OCR A · A-Level · Biology
OCR A A-Level Biology past papers
Every OCR A-Level Biology A (H420) paper, mark scheme, and examiner report — sorted by year, with direct links to the official OCR PDFs.
Last verified against the board's published list on . See the official specification on the OCR A site.
2024 series
3 papersPaper 1 — Biological processes
June 2024 · 100 marks · 135 min
See OCR A sitePaper 2 — Biological diversity
June 2024 · 100 marks · 135 min
See OCR A sitePaper 3 — Unified biology
June 2024 · 70 marks · 90 min
See OCR A site
2023 series
3 papersPaper 1 — Biological processes
June 2023 · 100 marks · 135 min
See OCR A sitePaper 2 — Biological diversity
June 2023 · 100 marks · 135 min
See OCR A sitePaper 3 — Unified biology
June 2023 · 70 marks · 90 min
See OCR A site
2022 series
3 papersFirst June series after Covid-adjusted 2021 advance information.
Paper 1 — Biological processes
June 2022 · 100 marks · 135 min
See OCR A sitePaper 2 — Biological diversity
June 2022 · 100 marks · 135 min
See OCR A sitePaper 3 — Unified biology
June 2022 · 70 marks · 90 min
See OCR A site
2019 series
3 papersLast pre-pandemic series — most exam-representative practice.
Paper 1 — Biological processes
June 2019 · 100 marks · 135 min
See OCR A sitePaper 2 — Biological diversity
June 2019 · 100 marks · 135 min
See OCR A sitePaper 3 — Unified biology
June 2019 · 70 marks · 90 min
See OCR A site
Moving beyond the PDF
Downloading papers is just the start. StudyVector turns your past-paper mistakes into a personalized repair loop. Mark your answers, log your weak spots, and get instant practice on the exact topics that cost you marks.
Past papers — frequently asked questions
Is this OCR A (H420) or OCR B (Advancing Biology)?
These are OCR Biology A (H420) past papers — the more popular linear route. OCR Biology B (Advancing Biology, H422) is a separate specification with a different paper structure; its papers are listed separately on OCR's site.
How are the three papers different?
Paper 1 focuses on biological processes (cells, biochemistry, exchange, transport). Paper 2 covers biological diversity (genetics, evolution, ecosystems). Paper 3 (Unified biology) draws on the whole specification and tends to feature synoptic, longer-form questions.
How long is each paper?
Paper 1 and Paper 2 are each 2 hours 15 minutes (100 marks). Paper 3 is 1 hour 30 minutes (70 marks). Total: 6 hours of written exams across the three papers.
Best way to use these in the final 6 weeks?
Sit Paper 3 first under timed conditions — it surfaces the widest spread of weak topics fastest because it's synoptic. Log everything you drop marks on by topic and command word; then sit Paper 1 and Paper 2 once your repair queue is half-cleared.
Are past papers free to download?
Official past papers and mark schemes are published by the exam board and are free to download from their site. The links in this hub send you to the board's official PDFs — StudyVector does not rehost them.