GCSE & A-Level Exams Cancelled in UAE — All Exam Boards, All You Need to Know

Latest Developments

All Exam Boards at a Glance

This is the single most important table for UAE parents right now. Find your child's exam board and understand their specific situation:

The bottom line: Every major exam board operating in the UAE has cancelled traditional exams for the summer 2026 session. Every student will receive grades through an alternative process. The mechanism differs by board, but the principle is the same: your child's grades will be determined by their demonstrated ability through coursework, assessments, and teacher evidence.

Cambridge International — Portfolio of Evidence

Announced: April 2, 2026 | Affects: ~120 UAE schools

Cambridge International has confirmed that schools in the UAE "will not sit traditional exams in the June 2026 series." Instead, candidates will follow a portfolio of evidence route.

How it works:

• Schools prepare and submit portfolios of student work to Cambridge
• Portfolios are marked and graded by Cambridge examiners — not by school teachers
• Cambridge has stated that candidates "can receive certification for their work and progress with their education"
• Full guidance on the portfolio process is available on the Cambridge International website
• Weekly updates will be provided to schools

Qualifications affected:

• Cambridge IGCSE
• Cambridge O Level
• Cambridge International AS Level
• Cambridge International A Level
• Cambridge IPQ (International Project Qualification)

Key reassurance: Because portfolios are marked externally by Cambridge examiners (not by your child's school), the grading maintains the same external standard as a traditional exam. This is different from pure teacher-assessed grades.

For details on the original Cambridge exam timetable (now cancelled), see our IGCSE Exam Dates 2026 and A-Level Exam Dates 2026 guides.

OxfordAQA — Teacher-Assessed Model

Announced: April 2, 2026 (first UK board to confirm) | Affects: Limited number of UAE schools

OxfordAQA confirmed in an email to schools: "After consulting closely with the Ministry of Education, schools, and other international exam boards, we have made the decision to cancel OxfordAQA exams in your country."

How it works:

• Schools are awaiting detailed guidance on the exact grading methodology
• Expected to follow a teacher-assessed model based on mock exams, formal assessments, and coursework
• Arcadia British School Executive Principal Giles Pruett explained: "If exams are disrupted, we would move to a robust evidence-based evaluation model. This relies on mock exams, formal assessments and coursework."

Qualifications affected:

• OxfordAQA International GCSE (including ESL)
• OxfordAQA International A Level

Pearson Edexcel — International Contingency Grading

Announced: April 2, 2026 | Affects: UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon

Pearson has confirmed cancellation of International GCSE, International A Level, and iPLS exams across five Middle Eastern countries including the UAE.

How it works:

• Pearson uses two contingency methods depending on student circumstances:
• Special Consideration (Enhanced Grading): For students with prior banked unit results from previous sessions
• International Contingency Grading: For students without previous results — requires submission of evidence portfolios reviewed by Pearson examiners
• Predicted grades may be included as supporting context only (not as the primary grade determinant)
• NEA and practical exam deadlines have been extended by two weeks

Qualifications affected:

• Pearson Edexcel International GCSE
• Pearson Edexcel International A Level (IAL)
• Pearson iPLS

IB Diploma — NECM (Recap)

IB exams were cancelled on March 30 — the first major cancellation. For the full guide, see: IB Exams Cancelled in UAE — What NECM Grading Means for Your Child

Summary: Grades determined by Internal Assessments (externally marked by IB examiners), teacher predicted grades, and IB statistical moderation. Results still expected July 5-6, 2026.

What Every Student Should Do Right Now

1. Find out your exam board for EACH subject. Contact your school's exams officer today. Ask: "Which exam board is each of my subjects registered with?" Some schools use Cambridge for Sciences and OxfordAQA for English. Your alternative grading process depends on which board you are registered with.

2. Do NOT stop studying. Under every alternative model — Cambridge portfolio, Edexcel contingency grading, OxfordAQA teacher assessment, IB NECM — your demonstrated knowledge is the basis for your grade. The mechanism has changed. The need to demonstrate what you know has not.

3. Complete every piece of coursework to the highest standard. IAs, NEA, practical coursework, portfolios — whatever is not yet finalised is now the most important work you will submit. This is true across all boards.

4. Your mock results now matter more than ever. If your school used mock exams as part of their evidence base, those results may directly influence your final grade. If you have upcoming mocks, treat them as seriously as final exams.

5. Keep ALL marked work. Past essays, test papers, lab reports, practice papers — anything that demonstrates your ability may become portfolio evidence. Do not throw anything away.

What Every Parent Should Do Right Now

1. Identify your child's exam board(s). This is step one. Many parents do not know whether their child sits Cambridge, Edexcel, or OxfordAQA subjects — and many schools use more than one board. Email your school's exams officer and ask for a list of subjects with their corresponding exam board.

2. Ask your school about their grading plan. Each board has a different process. Ask: What evidence will be submitted? When are the deadlines? How will mock results be used? What support is the school providing to students during this transition?

3. For A-Level parents: contact universities. If your child has conditional offers, email the admissions office of each university and ask: "Will you accept [exam board name] alternative grading for Summer 2026?" Reference the COVID-19 precedent where similar arrangements were universally accepted.

4. For GCSE/IGCSE parents: confirm progression. Ask your school: Will alternative grades be treated the same as exam grades for progression to A-Level, IB, or other post-16 programmes? The answer should be yes, but confirm it in writing.

5. Support your child emotionally. This is now the fourth major exam cancellation announcement (IB, CBSE, OxfordAQA, Cambridge, Edexcel). Students who have been preparing for months are understandably frustrated and anxious. Acknowledge their feelings. Reassure them that their preparation was not wasted — the knowledge they built is exactly what will be assessed through these alternative routes.

Will Universities Accept These Grades?

Every exam board has stated they are communicating with universities worldwide. The COVID-19 precedent (2020-2021) is strongly reassuring:

• During COVID-19: All major universities worldwide — UK Russell Group, US Ivy League, UAE institutions, Canadian, Australian — accepted teacher-assessed and alternative grades without issue
• Cambridge has stated its portfolio evidence will lead to full certification
• IBO has stated NECM results will be "respected by the vast majority of universities globally"
• Pearson has stated its contingency grading process is "tried and tested"

Proactive steps:

• UK (UCAS): Check ucas.com for guidance on 2026 alternative grading acceptance. Contact firm and insurance choice universities directly.
• US: Email admissions offices. Most US universities are flexible with international assessment changes.
• UAE: Contact university admissions directly. UAE institutions are well aware of the regional situation.

Academic Support During This Period

Whether grades are determined through portfolios, contingency grading, or teacher assessments, the underlying knowledge still matters. Students who can demonstrate strong understanding through their coursework, mock performance, and teacher evidence will receive the grades they deserve.

GetYourTutors provides specialist tutors across all affected curricula who can help students strengthen their evidence base:

• IGCSE tutors — coursework refinement, mock exam preparation, portfolio evidence
• GCSE tutors — teacher assessment support, gap filling
• A-Level tutors — portfolio preparation, NEA completion, mock exam technique
• Subject specialists in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and English

Our tutors work alongside your child's school — helping students put their best evidence forward, not replacing school instruction. If your child needs help ensuring their coursework and portfolio reflect their true ability, contact us to discuss your situation.

GetYourTutors is tracking all exam board developments and will update this page as new information is released. For our full coverage of the UAE exam situation, visit our Education Updates hub.