970

Cambridge IGCSE Biology 0610 Past Papers & Mark Schemes

Free CIE Biology 0610 question papers, mark schemes and examiner reports from 2021 to 2026 — Paper 4 Theory (Extended) and Paper 6 Alternative to Practical in every variant, organised by exam series. The same papers apply to the 9–1 graded 0970 syllabus.

✓ 2021–2026 series ✓ Variants 41–43 & 61–63 ✓ Examiner reports included ✓ March, June & November

Cambridge IGCSE Biology Past Papers — Paper 4 Theory & Paper 6 ATP

Pick the paper type, year and exam series. You get every variant of that session in one view — question paper, mark scheme and the examiner report Cambridge published for the whole series. March exams have variant 2 only.

Selected Cambridge Biology downloads

Practise these questions classified by topic
Browse the full 0610 Biology archive by year (2021–2026)

How Cambridge IGCSE Biology 0610 is assessed

Every candidate sits three components: one multiple-choice paper, one theory paper and one practical component.

Multiple Choice

Paper 1 (Core) or Paper 2 (Extended)

Time 45 minutes
Marks 40 questions · 40 marks
Weighting 30%
Tests Knowledge + data handling

Theory

Paper 3 (Core) or Paper 4 (Extended)

Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Marks 80 marks
Weighting 50% — the biggest paper
Tests Short-answer + structured

Practical

Paper 5 (Practical Test) or Paper 6 (ATP)

Time 1 h 15 min or 1 hour
Marks 40 marks
Weighting 20%
Tests Experimental skills only

All 21 topics of the 0610 syllabus — grouped for revision

Cambridge lists 21 numbered topics. Revise them in these five natural clusters and tick each one off against past-paper questions.

CELLS & MOLECULES

1 Characteristics & classification 2 Organisation of the organism 3 Movement into & out of cells 4 Biological molecules 5 Enzymes

PLANTS

6 Plant nutrition 8 Transport in plants

HUMAN BODY

7 Human nutrition 9 Transport in animals 10 Diseases & immunity 11 Gas exchange 12 Respiration 13 Excretion 14 Coordination & response 15 Drugs

CONTINUITY OF LIFE

16 Reproduction 17 Inheritance 18 Variation & selection

ECOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY

19 Organisms & their environment 20 Human influences on ecosystems 21 Biotechnology & genetic modification
Practical skills carry a full 20% of the grade on Paper 5 or 6, testing food tests, osmosis, enzyme rates, photosynthesis, transpiration, sampling, magnification calculations and clear line drawings — revise them as a topic in their own right, not an afterthought.

What do 41, 42, 43 and 61, 62, 63 actually mean?

The first digit is the paper; the second is the time-zone variant. Different variants, same syllabus, same difficulty.

41 / 61 Variant 1 — administrative zone 1
42 / 62 Variant 2 — zones 2 and 3, and the only variant in the March (India) series
43 / 63 Variant 3 — zones 4 and 5, including the Gulf region

Because every variant assesses the identical syllabus, the smartest strategy is to practise all three variants of each session — it triples your question bank at the same difficulty level.

Test yourself — free Topic 1 quiz

Try a free interactive quiz on Topic 1, Characteristics of Living Organisms, before you open a full paper.

Characteristics of Living Organisms — trial quiz

Instant marking with explanations, built from real 0610 exam questions.

Or open the quiz in a new tab

After the free papers — two ways to secure the marks

Built specifically for Cambridge IGCSE Biology 0610 and 0970 students.

By topic Cambridge IGCSE Biology Papers 2, 4 and 6 classified past papers 2019–2026 Classified Past Papers by Topic Every 0610 question from Papers 2, 4 and 6 sorted under its syllabus topic with answers — the fastest way to fix a weak topic. See the classified papers → Full course Cambridge IGCSE Biology notes for the latest 0610 syllabus IGCSE Biology Course & Notes Recorded lessons and syllabus-matched notes covering all 21 topics of the latest 0610 syllabus, Core and Supplement clearly separated. Explore the Biology course →
Show additional free Cambridge Biology resources
Solved-paper sample Open the interactive Cambridge sample only when you want it. Free Topic 1 quiz Instant-marked questions on Characteristics of Living Organisms. Live Biology classes Join Cambridge-focused live tuition and exam preparation. Official 0610 syllabus Check the Cambridge syllabus document, topics and assessment rules.

