Navigating the May/June 2026 Exam Cancellations: What Arab and Egyptian Students Need to Know

2026-07-12 · By Marco Medhat, verified IGCSE/A Level teacher on IG Catalog

The recent announcements regarding the May/June 2026 exam series have sent ripples of anxiety across the Middle East. If you are feeling overwhelmed, you are not alone. However, the most important takeaway is this: your hard work will not go to waste, and you will still receive your qualifications.

Here is a clear, factual breakdown of what is happening, who is affected, and what you need to do next.

**The Facts: Who is Affected?

Due to regional volatility and official mandates, British Curriculum exams (IGCSE, AS, and A-Level) as well as IB exams have been officially cancelled for the May/June 2026 series in several specific countries.

• Confirmed Cancellations: The United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Lebanon.
• What about Egypt? As of now, exams within Egypt are proceeding normally. However, for the thousands of Egyptian expats living and studying in the affected Gulf nations or Lebanon, these cancellations apply directly to you.

How Will You Be Graded Without Exams?

You might be wondering how you can get a grade without sitting in an exam hall. All major exam boards have established alternative grading mechanisms—a process successfully used during previous global disruptions.

Here is how the major boards are handling the situation:

• Cambridge International: Has moved to a "Portfolio of Evidence" process. Your school will gather and submit a portfolio of your work to the board.
• Pearson Edexcel: Has activated an International Contingency process. Depending on whether you have banked unit results or not, they will use either enhanced grading via special consideration or International Contingency Grading based on school-submitted evidence.
• OxfordAQA: Will rely on an evidence portfolio process to award grades.
• International Baccalaureate (IB): Is utilizing the Non-Exam Contingency Measure (NECM), which relies on internal assessments, predicted grades, and statistical modelling.

How the Process Works

The transition to contingency grading is heavily school-driven. Here is the standard timeline:

1. Evidence Submission: Your school gathers and submits an evidence portfolio (like mock exams, class tests, and coursework) directly to the exam board. Parents and students do not submit anything directly to the board.
2. Board Review: The exam board reviews the submitted evidence and applies its established alternative grading criteria to award your final grade.
3. Results Release: You will receive your results through the usual channels at the normal time of year. Universities recognize these grades identically to standard exam grades, and your applications will not be derailed.

Your Action Plan

It is easy to think that "cancelled exams" means you can stop studying. Do not make this mistake.

• Treat Every Assessment as the Real Thing: Because your grades will be heavily reliant on an evidence portfolio, your ongoing coursework, class tests, and mock exams are now the direct evidence for your grades. Treat them with the exact same seriousness as a final board exam.
• Stay Connected: Your school's exam officer is your primary point of contact. Read every email carefully, attend all briefings, and adhere strictly to any internal deadlines your school sets for coursework submission.
• Manage Your Well-being: The uncertainty is challenging. Focus only on what you can control: your daily study habits and your performance in your school-based assessments.

Take a deep breath. The system is established, internationally recognized, and designed specifically to protect your academic progression in situations exactly like this. Keep pushing forward, and you will come out of this successfully.