The UAE has cancelled May 2026 International Baccalaureate (IB) final examinations for students in affected schools, and the IB has announced alternative grading procedures and student support measures, according to reporting by The Times of India and other outlets. The cancellation follows continued regional instability and extensions of remote learning in several Emirates. The IB organization said it will work with schools to determine awarded grades using internal assessment records, predicted grades and other quality assurance measures.
For students in Jordan and across the Middle East, the immediate effects are practical and administrative. Many students rely on final IB scores to meet conditional offers, secure scholarships, and obtain official equivalency certificates for local university admission. With exams cancelled, universities and scholarship bodies will look for verified school evidence — internal assessment marks, teacher predictions, coursework and official IB communications — to confirm offers.
What students should do now: contact your school IB coordinator immediately to confirm what documentation the school will submit to the IB and to universities, request copies of internal assessment records and predicted grades, and keep dated email records of all communications. Monitor official IB channels and your school for announcements on the timing of results and the format of awarded grades. Start the Jordan Ministry of Higher Education equivalency process as soon as you have an official IB statement or awarded grade, since processing can take several weeks and some university deadlines come early in the summer.
Consider back-up plans: ask your universities whether they will accept alternative evidence to meet conditions or allow delayed submission of final grades; check scholarship and admission deadlines and ask for extensions if final proof will be late. If you plan to retake examinations, check whether the IB will offer a later session (for example, November) and what registration deadlines and fees apply. Also review entrance-test schedules (SAT, ACT, national entrance exams) and portfolio requirements that may be required independent of IB results.
Shatnawi for College Admissions and Academic Consultations can help students interpret official IB communications, contact foreign or Jordanian universities on your behalf, and begin the equivalency and documentation process. For personalized guidance on deadlines, appeals and alternatives such as gap-year planning or resits, contact Shatnawi. For quick questions or to start a case review, reach out via WhatsApp +962791888699 or visit shatnawiedu.com.