IGCSE Exam Dates 2026-27: Sessions, Deadlines and Results Days

Sitting IGCSE in May/June 2027? Get a revision plan built around your child's timetable or match with a 1-on-1 tutor.

Next IGCSE Session and Results Dates

Sources: Cambridge: November 2026 results, Cambridge final entries, Pearson key dates 2026-27. Deadlines are the boards' deadlines for exam centres; private candidates should book with their centre well before these dates.

Both major IGCSE boards run two main exam sessions a year — May/June and an autumn series (October/November for Cambridge, November for Edexcel). Edexcel's separate January International GCSE series was discontinued after January 2023 and replaced by its November series. This applies to International GCSE only — Edexcel International A Level still sits units in January. This guide covers when each board runs exams, when registration windows open and close, when results come out, and how to decide which sitting your child should sit.

For the broader context on IGCSE: what IGCSE means, how IGCSEs are graded, and our Cambridge IGCSE vs Edexcel comparison.

Cambridge IGCSE Exam Sessions

Cambridge International (CAIE) runs IGCSE exams in two main international sessions per year:

• May/June series: the main international session. Exams run from early May to mid-June. Registration typically closes in late February — Cambridge’s final entries deadline was 21 February for the June 2026 series, and the June series sits in the same position each year. Results are released in mid-August (18 August 2026 for Cambridge IGCSE).
• October/November series: the second international session. Exams run from mid-October to early December. Registration typically closes in mid-August — Cambridge’s final entries deadline was 16 August for the November 2026 series, and the autumn series sits in the same position each year. Results are released in mid-January (14 January 2027 for the November 2026 series).

Most students at international schools sit the May/June series because it aligns with the academic-year structure. October/November exists for students on a different academic calendar (some Middle Eastern and Asian systems), retakes, and private candidates. The two sessions are equivalent — same syllabus, same standard, same grade boundaries set retrospectively for each session. Cambridge has also begun moving selected subjects to on-screen examinations — see our guide on digital vs paper IGCSE for the subjects affected.

Edexcel International GCSE Exam Sessions

Pearson Edexcel runs two exam series per year for the International GCSE — May/June and November. Its earlier January International GCSE series was discontinued after January 2023 and replaced by the November series:

• May/June series: the main session. Exams run May to mid-June. Pearson's entry deadline for June 2027 is 21 March 2027 for international centres and 21 February 2027 for UK centres. Results are released in August (19 August 2027). Subject codes and tiers are explained in our Edexcel IGCSE exam series and subjects guide.
• November series: Edexcel's second sitting, introduced in 2023 to replace the old January International GCSE series. Edexcel International A Level is unaffected and still sits units in January. Exams run in November; results are released in January (around 21 January 2027 (to be confirmed by Pearson) for the November 2026 series). Available for selected subjects — most commonly Maths, English Language, the Sciences and some humanities — and widely used for resits and by private candidates.

The November series is widely used by private candidates and students re-sitting individual subjects without waiting for the next full May/June series.

Which Session Should Your Child Sit?

For most students at international schools the answer is set by the school: May/June. For students with flexibility — private candidates, homeschoolers, students on non-standard academic calendars, or those re-sitting individual subjects — the practical guidance:

• May/June: the default. Strongest cohort, full syllabus coverage assumed, results in time for A-Level / IB sixth form entry in September.
• October/November: useful for students who need an extra term to prepare, or who are on an academic calendar that runs autumn-to-summer. Results align with university applications for students entering A-Levels mid-cycle.
• November (Edexcel): Edexcel's autumn sitting. Students who scored below target in May/June can resit in November for results in January — a faster turnaround than waiting for the next May/June.

Registration Deadlines and Late Fees

Both boards publish registration deadlines on their websites and through approved exam centres (typically the British Council in most countries). Key principles:

• Cambridge opens the entries window early. The estimated entries deadline sits about seven months before the exams — it was 10 October 2025 for the June 2026 series, and 10 October 2026 for the June 2027 series.
• The final entries deadline lands roughly two to three months before the exams. Cambridge keeps these in the same calendar position each year: it was 21 February for the June 2026 series and 16 August for the November 2026 series, so expect late February and mid-August for the equivalent 2027 sittings. Confirm the exact date with your centre — Cambridge publishes a key-dates document per series.
• Late registration is usually possible up to 1 month before the exam, with a late fee.
• Very late registration (closer than 1 month) is rarely accepted; if it is, fees are substantially higher.

For private candidates and homeschoolers, registration is through the British Council or another approved centre in your country. See our IGCSE private candidate guide for registration deadlines and centre fees. Families living in different time zones can also schedule online lessons around the exam calendar, for example our IGCSE tutoring for families in Europe runs in European time.

Results Days

Both boards publish results electronically to students and centres. Approximate dates:

• May/June series → results around mid-August (typically the third or fourth Thursday).
• Autumn series (Cambridge Oct/Nov, Edexcel November) → results in January.

Statements of Results and grade-boundary information are released alongside the results. Hard-copy certificates follow several weeks later. For competitive sixth form / university applications, the digital results document is usually sufficient. To read the grades on the statement, use our IGCSE grade chart.

When Do Oct/Nov IGCSE Results Come Out?

Results for the autumn session come out in January. For the 2026 autumn session, Cambridge IGCSE results are released on 14 January 2027 and Pearson Edexcel International GCSE results around 21 January 2027 (to be confirmed by Pearson). Schools and exam centres receive results first, then pass them to candidates; private candidates usually get them through their exam centre.

If a grade is lower than hoped, there are two routes: ask the centre about a review of marking, or plan a resit in the May/June 2027 session. With Cambridge's final entry deadline on 21 February, a January result still leaves time to enter, but only just, so plan the resit conversation as soon as results arrive. Our IGCSE Oct/Nov results day guide covers remarks, deadlines and resits.

Planning Backward From The Exam Date

For families planning a sitting, the rough backward timeline (for a May/June session):

• September the prior year: confirm subject list, board and exam centre.
• October-November the prior year: standard registration window typically opens.
• February: registration deadline closes. Confirm seat with the exam centre.
• March-April: intensive past-paper practice and revision phase. Science students should also time practical-skills revision: for example, an IGCSE Chemistry tutor will schedule the alternative-to-practical paper alongside the theory papers.
• May-June: exam window.
• Mid-August: results.

For board-specific past-paper practice, see IGCSE past papers guide and IGCSE Maths past papers.

Continue: what IGCSE is, how IGCSEs are graded, IGCSE past papers guide, private candidate guide.

Official sources: Cambridge exam timetables · Pearson exam timetables.

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