# IGCSE Biology tutor: live classes, unit by unit

Source: https://tutix.ai/programs/igcse-biology  
Updated: 2026-10-21

**The short answer.** IGCSE Biology on Tutix is a ready-made series of live classes with an AI tutor. It covers all 20 units and 50 topics, in five levels from 5 hours to the full 52.8. It ends with 2 full practice papers (52 questions each). You can start on the free plan.

- Follows the Cambridge IGCSE syllabus
- 20 units and 50 topics, taught in 15-minute lessons
- Five levels, 5 to 52.8 hours of teaching
- 2 full practice papers, 160 marks each
- Starts on the free plan (45 live minutes a month)

## What IGCSE Biology covers

The program develops biological knowledge and understanding alongside experimental, analytical and communication skills. It covers living systems from cells and organisms to ecosystems, including their interactions with humans.

Cambridge IGCSE Biology (syllabus 0610) is a two-tier qualification, aimed at students aged 14 to 16, that assesses biological knowledge, the handling of data and information, and experimental skills.

### Unit 1: Characteristics and classification of living organisms

Topics: Characteristics of Living Organisms; Classification and Dichotomous Keys.

### Unit 2: Organisation of the organism

Topics: Cell Structure and Function; Specialised Cells and Organisation; Magnification and Size.

### Unit 3: Movement into and out of cells

Topics: Diffusion and Factors; Osmosis and Plant Tissues; Active Transport.

### Unit 4: Biological molecules

Topics: Biological Molecules and DNA.

### Unit 5: Enzymes

Topics: Enzyme Action and Specificity; Factors Affecting Enzymes.

### Unit 6: Plant nutrition

Topics: Photosynthesis Principles; Leaf Structure and Adaptations; Photosynthesis Investigations.

### Unit 7: Human nutrition

Topics: Human Diet and Nutrients; The Digestive System; Physical Digestion and Teeth; Chemical Digestion; Absorption and Villi.

### Unit 8: Transport in plants

Topics: Xylem and Phloem; Water Uptake and Transpiration; Translocation.

### Unit 9: Transport in animals

Topics: Circulatory Systems; Heart Structure and Function; Coronary Heart Disease; Blood Vessels and Blood.

### Unit 10: Diseases and immunity

Topics: Diseases and Immunity.

### Unit 11: Gas exchange in humans

Topics: Gas Exchange in Humans.

### Unit 12: Respiration

Topics: Aerobic Respiration; Anaerobic Respiration.

### Unit 13: Excretion in humans

Topics: Excretion in Humans.

### Unit 14: Coordination and response

Topics: Nervous Coordination; The Eye; Hormones and Homeostasis; Tropic Responses.

### Unit 15: Drugs

Topics: Drugs.

### Unit 16: Reproduction

Topics: Asexual and Sexual Reproduction; Sexual Reproduction in Plants; Human Reproduction and Hormones.

### Unit 17: Inheritance; Biotechnology and genetic modification

Topics: Inheritance and Genetic Modification.

### Unit 18: Variation and selection

Topics: Variation and mutation; Adaptive features; Natural and artificial selection.

### Unit 19: Organisms and their environment

Topics: Energy flow, food chains and food webs; Nutrient cycles; Populations and population growth.

### Unit 20: Human influences on ecosystems

Topics: Food supply; Habitat destruction; Pollution; Conservation.

## A class in IGCSE Biology, opened

Every class works like this. The tutor asks, you answer in your own words, and it reads what you wrote while you are still in the room, then tells you what is missing and asks you to try again.

A class, opened. A sample written to show how a class sounds (not a real learner); the scores show how the exam would credit each answer.

> **Enzymes · Temperature.** Question: Explain why the rate of an enzyme-controlled reaction falls above the optimum temperature.
> The student wrote: The enzyme is killed by the heat. (the exam would credit 1 of 2)
> The tutor: Picture the enzyme. It is a protein, not a living thing, so it cannot be killed. Draw its active site at 60 °C: what has happened to the shape?
> The student then wrote: The heat changes the shape of the active site, so the substrate no longer fits. The enzyme is denatured. (the exam would credit 2 of 2)

## How the IGCSE Biology exam is built

The assessment has three components. A 45-minute multiple-choice paper (Paper 1 for Core, Paper 2 for Extended) is 40 marks and 30% of the grade. A 1 hour 15 minute theory paper (Paper 3 for Core, Paper 4 for Extended) is 80 marks and 50%. Every candidate also takes one practical paper worth 20%: the hands-on Practical Test (Paper 5) or the written Alternative to Practical (Paper 6). Calculators may be used in all parts.

