The International Baccalaureate (IB) has cancelled May 2026 exam sittings in the United Arab Emirates as regional security tensions continue, according to reporting by Tes. Schools in the UAE have also extended remote learning while the situation is reviewed. This cancellation affects Diploma Programme candidates sitting final exams and students taking IB certificate courses in the UAE.
For students in Jordan and elsewhere in the Middle East, the cancellation can disrupt university application plans that rely on May results. Many universities accept predicted grades or coursework records when external exams cannot run, but processes differ by country and by institution. Students applying to competitive programs — medicine, dentistry, or UK undergraduate medicine in particular — should be aware that uncertainty around May results can affect timelines and offer conditions.
Immediate steps for affected students: contact your school IB coordinator and request formal documentation of the cancellation, ask for predicted grades or teacher-assessed marks, and obtain copies of internal assessment records. Then notify any universities where you have applications or conditional offers — ask whether they will accept predicted grades, defer your place, or allow you to sit exams at a later session. Keep an eye on formal IB communications and your school email for re-sit and appeals procedures.
If your application timeline is disrupted, consider backup pathways. Students who planned to study in Jordan can apply to national universities; through Shatnawi for College Admissions & Academic Consultations students receive partner discounts — Applied Science Private University (ASU) offers a 10% registration discount, University of Jordan (UJ) 20%, and Jordan University of Science & Technology (JUST) 25% for Shatnawi applicants. International alternatives include Georgia (Batumi & Tbilisi) for Medicine and Dentistry — English-medium, WHO/EU-recognized programs with tuition starting from roughly $4,000/year — as well as Turkish and Egyptian university options supported by Shatnawi.
Shatnawi for College Admissions & Academic Consultations in Amman can help students document the exam cancellation, prepare alternative applications, arrange document equivalency (service fee 70 JOD), and match scholarship or transfer options. We also provide exam preparation support (IELTS, IB, SAT, AP) and can map deadlines so you do not miss conditional-offer responses or application windows. For urgent guidance contact Shatnawi on WhatsApp at +962791888699 or visit shatnawiedu.com.