If your family has relocated from the UAE to your home country or another country for personal safety—and your child’s UAE school is now operating entirely online—you may be wondering: Can my child still sit their IGCSE, International A-Level, or IB exams? If you are still sorting withdrawal, Term 3 fees, or transfer certificates with a UAE school, see our guide to mid-year withdrawal, fees, and school records.

The answer is yes. All three exam boards have processes for students who relocate. This guide explains your options, timelines, and practical steps, with a focus on the UAE context.

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At a Glance: Your Options by Exam Board

Exam Board	Already Entered Exams in UAE?	Option	Who Initiates
Cambridge (IGCSE & A-Level)	Yes	Transfer entry to a new centre in your new country	UAE school + receiving centre
Cambridge	No, or prefer fresh start	Register as private candidate at a centre in your new country	You + new centre
Pearson Edexcel	Yes	Transferred candidate to another centre	UAE school contacts Pearson
IB	Yes	Transfer registration to another IB World School	You + new IB school
IB	Yes	Defer to a later exam session (no extra cost)	School / IB coordinator

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Cambridge International (IGCSE & International A-Level)

Option 1: Transfer Your Entry to a New Centre (If Already Entered in UAE)

If your child’s UAE school has already made exam entries with Cambridge, you can transfer those entries to a Cambridge-registered centre in your new country.

Key requirements:

• Deadline: The transfer request must reach Cambridge at least 10 working days before your child’s first exam.
• Process: Both the original UAE school and the receiving centre must complete and submit forms to Cambridge.
• What transfers: All assessments move together. You cannot transfer only some subjects.

Steps:

1. Find a Cambridge centre in your new country that will accept your child. Use Cambridge’s “Find a Cambridge school” tool, filter by country, and ask if they accept transferred candidates.
2. Contact your child’s UAE school as soon as possible. Ask them to initiate the transfer with Cambridge and complete their part of the paperwork.
3. The receiving centre will complete their form. Cambridge processes the transfer; late fees are not applied for transferred candidates.
4. Coursework and internal assessments become the receiving centre’s responsibility. Ensure the UAE school shares any relevant evidence (coursework, grades, samples) with the new centre.

If you cannot reach the UAE school: Contact Cambridge International directly or the British Council in your new country; they may be able to advise on alternative arrangements.

Option 2: Register as a Private Candidate in Your New Country

If your child was not entered through a UAE school, or if a transfer is not possible, they can register as a private candidate at a Cambridge centre in your new country.

Steps:

1. Use Cambridge’s “Find a Cambridge school” and filter by your country.
2. Contact centres that state they accept private candidates.
3. Register directly with the centre for the exam session you need (e.g. May/June or October/November).
4. The centre will handle entries, exam logistics, and results.

British Council: In many countries, the British Council runs Cambridge exams and accepts private candidates. Tutopiya has a partnership with the British Council for seamless IGCSE and A-Level exam registration at centres globally—so we can help streamline the process wherever you’ve relocated. Check the British Council website for your country under “School exams” or “Cambridge exams.”

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Pearson Edexcel (International GCSE & International A-Level)

Transferred Candidates When You Relocate

Pearson Edexcel allows transferred candidate arrangements when a student cannot sit exams at their original centre because they have moved. “A candidate has moved house after entries have been made” is an accepted reason.

Steps:

1. Contact your child’s UAE school as soon as you know you are relocating. Ask them to submit a transferred candidate application to Pearson.
2. Find an approved Pearson centre in your new country using Pearson’s “Find a centre” tool. Select your country and look for centres offering International GCSE or International A-Level.
3. The host centre must be approved by Pearson (or JCQ) and follow exam security rules. The UAE school and Pearson will coordinate the transfer.
4. If the 21 March entry deadline is at risk due to your move, the school should contact their Pearson Regional Development Manager or Pearson support immediately.

Useful resource: Pearson’s Support for centres affected by the Middle East conflict page explains transferred candidates and other support.

If You Were Not Entered in UAE

If no entries were made in the UAE, register as an external/private candidate at a Pearson centre in your new country. Use the same “Find a centre” tool and contact centres that accept private candidates.

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International Baccalaureate (IB)

Transfer Registration to Another IB World School

If your child is registered for IB exams through a UAE school, they can transfer their registration to an IB World School in your new country. The IB has explicitly offered this option for students affected by the situation in the Middle East.

