The question every parent with a child in Year 11, Year 13, or IB2 is asking right now is the same: if exams are cancelled, will my child still get their qualification?

The answer — based on confirmed board processes and lived precedent — is yes, absolutely.

This guide explains exactly how Cambridge International, Pearson Edexcel, OxfordAQA, and the International Baccalaureate award grades when exams cannot run, what the COVID-19 experience in 2020 proved, and the practical steps you can take right now to protect your child’s results.

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First: The Reassurance You Need

Before anything else, understand this: every major international exam board has established, internationally recognised processes for awarding qualifications when examinations cannot proceed. These are not emergency workarounds improvised in a crisis. They are documented, tested, and previously used at scale — including globally during COVID-19 in 2020.

Your child sat two years of study. Their teachers have assessed their progress. Their coursework exists. Their mock results exist. The evidence is already there. The exam boards have robust processes to turn that evidence into a recognised qualification.

Universities worldwide — including Oxford, Cambridge, the Ivy League, and top institutions across Asia and Australia — accepted COVID-era alternative grades. They will accept these grades too.

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How Each Board Awards Grades Without Exams

Cambridge International — Portfolio of Evidence

Cambridge International uses a Portfolio of Evidence process when formal examinations cannot proceed. This is the same process Cambridge activated for the Gulf in 2021 and globally in 2020.

What goes into a Portfolio of Evidence:

• Mock examination results — particularly mocks sat under exam-style, supervised conditions
• Coursework — any internally assessed components already submitted or in progress
• Class assessments — tests, assignments, and assessed work completed throughout the course
• Teacher authentication — the school certifies all submitted evidence as genuine and accurately representing each student’s performance

How Cambridge awards the grade:

Cambridge examiners review the submitted portfolios against the same marking criteria used for formal examinations. Schools that have followed Cambridge’s guidance on internal assessment and mock exam marking will have a clear evidence trail. The grade awarded through this process carries the same international validity as a grade obtained through formal examination.

Important for parents: Your child’s school manages the submission process. Cambridge does not accept direct submissions from students or parents. Stay in communication with your child’s school to understand what has been collected and what — if anything — is still needed.

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Pearson Edexcel — Contingency Process

Pearson Edexcel has activated its International Contingency process for affected Gulf countries. Like Cambridge, Pearson has used this approach before — in previous regional disruptions and during COVID-19.

How Pearson’s contingency process works:

1. Schools gather evidence of each student’s performance: mock exam results, teacher-assessed grades, marked coursework, and any other documented performance records.
2. The school’s registered exam officer submits this evidence through Pearson’s official portal, along with the teacher’s grade recommendation.
3. Pearson reviews submissions, moderates across centres for consistency, and awards grades.

Transfers and deferrals:

Pearson also facilitates:

• Transfers — students who can relocate to a country where exams are proceeding may transfer their registration to a centre in that country and sit formal examinations.
• Deferrals — students who cannot sit now may defer to a later series. Contact your school’s Pearson exam coordinator for details.

If your family has the option to travel, explore the transfer route through your school as soon as possible, as places at international centres may be limited.

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OxfordAQA — Evidence Portfolio

OxfordAQA has confirmed exam cancellations in affected Gulf countries and is applying its evidence portfolio process.

What OxfordAQA draws on:

• Prior component results — any components already completed before the cancellation, including coursework, practicals, controlled assessments, or any earlier examination papers
• School evidence portfolio — teacher-assessed grades supported by documented performance records
• OxfordAQA moderation — the board reviews school submissions to ensure consistency and fairness across centres

OxfordAQA’s approach mirrors that of Cambridge and Pearson: the school is the conduit, evidence from across the course period is the foundation, and the grade awarded is fully recognised.

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International Baccalaureate — Non-Exam Contingency Measure (NECM)

The IB is applying its Non-Exam Contingency Measure (NECM) — the same methodology used worldwide in May 2020 when the IB cancelled its global examination session.

How the IB NECM works:

The IB awards grades using three inputs:

1. Internal Assessments (IAs) — subject-specific internally assessed work already completed by students as a core part of the IB programme. IAs are already moderated by the IB; they carry significant weight in NECM grading.
2. Predicted grades — the school’s formal prediction of each student’s final grade, based on performance across the full two-year programme. These are not estimates; they are professional assessments by teachers who have taught these students for two years.
3. Statistical modelling — the IB applies sophisticated statistical analysis to ensure that grades across all affected schools are consistent, fair, and comparable to previous years.

For Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay, and CAS: Students who have not yet submitted their TOK essay or Extended Essay should continue to do so. These components contribute to the assessed evidence. CAS records should also be maintained and submitted to the IB coordinator.

The IB NECM in 2020: The Class of May 2020 received their IB Diplomas through the NECM. Every major university in the world — including those historically insistent on exam results — accepted the grades. UCAS issued formal guidance that teacher-predicted grades would be treated equivalently. US universities accepted them for admissions. Australian, Canadian, and Asian institutions did the same.

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The COVID-19 Precedent: Proof That This Works

Parents who lived through COVID-19 in 2020 already know this story. For those who did not, here is what happened — and why it matters for 2026.

What Happened in May 2020

In March 2020, as lockdowns spread globally, Cambridge International, Pearson Edexcel, and the IB all cancelled their May/June 2020 examination sessions. Every student worldwide who had registered for these exams faced the same situation your child faces now.

