What is the Paper 3 CI document?

The Confidential Instructions document accompanies Paper 3 practical. It is given to the supervising teacher with apparatus and preparation details for the exam. Reading past CIs helps anticipate experimental setups.

How should I practise these past papers effectively?

Use LumiExams Exam Hub to view the question paper and mark scheme side-by-side. Time yourself for one full paper, self-mark with the MS, then read the examiner report to see where most candidates lost marks.

A-Level 9701 2025 · May-June

Cambridge A-Level Chemistry (9701) May-June 2025 Past Papers

Q: What's the difference between AS and A2 papers for 9701?

Papers 1-3 are AS-Level papers (sat at end of year 1 or standalone). Papers 4 and 5 are A2 papers for the full A-Level. Paper 3 is the practical, Paper 4 is advanced theory, Paper 5 is planning/analysis/evaluation.

Q: Why does this session have variants 1, 2, 3?

Cambridge issues different variants so the exam can be sat safely across world time zones. All variants test the same syllabus at equivalent difficulty, with grade thresholds calibrated to even out any small variation. Practising any variant is equally valuable.

Q: When does Cambridge release May-June 2025 mark schemes and examiner reports?

Cambridge typically publishes mark schemes around 6-8 weeks after results day, with the examiner report following roughly three months later.

This page hosts the full 31-file bundle for the Cambridge A-Level Chemistry (9701) May-June 2025 examination — question papers, mark schemes, grade thresholds document , and Paper 3 confidential instructions. This session covers 3 time-zone variants (papers numbered X1, X2, X3 — e.g. Paper 11 for variant 1).

The May-June 2025 sitting is the main May-June series — the largest global sitting for Cambridge A-Level. All files are sourced from Cambridge International and free to download.

Grade Thresholds

31 files • 7.9 MB

9701 May-June 2025 Papers

Paper 1

AS-Level

Multiple Choice (AS)

1h 15min 40 marks

Variant 1

Question Paper Mark Scheme

Variant 2

Question Paper Mark Scheme

Variant 3

Question Paper Mark Scheme

Paper 2

AS-Level

AS Level Structured Questions

1h 15min 60 marks

Variant 1

Question Paper Mark Scheme

Variant 2

Question Paper Mark Scheme

Variant 3

Question Paper Mark Scheme

Paper 3

AS-Level

Advanced Practical Skills

2h 40 marks

Variant 1

Question Paper Mark Scheme

Variant 2

Question Paper Mark Scheme

Variant 3

Question Paper Mark Scheme

Paper 4

A Level Structured Questions

2h 100 marks

Variant 1

Question Paper Mark Scheme

Variant 2

Question Paper Mark Scheme

Variant 3

Question Paper Mark Scheme

Paper 5

Planning, Analysis and Evaluation

1h 15min 30 marks

Variant 1

Question Paper Mark Scheme

Variant 2

Question Paper Mark Scheme

Variant 3

Question Paper Mark Scheme

March 2025

All 9701 papers

Oct-Nov 2025

Related 9701 sessions

Other 2025 sessions

May-June across other years

View all 9701 past papers →

Paper components in this session

The Chemistry 9701 qualification is built from 5 paper components totalling 270 marks. The grid below shows each paper appearing in the May-June 2025 bundle on this page.

Paper 1 AS

Multiple Choice (AS)

1h 15min · 40 marks

Paper 2 AS

AS Level Structured Questions

1h 15min · 60 marks

Paper 3 AS

Advanced Practical Skills

2h · 40 marks

Paper 4 A2

A Level Structured Questions

2h · 100 marks

Paper 5 A2

Planning, Analysis and Evaluation

1h 15min · 30 marks

About the May-June 2025 9701 session

Chemistry 9701 has five components: Paper 1 (AS multiple choice), Paper 2 (AS structured), Paper 3 (AS advanced practical skills — the CI accompanies Paper 3), Paper 4 (A2 structured theory), and Paper 5 (A2 planning, analysis & evaluation). AS-only candidates sit Papers 1-3; full A-Level requires all five.

The May-June 2025 bundle below contains 31 files across 5 paper components and 3 time-zone variants. Mark schemes are included for every question paper. The examiner report has not yet been released for this session. Grade thresholds are linked at the top of this page.

How to use these A-Level Chemistry past papers

Timed practice under exam conditions

Sit each paper at the exact duration listed in the components grid. The A-Level pacing problem on Paper 4 is famously tight, so finishing on time is itself a skill worth practising.

Mark with the May-June 2025 MS

Cambridge mark schemes show acceptable wording and method marks for each step. After self-marking, log which questions cost you method marks vs accuracy marks — they need different fixes.

Read the examiner report (when released)

The ER for this session flags the specific questions where most candidates struggled and what the examiners wanted to see instead. It's the single highest-leverage document in the bundle for targeted revision.

Use grade thresholds to set a target

A-Level thresholds shift each session with paper difficulty, and there is no A* on a single paper: Cambridge sets A* for the overall A Level only. In June 2025, an A* needed 201 to 209 out of 260 (77% to 80%) for the whole A Level sat in one series, depending on the option, and AS grade a needed 83 to 90 out of 130 (64% to 69%) (Cambridge grade threshold table, June 2025). See the grade thresholds for every 9701 session.

A-Level 9701 May-June 2025 — Frequently asked questions

What's in the Cambridge A-Level Chemistry May-June 2025 paper bundle?

This page hosts 31 files for the Cambridge A-Level Chemistry (9701) May-June 2025 session: question papers, mark schemes, and the grade thresholds document, plus Paper 3 confidential instructions for the practical exam. All files come directly from Cambridge International and are free to download.

What's the difference between AS and A2 papers for 9701?

Papers 1-3 are AS-Level papers, sat at the end of year 1 of a two-year course or standalone for the AS qualification. Papers 4 and 5 are A2 papers, sat in year 2 for the full A-Level. Paper 3 is the practical exam (CI required). Paper 4 is the advanced theory paper, the most heavily weighted. Paper 5 covers planning, analysis & evaluation.

Why does this session have variants 1, 2, 3?

Cambridge issues different variants of each paper so the exam can be sat safely across the world's time zones without leaks. The last digit of the paper number is the variant (for example, Papers 11, 12 and 13 are variants 1, 2 and 3 of Paper 1). Which variant you sit depends on your school's administrative zone, and Cambridge's timetable for each zone lists it. All variants test the same syllabus content at equivalent difficulty — Cambridge calibrates the grade thresholds afterwards to even out any small variation. Practising any variant is equally valuable.

When does Cambridge release May-June 2025 mark schemes and examiner reports?

Cambridge typically publishes mark schemes for the May-June series around 6-8 weeks after results day, and the examiner report follows roughly three months later. The mark schemes for this session are available above. The examiner report has not been published yet.

What is the Paper 3 CI (Confidential Instructions) document?

The Confidential Instructions document accompanies the Chemistry Paper 3 practical exam. It is given to the supervising teacher before the exam and lists the apparatus, chemicals or specimens required, plus the precise quantities and any preparatory work the centre must do. Students don't see the CI — but reading the CIs from past papers is a useful way to anticipate what kind of experimental setups Paper 3 favours each session.

How should I practise 9701 May-June 2025 papers most effectively?

Use our free Exam Hub to view the question paper and mark scheme side-by-side. Time yourself for one full paper (the duration is in the components grid above), self-mark with the MS. For weak topics, cross-reference the A-Level Chemistry hub.

Get A-Level Chemistry Tips

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Copyright & Educational Use

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