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The short answer
Cambridge is replacing IGCSE Business Studies (0450) with IGCSE Business (0264). The last 0450 exams are in 2026. From 2027, every candidate sits 0264.
The six topic areas and the paper structure carry over. The exam is the same size: two papers, each 1 hour 30 minutes and 80 marks. What changes is the balance of marks, the shape of some questions, and the content itself, which Cambridge has revised, reorganised and trimmed.
Paper by paper: 0450 against 0264
The two papers keep their names, lengths and weightings. The changes are inside the questions.
| Feature | 0450 (to 2026) | 0264 (from 2027) |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | Short Answer and Data Response · 1 h 30 min · 80 marks · 50% | Same |
| Paper 1 questions | Four compulsory questions, each with stimulus material and five parts | Four compulsory questions, each now with four parts; the mark split per part has changed (see the 0264 specimen paper) |
| Paper 2 | Case Study · 1 h 30 min · 80 marks · 50% | Same |
| Paper 2 questions | Four compulsory questions on a case study insert | Same, but every part (a) is now an applied question |
| Coursework | None | None |
| Grades | A* to G | A* to G |
Sources: Cambridge IGCSE Business Studies 0450 syllabus for 2026 and Cambridge IGCSE Business 0264 syllabus for 2027, 2028 and 2029, both at cambridgeinternational.org. The part counts come from the 0264 list of changes.
An applied question asks about the business in front of you. A correct textbook point that never mentions the case will not earn the application mark.
Cambridge also says the wording of the Paper 2 mark scheme has changed, while the marking criteria stay largely the same.
What is assessed: marks move to application
Both syllabuses test the same four skills. The weighting of each skill is what has changed.
| Assessment objective | 0450 | 0264 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| AO1 Knowledge and understanding | 40% | 35% | −5 points |
| AO2 Application | 20% | 30% | +10 points |
| AO3 Analysis | 25% | 22% | −3 points |
| AO4 Evaluation | 15% | 13% | −2 points |
Weightings for the whole qualification. Sources: the 0450 (2026) and 0264 (2027 to 2029) syllabuses.
Across the 160 marks of both papers, application is now worth about 48 marks, up from about 32. In 0264 it carries 30% of each paper, so it matters as much in Paper 1 as in the case study.
The content. The six topic areas are unchanged, but the subtopics grow from 25 to 29. Cambridge has trimmed and regrouped some content, so a few 0450 points no longer appear. These are the headline moves.
| Topic area | What changes in 0264 |
|---|---|
| 1 Understanding business activity | 1.2 Classification of businesses becomes 1.2 Economic sectors |
| 2 People in business | Reordered: human resource management comes first, motivation last. Communication moves from 2.4 to 2.3 Methods of communication and adds digital methods such as virtual meetings and social media |
| 3 Marketing | 3.1 is now Marketing and the market. Marketing strategy and entering foreign markets move into 3.3 Marketing mix; 3.4 is now Legal controls |
| 4 Operations management | Four subtopics become six. New: 4.2 Technology and production and 4.3 Sustainable production of goods and services |
| 5 Financial information and decisions | 5.3 Income statements becomes 5.3 Profit and loss |
| 6 External influences | Three subtopics become five: the environment, ethics and pressure groups each get their own subtopic |
Compared from the subject content headings of both syllabuses.
The 0264 syllabus also prints a list of formulas and ratios, from market share to the acid test ratio. 0450 had no such list.
How to prepare for 0264
If you sit in 2027 or later, use these five steps.
Confirm your code
Check that your entry says 0264. Every exam from 2027 onwards uses it.
Use the 0264 syllabus as your checklist
Go through every subtopic and tick off the ones you can explain. Give extra time to 4.2, 4.3, digital communication in Topic 2, and pressure groups in Topic 6.
Tip. Your teacher’s notes may still use 0450 numbers. Label each page with its 0264 subtopic.Learn the formula list
Write out every formula and ratio on the list with what each gives: %, $, units or a ratio. Then practise each one on a small set of numbers until you can do it without the list.
Apply every answer
Use the business’s name, its product and a figure from the stimulus or case in each point. With application at 30%, a generic answer leaves marks behind on both papers.
Use 0450 papers, then the 0264 specimens
Old 0450 papers are still good practice because most content carries over. Finish with the 0264 specimen papers so you know the new four-part shape and mark split.
Tip. Time yourself on the specimens, since the old five-part timing no longer fits Paper 1.