Here is what followed:

• Cambridge awarded grades based on school-submitted evidence. Results were released on the original schedule. Students received internationally recognised qualifications.
• Pearson Edexcel awarded grades through teacher-assessed grade submissions. The vast majority of students received results aligned with their performance expectations.
• The IB implemented the NECM for the first time globally — the exact process it is applying now. The Class of 2020 received their IB Diplomas. The IB has since refined and documented the NECM further, making the 2026 application even more robust.

What Happened to University Admissions

Every major university system adapted. UCAS published formal guidance that teacher-assessed and alternatively-graded qualifications would be accepted. US admissions offices — including the Common Application network — processed applications from students with alternative grades without issue. Russell Group universities, the Ivy League, leading Asian institutions — all accepted these results.

In 2021, when Cambridge cancelled IGCSE and A-Level exams specifically for Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and when the UAE Ministry of Education cancelled exams that year — the same processes ran successfully. Students received qualifications. University applications proceeded.

The 2026 Situation

The 2026 situation in the Gulf is not unprecedented. It is the latest in a pattern that exam boards, schools, and universities have navigated before. The systems are in place. The precedent is established. Your child will receive their qualification.

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Will University Applications Be Affected?

This is understandably a major concern for Year 13 and IB2 students with pending or upcoming university applications. The answer, based on precedent and how boards communicate, is: no, not materially.

Here is why:

1. Boards communicate proactively with universities. When mass cancellations occur, Cambridge, Pearson, and the IB issue guidance directly to universities explaining the alternative grading methodology. Universities do not treat these results as inferior — they understand the context.

2. UCAS has handled this before. The UK university admissions system (UCAS) is well-acquainted with alternative-graded results. Conditional offers are managed based on the grades that are issued, regardless of how those grades were produced.

3. The qualification is still the same qualification. An IGCSE awarded through a Portfolio of Evidence is an IGCSE. An IB Diploma awarded through the NECM is an IB Diploma. The certificate carries the same board seal, the same international recognition, and the same university acceptance.

4. Boards can issue proof-of-qualification letters. If a student needs to demonstrate their result for a time-sensitive application before a physical certificate arrives, boards can provide official documentation directly to universities.

If your child has already made university applications or received offers, we recommend contacting the admissions offices proactively to explain the situation. Most will be familiar with it. Providing school-certified evidence of performance alongside the application adds further reassurance.

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What Parents Should Do RIGHT NOW

The most important actions you can take today:

1. Gather and preserve all assessed work

Do not discard anything. Gather:

• All mock examination papers and marked scripts
• All coursework — drafts, final versions, teacher feedback
• All class tests and marked assessments
• Any work completed under supervised conditions

Your child’s school will compile the formal evidence portfolio, but having personal copies ensures nothing is missed.

2. Contact your child’s school immediately

Ask your child’s exam officer or form tutor:

• What evidence has already been collected?
• Is there any outstanding coursework or assessed work your child needs to complete?
• What is the submission timeline to the exam board?
• Are transfer or deferral options available for your child?

3. Keep studying — it still matters

The alternative grading processes reward genuine knowledge and skill. Students who continue to study, engage with their subjects, and sit any remaining internal assessments will have stronger evidence portfolios. This is not a time to stop; it is a time to make every remaining assessment count.

4. Consider additional tutor support

With mock results now forming a core part of the assessed evidence, the quality of preparation for any upcoming internal assessments or mock sessions is more important than ever. A tutor who can target specific subject weaknesses and help your child produce their strongest possible work in the time remaining makes a real difference.

Your mock results matter more than ever. Expert tuition is available now.

Find a qualified IGCSE, A-Level or IB tutor →

Tutopiya offers one-to-one online tuition from qualified subject specialists across IGCSE, International A-Level, and IB curricula. Our tutors understand the evidence-based grading context and can focus sessions on the areas most likely to be reflected in your child’s portfolio.

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How Results Will Be Released

The results process for alternatively-graded examinations follows broadly the same timeline as a normal year:

1. Schools submit evidence — your child’s school compiles and submits the evidence portfolio to the board within the required timeline.
2. Boards review and grade — boards process submissions using their established alternative grading criteria. This takes similar time to normal marking periods.
3. Results release — results are released through the same channels as a normal year. In some cases, physical certificates may follow shortly after results; digital confirmation is usually available first.
4. Appeals — all boards maintain appeals processes. If a grade does not reflect a student’s performance, the school can initiate an appeal on the student’s behalf.

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Key Takeaways for Parents

Question	Answer
Will my child receive their qualification?	Yes. All boards have established processes.
Is the grade still internationally recognised?	Yes. Same boards, same certificates.
Will universities accept the grades?	Yes. Precedent from 2020 and 2021 confirms this.
What should my child do now?	Keep studying, complete any remaining assessments, keep all records.
What should I do as a parent?	Contact the school, gather evidence, consider tutor support.
Can my child sit exams elsewhere?	Possibly — ask the school about transfer options.

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Getting Support

This is an anxious time, and the uncertainty is real. But the path forward is clear: exam boards have the processes, precedent exists, and universities understand the context. Your child’s job right now is to make the strongest possible showing in whatever assessments remain — and your job is to support them in doing so.

Tutopiya’s learning portal gives students access to the world’s largest IGCSE and A-Level resource bank, practice assessments with detailed performance reports, and one-to-one tuition from subject specialists. Whether your child needs targeted revision support, help completing coursework to a higher standard, or simply structured study during an uncertain period, we are here.

Explore Tutopiya’s learning resources →

Book a qualified tutor now →

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Published: April 2026. Based on confirmed guidance from Cambridge International, Pearson Edexcel, OxfordAQA, and the International Baccalaureate. Always confirm current processes with your child’s school and the relevant exam board’s official communications.

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