The United Arab Emirates has cancelled in-country International Baccalaureate (IB) final examinations scheduled for the May–June 2026 session, citing the continuing regional security situation. Reports from major outlets indicate the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) will implement an alternative grading process for affected candidates in the UAE. Schools and examination centres in the country have been instructed to follow IBO guidance for awarding final grades.
This development matters for students across Jordan and the wider Middle East who study in UAE schools or who planned to travel there to sit exams. Universities that base offers on IB results — including many in the UK, US, Europe and regional private universities — will need clear evidence of final grades or acceptable alternatives to complete admissions decisions. Students who expected to receive final IB certificates at the normal release date should prepare for interactions with admissions offices and credential evaluators.
What students should do now: first, contact your school’s IB coordinator immediately and request a formal statement confirming cancellation and the alternative grading process. Collect and back up all internal assessment (IA) marks, coursework, extended essays, predicted grades, and teacher reports. Second, notify the universities where you have applications — ask admissions offices how they will treat IBO alternative grades and whether they will accept predicted grades or internal assessment evidence for final decisions. Third, if you were planning to sit exams in the UAE but can travel, ask your school about the possibility of sitting in a different authorised IB centre elsewhere; such options depend on IBO and host-country permissions.
Students applying this cycle should keep a careful timeline: many universities issue conditional offers based on IB predictions, while others may require final certificates before enrolment. If you need extensions or deferrals, contact admissions now — decisions are typically discretionary but common in disruption cases. Keep copies of all official communications from your school and from IBO; these are crucial when contesting or clarifying results with universities or scholarship bodies.
Shatnawi for College Admissions and Academic Consultations can help Jordanian and regional students translate alternative IB documentation into formats universities expect, draft requests to admissions offices, and advise on options like gap-year deferral, transferring applications to fall 2027, or arranging exam sittings in other countries where feasible. Our advisors can also help evaluate whether predicted or awarded alternative grades meet entry requirements for specific programmes.
For immediate guidance contact Shatnawi: WhatsApp +962791888699 or visit shatnawiedu.com. We can review your case, liaise with your school on documentation, and advise next steps for university communications and scholarship applications.