| Exam section | Detail |
| --- | --- |
| Paper 1: Multiple Choice (Core) | 40 questions · 45 min · 40 marks · 30% of the score; Calculator allowed |
| Paper 3: Theory (Core) | 75 min · 80 marks · 50% of the score; Calculator allowed |
| Paper 2: Multiple Choice (Extended) | 40 questions · 45 min · 40 marks · 30% of the score; Calculator allowed |
| Paper 4: Theory (Extended) | 75 min · 80 marks · 50% of the score; Calculator allowed |
| Paper 5: Practical Test | 75 min · 40 marks · 20% of the score; Calculator allowed |
| Paper 6: Alternative to Practical | 60 min · 40 marks · 20% of the score; Calculator allowed |

## How long does IGCSE Biology take?

Every level covers the whole syllabus. A deeper level only adds classes, so you can go deeper later and keep everything you have done. Hours are hours of teaching, counted in classes of 45 or 60 minutes.

| Level | Hours | Classes of 45 min |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Short | 5 | 7 |
| Standard | 24.5 | 33 |
| In depth | 36.2 | 49 |
| Extended | 48.8 | 65 |
| Full syllabus | 52.8 | 71 |

The Programs page draws IGCSE Biology beside the other eleven programs on one hours scale, with what a pass costs at each level.

## Questions

**How many hours of teaching does IGCSE Biology take on Tutix?**

The Standard level takes 24.5 hours: 33 classes of 45 minutes, or 25 of 60. The Full syllabus level takes 52.8 hours (71 classes of 45 minutes). The Short level is 5 hours. Every level covers the whole syllabus; deeper levels add classes.

**What does the IGCSE Biology exam look like?**

As the board publishes it, the exam has these parts: Paper 1: Multiple Choice (Core) (40 questions, 45 minutes); Paper 3: Theory (Core) (75 minutes); Paper 2: Multiple Choice (Extended) (40 questions, 45 minutes); Paper 4: Theory (Extended) (75 minutes); Paper 5: Practical Test (75 minutes); Paper 6: Alternative to Practical (60 minutes). Check your board's current specification for the exact format of the year you sit it.

**Are there practice papers for IGCSE Biology?**

Yes. The Full syllabus level includes 2 full practice papers written for Tutix in the style of the real exam (52 questions and 160 marks each). You can sit them as long homework, and a class can go over them afterwards.

**Is this an official Cambridge IGCSE course?**

No. Tutix is not affiliated with Cambridge and its IGCSE Biology classes are not endorsed by Cambridge. The lessons and questions are Tutix's own, prepared to follow the published IGCSE Biology syllabus, and the real exam is set and marked by Cambridge.

**Can I try IGCSE Biology for free?**

Yes. The Free plan includes 45 live class minutes a month, about one class of the default length, and no card is needed. Pro is $15 a month for 360 live minutes (6 hours), and Pro+ is $30 a month for 900 live minutes.

**Is the IGCSE Biology tutor a person?**

No. The tutor is an AI. It talks with you in real time, teaches on a whiteboard, reads your answers and remembers what each earlier class covered. A parent can set up a child's classes and choose to get a recap after each one.

**Should I enter Core or Extended IGCSE Biology?**

Core candidates take the multiple-choice and theory papers on the Core content and can reach grades C to G. Extended candidates cover the Core content plus the Supplement and can reach A* to G. Your school decides the entry, so ask your teacher which tier you are being prepared for.

**When are the IGCSE Biology exams?**

Cambridge sets IGCSE exams in a June series and a November series, and offers a March series to centres in India. Schools enter their candidates; private candidates enter through an exam centre that accepts private candidates. Cambridge does not provide tuition to private candidates.

**Is IGCSE Biology the same standard as GCSE?**

Cambridge says it aligns IGCSE standards with the GCSE taken in England, and the syllabus cites a benchmarking study that found IGCSE comparable to the UK GCSE standard. Cambridge describes IGCSE as an international qualification for 14 to 16 year olds, though other ages can take it.

## Sources

- Cambridge University Press & Assessment: [Syllabus 0610, 2026-2028](https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/Images/697203-2026-2028-syllabus.pdf) (version 3)
- Cambridge University Press & Assessment: [Cambridge IGCSE: grading choice](https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/programmes-and-qualifications/cambridge-upper-secondary/cambridge-igcse/grading-choice/) (accessed October 21, 2026)
- Cambridge University Press & Assessment: [Cambridge IGCSE](https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/programmes-and-qualifications/cambridge-upper-secondary/cambridge-igcse/) (accessed October 21, 2026)
- Cambridge University Press & Assessment: [Register as a private candidate](https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/exam-administration/private-candidates/register-as-a-private-candidate/) (accessed October 21, 2026)

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