Cambridge entries in Bangladesh rose 8% in June 2026, to more than 43,500. IGCSE and O Level entries grew 10% and AS & A Level 5%. Cambridge has also set up a formal local entity. For school leaders, the priorities are university-specific O and A Level grade rules, strong Bengali and English results, and preparing for growth.
How fast is Cambridge growing in Bangladesh?
Faster than Cambridge’s global A Level growth, led by O Level and IGCSE. The Business Standard reported Cambridge’s June 2026 figures for Bangladesh (TBS, 13 August 2026):
| June 2026 series, Bangladesh | Figure |
|---|---|
| All Cambridge entries | More than 43,500, up 8% on June 2025 |
| IGCSE and O Level entries | More than 25,000, up 10% |
| AS & A Level entries | More than 18,000, up 5% |
| Students and schools | ”Almost 12,000 students across 90 active schools” |
| Most popular O Level subjects | Bengali, English Language, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry |
| Most popular AS & A Level subjects | Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Business |
A Cambridge spokesperson separately told Tes that AS & A Level entries were “5 per cent in Bangladesh”, against 5% growth worldwide (Tes, 11 August 2026). Sarwat Reza, Cambridge Country Lead for Bangladesh, said families were choosing Cambridge “for its academic rigour, international recognition and future-focused learning”.
What is Cambridge’s new entity in Bangladesh?
A local operation with dedicated staff. TBS reported that “Cambridge recently announced the establishment of its formal entity operations in Bangladesh”. It added that “dedicated local teams will work with schools and the wider education community to provide support and resources aligned with Bangladesh’s educational context”. For schools, that means a local team to contact for support, training and questions, rather than working only through regional offices.
Where does Pearson Edexcel fit?
Alongside Cambridge in many English-medium schools, though Pearson publishes no Bangladesh figures. Bangladeshi universities write their rules for both boards. SUST’s prospectus, for example, writes “IGCSE (O Level)” and “IAL (A Level)”, using Pearson’s name for its International A Level. Schools running both boards should keep one exam calendar. Pearson’s IAL runs in January, June and October. Cambridge O Level and IGCSE run in June and November. See Cambridge vs Edexcel IAL.
How do Bangladeshi universities treat O and A Level?
Through their own equivalence rules, often with grade minimums. Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) is one published example. Its 2025-26 prospectus says:
“For GCE, in IGCSE (O Level) a candidate must have passed in 5 subjects, securing Grade B at least in 2 subjects, and in IAL (A Level) the candidate must have passed in 3 subjects, securing Grade B at least in 1 subject.”
SUST required O and A Level candidates to email their grade sheets “by 10 December 2025 in order to determine equivalency with SSC and HSC passed candidates” (SUST prospectus 2025-26).
| SUST 2025-26 requirement | O Level / IGCSE | A Level / IAL |
|---|---|---|
| Subjects passed | 5 | 3 |
| Minimum grade rule | At least B in 2 subjects | At least B in 1 subject |
| Process | Grade sheets sent for equivalence by the deadline | Same |
Each university sets its own rules, and deadlines fall well before A Level results in some cycles. Leaders should keep a current list for the universities their students most often target. Requirements can change every admission cycle.
What should English-medium school leaders plan?
- Protect Bengali and English Language results. They are among the most-entered O Level subjects, and local admission needs strong results across five subjects.
- Map university grade minimums for each target institution, and check them against predicted O and A Level grades.
- Calendar equivalence deadlines, which can come before final results.
- Plan for capacity. O Level and IGCSE entries grew 10% in one year.
- Use Cambridge’s local team for training and support now that it has a formal entity.
- Keep contingency evidence. In 2026, Cambridge and Pearson exams were cancelled in parts of the Middle East and graded from school evidence. Full mocks under exam conditions protect students if any series is disrupted. See a defensible assessment evidence base.
How schools do this with AI Buddy
When local admission depends on minimum grades in named subjects, early warning matters. AI Buddy gives students past-paper-style Cambridge and Pearson Edexcel practice with instant marking. Teachers see topic-level data, so students at risk of missing a B are identified while there is time to act. AI Buddy also keeps a dated record of mock performance that supports contingency evidence.
Frequently asked questions
How many Cambridge entries are there in Bangladesh?
More than 43,500 across Cambridge qualifications in June 2026, up 8% on June 2025, according to The Business Standard.
What are the most popular O Level subjects in Bangladesh?
Bengali, English Language, Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry, in the June 2026 series.
Do Bangladeshi universities accept O and A Level?
Yes, through their own equivalence rules. SUST, for example, required five O Level passes with at least two B grades and three A Level passes with at least one B for 2025-26.
Does Cambridge have an office in Bangladesh?
Cambridge has announced a formal entity in Bangladesh, with dedicated local teams to support schools.
For more countries, see Cambridge & Edexcel Schools by Country.
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Sources
- The Business Standard, Cambridge entries in Bangladesh rise 8% (13 August 2026)
- Tes, Exam results 2026: Cambridge International A levels released (11 August 2026)
- Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Undergraduate admission prospectus 2025-26