If your child is sitting IGCSE, International A-Level, or IB exams in the Middle East this year, you want to know where to get reliable updates—and when to expect them. This short guide gives you the official channels and typical timelines.

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The Most Important Channel: Your Child’s School

Exam boards (Cambridge, Pearson Edexcel, IB) communicate primarily with schools and exam officers, not parents directly. Your school will receive:

• Deadline extensions
• Contingency guidance (e.g. portfolio of evidence, special consideration)
• Any decisions about exam cancellations or alternative assessment

Action: Stay in regular contact with your child’s school. Ask how they will share exam board updates (e.g. email, parent portal, newsletters).

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Official Exam Board Channels to Bookmark

Exam Board	Official Resource	What to Check
Cambridge International	cambridgeinternational.org/news/whats-new	News and qualification updates
Cambridge International	Candidates and families	General info for students and parents
Pearson Edexcel	Support for centres – Middle East conflict	Dedicated page for Middle East disruptions
International Baccalaureate	ibo.org/news	Assessment and programme updates

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Local Authorities

In some countries, the Ministry of Education or equivalent body can direct exam cancellations. This happened in the UAE in 2021. Check your country’s education ministry website for any national announcements.

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Typical Timeline: What to Expect

Milestone	Approximate Timing
Coursework / NEA deadlines	March–April (some extended for Middle East)
Final decisions on exam format	Often 4–8 weeks before exams; may be sooner if needed
May/June exam period	May–June
Results release	Typically July–August
Autumn/winter series	Available if students need to retake or sit deferred exams

Boards usually give schools as much advance notice as possible. If circumstances change, schools are typically informed first.

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Quick Action Checklist

1. Confirm with the school how they will share exam board updates.
2. Bookmark the official pages above for your child’s board(s).
3. Check occasionally (e.g. weekly) in the run-up to exams.
4. Keep records of mock exams, coursework, and supervised work—these may be needed if alternative assessment is used.

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How Tutopiya Can Help

Tutopiya supported thousands of students through the COVID-19 disruptions with online tutoring and continuity of learning—and we’re here for Middle East families now. We offer online tutoring, online schooling services, and the world’s largest IGCSE and A-Level online resources bank. We also have a partnership with the British Council for seamless IGCSE and A-Level exam registration at centres globally—so if your child needs to sit exams in a different country, we can help streamline the process. Explore Tutopiya’s programmes.

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For a fuller guide on whether exams will go ahead, how results are awarded if they are cancelled, and what happened during COVID and past disruptions, see our detailed parent guide on IGCSE, A-Level & IB exams during geopolitical unrest.

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Last updated: March 2025. Always confirm the latest information with your child’s school and the relevant exam board.

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