Exam boards Cambridge International and Pearson Edexcel have cancelled sittings in parts of the United Arab Emirates and moved to alternative grading measures, a development that could affect students’ university offers and next steps. According to reporting from The Times of India, the cancellations come with new grading rules and changes to results timetables. For many students the immediate consequence is uncertainty about when certified grades will be released and how those grades will be calculated.
Students in Jordan and the wider Middle East who study in UAE schools, or who planned to take UAE-centred exam sessions, should first check official communications from Cambridge International and Pearson Edexcel and from their school exam centre. Boards usually publish formal guidance about centre-assessed grades, appeals and resit options; keep copies of any coursework, teacher assessments and email confirmations from your school. These materials will be crucial if you need to request a review or provide evidence to a university that made an offer based on expected results.
University admissions are the most immediate area of impact. Students holding conditional offers—whether to Jordanian private universities or to institutions abroad—must contact admissions offices to explain potential delays and seek extensions for offer conditions. If offers are conditional on specific grades, ask the university for a clear deadline extension in writing. For UK-bound students, note that boards sometimes make alternative sittings available (for example November sessions) and Cambridge has been releasing November A-level results in past cycles; discuss with your school whether switching to a later examination session is feasible.
Practical next steps: 1) confirm with your exam centre what was cancelled and whether you have been allocated an alternative grading method; 2) archive all evidence of coursework, mock results and teacher-predicted grades; 3) contact universities and scholarship bodies to request conditional-deadline extensions; 4) register for resits as early as possible if you plan to sit later sessions—deadlines for November or next summer sessions can be tight. Also monitor official results-day pages from Cambridge and Edexcel for precise release dates—these pages will list timings for electronic result release and options for certified statements.
Shatnawi for College Admissions and Academic Consultations can help students interpret the new grading statements, prepare appeals documentation and liaise with overseas admissions offices. We can also map out whether a November sitting or resit in the next exam cycle is the fastest route to secure a place. Contact Shatnawi if you need tailored advice on how to present evidence to universities or whether to accept, defer or appeal an offer.
For immediate help, students and families can reach Shatnawi by WhatsApp at +962791888699 or visit shatnawiedu.com for guidance and booking a consultation.