IGCSE Physics 0625 Exam Format Explained

Every IGCSE Physics 0625 candidate sits exactly three papers: one multiple-choice, one theory, one practical assessment. Together they total 160 marks and decide 100% of the grade. There is no coursework. This page sets out every paper’s length, marks and weighting, plus the variant details Malaysian students need.

Which papers do I sit for IGCSE Physics 0625?

It depends on your tier. Core candidates sit Papers 1, 3, and 5 or 6. Extended candidates sit Papers 2, 4, and 5 or 6. Your school chooses the tier and chooses between Paper 5 and Paper 6.

Here is the full structure:

Two numbers in that table should shape your revision. The theory paper carries 50% of the grade, so it deserves half your preparation time. The practical paper carries 20%, and most students prepare for it least, which is why it is the most common grade-killer.

The authoritative source for all of this is the official Cambridge IGCSE Physics 0625 syllabus. Check the year matching your exam series, because assessment details occasionally change between syllabus cycles.

What does each type of paper actually test?

The multiple-choice paper tests speed and breadth, the theory paper tests depth and method, and the practical paper tests laboratory skills. Each one rewards a different kind of preparation, so revise for them separately.

Multiple choice (Paper 1 or 2). Forty questions in 45 minutes leaves about 65 seconds per question. Questions cover the whole syllabus, so one weak topic guarantees lost marks. Distractors are built from common errors: mixed-up units, inverted equations, mass confused with weight. There is no penalty for wrong answers, so never leave a blank.

Theory (Paper 3 or 4). Structured questions worth 80 marks across roughly 10-11 questions. Expect a mix of definitions, calculations, graph work and longer explain questions worth 3-6 marks. Calculations make up around 40% of the marks. Method marks exist, so working must be shown: an examiner can award M1 for a correct substitution even when the final answer is wrong.

Practical assessment (Paper 5 or 6). Paper 5 is a real laboratory exam with apparatus. Paper 6 tests the same skills entirely on paper: planning, recording readings, tables, graphs and evaluating experiments. Most schools in Malaysia enter students for Paper 6 because it removes laboratory logistics, but check with your school which one you sit. Either way, the skills tested come from the same syllabus list of experimental techniques.

Timezone variants: what Malaysian students need to know

Cambridge sets several versions of each paper so that different time zones cannot share answers. These are the variants, shown as the second digit of the paper code. Paper 42 means Paper 4, variant 2.

Malaysia falls in the administrative zone that usually sits variant 2, so Malaysian candidates typically see Papers 22, 42 and 62 (or 12, 32, 52 on Core). Your statement of entry states the exact codes, so confirm there rather than assuming. The practical consequence for revision: when you practise past papers, do not only use variant 2. All variants test the same syllabus at the same standard, and tripling your question bank costs nothing.

Grade thresholds are set separately for each variant, so a slightly harder variant gets a slightly lower boundary. No variant is an advantage.

Exam series, entries and results

Two series matter for Malaysia: May/June and October/November. The February/March series is for India only. Schools handle entries months in advance, typically by January for June and by August for November. Private candidates can enter through registered exam centres, including British Council Malaysia, and should book early because centres fill up.

Calculators are allowed in all six papers. Use a scientific, non-programmable model and know it well before exam day, especially the standard-form and power keys. You also need the usual geometry kit for theory and practical papers: ruler, protractor, sharp pencil for graphs.

“Do I need to decide Core or Extended now?” Not personally, but your school does, and entries lock the decision months before the exam. The short version: Core grades run C to G, while Extended runs A* to E, so anyone targeting above a C needs Extended. Our Core vs Extended guide covers how to choose, and grading details can shift between syllabus updates, so confirm current rules with your school.

How should the format change my revision plan?

Match revision time to weighting: roughly half on theory-paper skills, a third on multiple-choice speed, and a fifth on practical skills. Then practise each paper type under its real time limit, because each one fails differently under pressure.

A format-aware plan looks like this:

1. Weeks out 12-8: topic revision plus the full equation list from memory.
2. Weeks 8-4: one timed Paper 4 (or 3) weekly, marked with the official scheme.
3. Weeks 4-2: add weekly Paper 2 (or 1) sprints and two Paper 6 papers.
4. Final fortnight: alternate components daily; review your error log each morning.

The single biggest format mistake we see is treating Paper 6 as an afterthought. It is 20% of the grade and the most formulaic paper Cambridge sets, which makes it the cheapest 20% to secure.

When our tutors take on a new student, the first free 1-hour trial lesson is a real taught class, and if you ask, the tutor can give a quick read across all three paper types, because the weakest component is rarely the one parents expect. From there, 1.5-hour weekly classes at RM80/hr rotate through components on a schedule built around your exam series.

Know the format, weight your time to match it, and rehearse each paper as its own event. Students who do this walk into the exam hall with no surprises left, and that alone is worth marks.