The UAE has cancelled the May 2026 International Baccalaureate (IB) final examinations and the IB has announced an alternative grading approach for affected students, citing continued regional instability. Education outlets reporting the change note that IB will use teacher assessments, school-based evidence and other non-examination measures to award final grades, and that support services will be provided to students and schools.
What this means for students: universities in Jordan and the wider Middle East typically rely on final IB results for admission decisions, scholarship allocations and conditional offer fulfillment. With exams cancelled, many institutions will accept alternative evidence — predicted grades from schools, internal assessment marks, portfolios, and formal statements from school IB coordinators — to confirm offers. Students holding conditional offers should contact their universities immediately to confirm how those offers will be processed.
Practical steps for students (recommended now): contact your school’s IB coordinator within 48–72 hours to request a formal record of predicted/teacher-assessed grades and all internal assessment (IA) documentation; save copies of coursework, exam mock scripts and teacher comments; and email admissions offices of universities to request confirmation of how offers and scholarship decisions will be handled. Keep a timeline: aim to gather and submit documentation within the next 1–3 weeks or by any deadline set by your university or scholarship body.
For students planning re-sits or appeals: monitor IB and your school for announcements about optional future exam sessions (for example, the November session) or appeals processes. If you are considering re-sitting, verify registration windows and fees with your school; deadlines for switching to a different session or for formal appeals are likely to be strict. International applicants to UK, US, Canada or other systems should also check with centralized services (e.g., UCAS) and scholarship providers about accepted evidence and deferral policies.
Shatnawi for College Admissions and Academic Consultations can help Jordanian and regional students interpret the IB’s alternative grading guidance, prepare documentation for universities, and communicate with admissions offices. Our advisers can review predicted-grade statements, draft supporting letters, and recommend steps if you need to request deferrals or scholarship reconsideration. For urgent guidance contact Shatnawi via WhatsApp at +962791888699 or visit shatnawiedu.com.