British curriculum exams are the qualifications students work towards in Years 10 to 13, set by boards such as Pearson and Cambridge. The usual route is IGCSE or International GCSE exams at the end of Year 11, then A Levels or a BTEC by the end of Year 13.
The board behind each subject shapes the grading scale and the exam dates, so it is worth checking before your child chooses options.
Which Exams Do British Curriculum Students Take?
The first British curriculum exams come at the end of Year 11, after two years of IGCSE or International GCSE courses. On the standard linear route, students sit all their papers at the end of the course, so the IGCSE subjects chosen before Year 10 shape the whole stage.
Cambridge also offers O Level for students aged 14 to 16 and describes it as equivalent to Cambridge IGCSE. The two qualifications have separate syllabuses, so if you are weighing up O Level schools in Dubai, it is worth knowing which one each subject follows.
After Year 11 the routes divide. The usual next step is AS and A Level, with fewer subjects studied in greater depth, while some students take a BTEC course, a more applied route.
Both can lead to university admission, so the choices made at 16 deserve as much thought as the results.
British Curriculum Exams at a Glance
Series and grading can vary by syllabus, so treat the table as a summary rather than a subject timetable.
| Qualification | Usual stage | Grades | When and how assessed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge IGCSE | Years 10–11 | A* to G; 9 to 1 where a 9–1 syllabus is offered | June and November series; March in India only |
| Edexcel International GCSE | Years 10–11 | 9 to 1, with 9 the highest | May–June, plus November for selected subjects; linear or modular for many |
| Cambridge International AS & A Level | Years 12–13 | A Level A* to E; AS a to e | June and November series; March in India only |
| Edexcel International A Level | Years 12–13 | A Level A* to E; AS A to E | Units in January, May–June and October; not every unit in every series |
| BTEC International Level 3 | Age 16 and over | Units: Distinction (D), Merit (M), Pass (P) or Unclassified (U); overall P to D*, or PP to D*D* and PPP to D*D*D* for larger sizes | No exam series: teacher-marked assignments, with Pearson checking standards |
Exam Boards: Pearson Edexcel and Cambridge International Education
Each board sets the papers and assessment rules, checks the marking and awards the grades, and a school can choose a different one for each subject.
Dubai Scholars Private School is a useful example: as one of the Edexcel schools in Dubai, it says it uses Pearson for most IGCSE subjects and Cambridge for selected ones.
Cambridge’s board for school qualifications is separate from Cambridge English, which runs English language tests.
What the board changes is the grading scale, the exam series and whether a course is examined at the end or in units. It does not change the stage of the qualification, and IGCSE courses from either board lead on to A Level.
IGCSE Exams in UAE Schools: Grades and Coursework
IGCSE students receive a grade for each subject, and what that grade looks like depends on the board:
- Cambridge IGCSE, designed for students aged 14 to 16, is graded A* to G, with G the minimum pass. For some subjects, Cambridge also offers a separately coded syllabus graded 9 to 1.
- Edexcel International GCSEs use the grading scale 9 to 1, with 9 the highest. Pearson says the bottom of grade 7 broadly aligns with the bottom of grade A, and the bottom of grade 4 with the bottom of grade C.
- Pearson also offers a modular route for many subjects, alongside the linear one.
Whether a subject includes non-exam assessment or practical work depends on its specification. Because IGCSE schools in Dubai choose their own boards and syllabuses, the same subject can be assessed differently from one school to the next.
For UAE certificate equivalency, the Ministry of Education’s 2024–25 guide for private schools asks for five IGCSE or GCSE passes at A* to E, or 9 to 3, not counting Arabic or Islamic Education.
A Level Exams in Dubai: AS, A2 and Grades
A Levels are two-year courses. With Pearson, they are built from units: International AS units come first and International A2 units second, and students can sit units in different series before the results are combined into an overall grade.
Grades differ slightly by board. Pearson awards International AS grades from A to E and International A Level grades from A* to E, with U for unclassified.
Cambridge grades AS Level from a to e, in lower case, and the full A Level from A* to E.
The step up from IGCSE is a move from breadth to depth, and IGCSE vs A Level sets out how the two stages differ. When you compare A Level schools in Sharjah or Dubai, look at which subject combinations each school can timetable.
Dubai Scholars Private School says its post-16 programme follows Edexcel International A Level, with Cambridge syllabuses for IT, Computer Science and Media Studies. For UAE equivalency, the Ministry’s guide adds two AS passes or one A Level pass at A* to E to the IGCSE requirement.
Many university entry requirements are also set in A Level grades, so Year 12 subject choices carry weight.
BTEC Qualification: An Applied Route After IGCSE
BTEC International Level 3 is a Pearson qualification for learners aged 16 and over, built around practical, career-focused learning. It comes in five sizes, which Pearson matches to International A Level study:
- Certificate: one International AS
- Subsidiary Diploma: one International A Level
- Foundation Diploma: one International A Level plus one AS
- Diploma: two International A Levels
- Extended Diploma: three International A Levels
Assessment runs through the course rather than in exam series. Teachers set and mark most assignments, while Pearson sets some and checks standards. These rules are specific to BTEC International Level 3, not every BTEC.
Pearson says the qualification is recognised by many universities worldwide, and a 2019 UK NARIC study found it comparable to the UK’s Level 3 BTEC Nationals.
A size equivalence is not an offer, though: each university sets the sizes and grades it accepts, which is why it helps to map university pathways in the UAE before settling on a size.
Scholars International Academy, for example, lists BTEC International Level 3 Subsidiary Diplomas in Business, Applied Science, IT and Sport.
Exam Series, Results and Next Steps
IGCSE and A Level exams run in fixed series set by each board, as the table shows. A student’s actual entries depend on the syllabus, the school’s choices and, for Pearson modular courses, when each unit is sat.
Results dates also depend on the board and the series. Dubai Scholars Private School, for instance, says its AS and A2 unit exams are held in May or June, with provisional results released in August and certificates issued in October.
Grades from British curriculum exams feed into university applications, and the destinations of Scholars International Group graduates show where these routes have led. When you are ready to plan a route for your child, Apply Online and ask the admissions team which board sets each subject at the stage you are considering.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. When do IGCSE and A Level exams take place for students in the UAE?
IGCSE exams usually come at the end of Year 11, and A Level exams across Years 12 and 13. Pearson runs International GCSE exams in May–June, with November for selected subjects, and International A Level units in January, May–June and October.
Cambridge uses June and November series, with March in India only. The school confirms which series each student sits.
2. Is BTEC accepted by universities in the UAE and the UK?
It can be, depending on the BTEC size, the grades and each university’s requirements. Pearson says BTEC International Level 3 is recognised by many universities worldwide.
In the UAE, the Ministry of Education’s 2024–25 equivalency guide treats a BTEC Level 3 Diploma of at least 720 guided learning hours as equivalent to a vocational secondary school certificate, with conditions.
3. What is the difference between Edexcel and Cambridge IGCSE exams?
Both are international qualifications usually taken at 16, set by different boards. Cambridge IGCSE is graded A* to G, with a 9 to 1 version for some syllabuses, while Edexcel International GCSE uses 9 to 1 and offers a modular route for many subjects.
The exam series differ too: Pearson uses May–June, plus November for selected subjects, and Cambridge uses June and November. Both lead on to A Level.