Free Cambridge sample — see how full-mark answers are built

The sample loads only when you open it, so this page stays fast on mobile.

Preview solved Cambridge Biology questions

Compare the official marking points with a complete student-ready answer.

Or open a second sample in a new tab

How to revise with 0610 papers — a five-stage Cambridge method

Built around the way Cambridge splits the marks: 30% MCQ, 50% theory, 20% practical skills.

1 · Separate Core from Supplement before anything else Extended candidates answer on both; Core-only study caps the grade at C.
  • Turn each of the 21 topics into a two-column checklist: Core and Supplement.
  • Learn Core definitions word-perfectly — Cambridge mark schemes reward exact wording.
  • Flag Supplement-only ideas (water potential, test crosses, eutrophication) for Paper 4 practice.
2 · Treat Paper 6 as its own subject The ATP is 20% of the grade and tests skills, not recall.
  • Drill the set experimental contexts: food tests, osmosis, enzymes, photosynthesis, transpiration and sampling.
  • Practise line drawings with magnification calculations — a guaranteed mark source.
  • Learn the table-and-graph rules: ruled headings, units in headers, sensible scales, sharp pencil.
3 · Use all three variants of every session Variants triple your practice bank at identical difficulty.
  • Sit variant 2 timed, then use variants 1 and 3 of the same session for topic drilling.
  • Compare mark schemes across variants to see how the same point is phrased differently.
  • Keep March papers as clean mocks — one variant, standard difficulty.
4 · Mine the examiner report of every series Cambridge names the exact misconceptions that cost marks.
  • Read the report immediately after self-marking each paper.
  • Collect the recurring errors — vague diffusion answers, incomplete genetic diagrams, missing units.
  • Rewrite every dropped answer using the mark scheme's own wording.
5 · Match command words to answer length "State" wants a phrase; "Explain" wants reasons; "Suggest" wants applied thinking.
  • Learn the Cambridge definitions: state, describe, explain, suggest, predict, sketch, determine.
  • In "explain" answers, tie every point to a because-clause.
  • For "suggest" questions, apply known biology to the unfamiliar context — there is often more than one valid answer.

Cambridge IGCSE Biology 0610 — FAQs

What is the difference between 0610 and 0970?

They are the same Cambridge IGCSE Biology qualification with different grading scales: 0610 is graded A* to G and 0970 is graded 9 to 1. The syllabus content and papers are identical, so every past paper on this page is valid practice for both codes.

What do the paper codes 41, 42, 43, 61, 62 and 63 mean?

The first digit is the paper — 4 is Theory (Extended) and 6 is Alternative to Practical. The second digit is the time-zone variant. All variants of a session assess the same syllabus at the same standard.

Where are the Paper 2 multiple-choice papers?

This free archive focuses on Paper 4 and Paper 6, which carry 70% of the grade. For Paper 2 MCQ practice, the classified past papers sort every Paper 2, 4 and 6 question by syllabus topic with answers.

Is Paper 6 easier than Paper 5?

Neither is easier — both test the same experimental skills and the same assessment objective for 20% of the grade. Paper 5 is a hands-on laboratory test lasting 1 hour 15 minutes, while Paper 6 is a 1-hour written Alternative to Practical. Your school decides which one you sit.

Should I sit Core or Extended?

Core (Papers 1 and 3) can achieve grades C to G at most, while Extended (Papers 2 and 4) opens the full A* to G range. If you are targeting a grade C or above, Cambridge recommends the Extended tier.

Are these Cambridge Biology past papers free with answers?

Yes. Every question paper is paired with its official Cambridge mark scheme, and each series includes the examiner report explaining where candidates lost marks.

See how the Biology course combines lessons, concise notes, quizzes, flashcards and past-paper questions. The video gives you a clear study sequence, from learning a chapter to practising the exact language and skills needed in exam answers.

Stop revising topic by textbook. Revise topic by exam question.

The classified past papers gather every Cambridge 0610 question — Papers 2, 4 and 6 — under its syllabus topic with answers, so each weak topic gets fixed with the exact questions Cambridge asks.

See the classified 0610 past papers