Steps:

1. Find an IB World School in your new country using the IB school finder.
2. Contact the school’s admissions or IB coordinator and explain: your child was registered for May exams through a UAE school and has relocated. Ask if they can accept a transfer for the same exam session.
3. Schools decide individually whether to accept mid-year or exam-year transfers. Some international schools, including boarding schools and newer IB schools, are more flexible.
4. Have your UAE school’s IB coordinator work with the new school and the IB to process the transfer.

Timing: Start this process as early as possible. Many schools have application deadlines (e.g. May for some August starts), but rolling admissions exist. For exam transfers, earlier contact gives more time to arrange paperwork and any catch-up support.

Alternative: Defer to a Later Exam Session

If transferring to another school is not feasible, the IB has offered deferral of May exams to a later session at no extra cost for affected students. Your child’s UAE school or IB coordinator can advise on how to apply for this.

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Practical Tips for UAE Families Who Have Relocated

1. Act Early

• Cambridge: Transfer requests must be submitted at least 10 working days before the first exam.
• Pearson: Entry deadlines (e.g. 21 March for May/June) matter; if you have missed them due to relocation, the school should contact Pearson support urgently.
• IB: Transfers and deferrals take time to process. Start as soon as you know you are moving.

2. Stay in Touch With the UAE School

Even if the school is online, the exams officer and IB coordinator are critical. They must:

• Complete transfer paperwork
• Share coursework and internal assessment records with the receiving centre
• Liaise with the exam board

Try to maintain contact via email or school portals. If the school is difficult to reach, contact the exam board’s support or regional office and explain your situation.

3. Use Official Centre Finders

Board	Tool
Cambridge	Find a Cambridge school
Pearson Edexcel	Find a Pearson centre
IB	Find an IB school

4. Questions to Ask Your New Centre

• Do you accept transferred candidates (or private/external candidates)?
• Which exam sessions do you offer (May/June, October/November)?
• What are your registration deadlines and fees?
• For sciences: do you offer practicals or alternative to practical?
• How do you handle coursework and internal assessment from another school?

5. Keep Records

Bring copies of:

• Past exam results (if any)
• Coursework and internal assessment
• School reports and predicted grades
• Confirmation of exam entries from the UAE school (if available)

These help the new centre understand your child’s progress and complete any transfer or private candidate registration.

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Common Relocation Destinations: Where to Look for Centres

Many UAE families relocate to:

• India, Pakistan, Bangladesh – British Council and many schools offer Cambridge and Edexcel exams.
• UK, USA, Canada – Numerous Cambridge, Pearson, and IB centres.
• Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman – British Council and international schools in the region.
• Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia – Strong presence of Cambridge and IB schools.
• Australia, New Zealand – British Council and Cambridge centres available.

Use the official centre finders for your specific country.

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Continuity of Learning While You Relocate

UAE schools are on online learning, so your child may already be used to remote study. To keep preparation on track:

• Stick to a revision schedule – Use the same syllabuses and past papers as before.
• Use online tutoring and resources – Tutopiya assisted thousands of students during COVID-19 and offers online tutoring, online schooling services, and the world’s largest IGCSE and A-Level online resources bank. Support continues regardless of where you live.
• Stay aligned with the syllabus – Exam boards do not change syllabuses for relocated students; the content and assessment are the same worldwide.

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Summary

Situation	What to Do
Child entered for Cambridge exams in UAE	Ask UAE school to transfer entry to a Cambridge centre in your new country. Submit at least 10 working days before first exam.
Child not entered, or transfer not possible	Register as a private candidate at a Cambridge centre in your new country. Use centre finder or British Council.
Child entered for Pearson exams in UAE	Ask UAE school to request transferred candidate arrangement. Find a Pearson centre in your new country.
Child registered for IB in UAE	Contact an IB World School in your new country to transfer registration, or ask UAE school about deferring to a later session.
Struggling to reach UAE school	Contact the exam board’s support or regional office and explain your relocation.
Need help with revision or exam registration	Tutopiya offers online tutoring, online schooling, the world’s largest IGCSE and A-Level resources bank, and a British Council partnership for seamless exam registration at centres globally.

Relocating under difficult circumstances is stressful, but your child can still complete their qualifications. The key is to act early, keep the UAE school involved where possible, and use the official centre finders to find a centre in your new country.

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Last updated: March 2025. Procedures may change. Always confirm with your child’s school and the relevant exam board.

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