The International Baccalaureate (IB) exams scheduled for May 2026 in the UAE have been cancelled and replaced with an alternative grading process after authorities cited ongoing regional security concerns. Schools and the IB organization have begun communicating options to candidates, including teacher-assessed or centre-assessed grades and other mitigation measures. Several regional outlets reported the move as part of extended remote learning arrangements for affected students.
For students planning university applications — especially those from Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and the Gulf who study or sit exams in the UAE — the cancellation creates immediate practical questions: how grades will be awarded, how those grades will be verified for admissions, and whether conditional offers will be honoured. Admissions offices globally are already adjusting to alternative evidence such as predicted grades, internal assessment records and IB statements of results; students should expect similar requests from universities in Jordan and overseas.
What students should do now: contact your school’s IB coordinator immediately to request an official written statement explaining the assessment method your centre will use, secure copies of internal assessments and coursework, and save all communications from the IB organization. Inform any universities where you have offers or applications about the cancellation and ask which forms of evidence they will accept (predicted grades, internal assessment marks, school statements). Do not ignore application portals or deadlines — most universities are offering flexibility but still require documentation in time to process admissions and visa paperwork.
Students considering alternatives should review local and regional options now. Jordanian applicants can check offers at domestic universities; for example, students applying through Shatnawi to Applied Science Private University receive a 10% registration discount, University of Jordan applicants get a 20% registration discount, and Jordan University of Science & Technology applicants can access a 25% registration discount. For medicine and dentistry hopefuls, Georgia (Batumi and Tbilisi) remains an accessible pathway with English-medium, WHO/EU-recognized programs and tuition beginning around US$4,000/year — an option Shatnawi advises for students seeking alternatives to disrupted exam routes.
Shatnawi for College Admissions & Academic Consultations can assist students in interpreting alternative IB documentation, matching candidates to universities with flexible entry policies, and preparing supplementary materials (personal statements, interviews, or entrance-test registrations). We also provide document equivalency services (service fee 70 JOD), scholarship-matching and exam prep (IELTS, SAT, IB) to help bridge gaps caused by exam cancellations. For immediate guidance contact Shatnawi on WhatsApp at +962791888699 or visit shatnawiedu.com.