How UAE's top IB students scored near-perfect marks despite exam cancellations

Dubai: International Baccalaureate (IB) schools across the UAE have reported some of their strongest results on record this year, despite final examinations being cancelled following recent conflict in the Middle East. In place of the traditional exam sittings, the IB introduced a Non-Exam Contingency Measure (NECM), grading students on coursework, internal assessments and predicted performance instead.

Despite the disruption, many UAE schools recorded 100 per cent pass rates, comfortably outperforming global averages. A number of students also achieved near-perfect scores, with several reaching the maximum of 45 points.

Gulf News spoke to some of this year's top achievers from schools across the UAE, who reflected on how they navigated an unusually challenging final year with the support of their teachers and shared their plans for the future.

"Consistency is everything"

Aadit Chandrani, a student at Dubai International Academy (DIA), was one of four students from his school to score a perfect 45 points. He puts his result down to steady, consistent effort throughout the two-year programme rather than last-minute cramming.

"Since we have six subjects, there's a lot of content to cover, so I made sure to revise everything I'd learned that week. In IB, it's not just about studying, you also have to focus on applying that knowledge, so having a strong practical understanding of your subjects really matters," he said.

"Even though the exams were cancelled and our scores were based on internal assessments and projects, I wasn't too stressed, because I'd worked consistently throughout the year. Our teachers really supported us during the conflict period, they kept us up to date with our coursework," he added.

Chandrani will head to the University of Waterloo in Canada this autumn to study mathematics. "I'm interested in mathematical finance, but I also want to explore the different careers I could pursue with a maths degree," he said.

Arnav Jayaswal, who also scored a perfect 45 points, similarly credits consistent effort across his assignments, coursework and assessments throughout the two years.

"When I took the mock exams earlier this year, I had a clear sense of my level. For content-heavy subjects such as physics, chemistry, and biology, I relied on lectures, videos, and class notes, and I regularly approached my teachers whenever I needed support. Honestly, these results are the culmination of two years of hard work. I aimed to do my best on nearly all my assignments because it truly makes a significant difference. I’m very pleased with my performance, as it reflects steady, consistent effort.."

Jayaswal now plans to study medicine at the University of Edinburgh.

"The DP isn't a sprint; it's a marathon"

Leo Avayan, a student at Swiss International Scientific School Dubai, achieved an IB Diploma Programme (DP) score of 44. He credits his result to advice he received early on from his school's DP Coordinator, who often reminded students: “The DP isn't a sprint; it's a marathon. It's a mindset,” he said, that stayed with him throughout the two years.

"I think my preparation didn't really begin in my final year, it began from the very first day of the Programme. I made it a priority to understand every topic as deeply as possible and to approach every internal assessment and project with precision and care," he said.

Avayan will continue his studies in France this autumn. "This autumn, I'll be attending Paris Sciences et Lettres University, where I will be continuing my studies in artificial intelligence. I'm excited to begin this next chapter, exploring the rapidly evolving field of AI and applying what I've learned in the IB to new challenges," he said.

A first graduating cohort's top scorer

Richard Linnik, the top achiever at Bloom World Academy, was part of the school's very first graduating cohort and secured the highest score among his peers, with 42 points out of 45.

"The support I received was invaluable. My teachers regularly checked in on my wellbeing and provided all the academic support I needed, while my classmates became a second family to me," he said.

Linnik received offers from several prestigious UK universities and has chosen to attend the London School of Economics and Political Science, where he plans to pursue a bachelor's degree in Environment and Sustainable Development with Economics.

From Head Boy to UCLA

Arhaan Ashish Jain, top achiever at Repton Dubai, scored 43 points and has secured a place at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) to study Business Economics.

"Although our IB final examinations were cancelled due to the regional conflict, I remained focused on producing the strongest internal assessments and coursework I could, which ultimately contributed to achieving 43 points in the IB Diploma," he said. "As Head Boy, I especially appreciated Repton's emphasis on student wellbeing alongside high academic standards, and I'm incredibly grateful to my teachers for their constant support. This fall, I'm excited to join UCLA to study Business Economics."

From Anna Startseva, Repton Dubai’s top-performing student, who scored 44 points and will be enrolling at Duke University to study economics.

"My priority was keeping up the momentum from Year 12 as much as I could. Of course, the exam cancellation came as a big surprise, but I focused on improving my IAs which made up a significant portion of the final grade."

Balancing coursework with university applications

Anusha Talwalkar, from Ambassador International Academy Dubai, achieved an IB score of 42 out of 45 points. She attributed her results to strong time management and organisation, alongside consistent support from her teachers and counsellors.

"I had a lot of support from my teachers and counsellors, who were willing to give me constructive feedback when necessary and helped me immensely with my university applications and design portfolio, which had to be completed simultaneously," she said.

"Despite the challenges of the exam cancellations, my teachers were extremely understanding and made sure that we were able to complete our IAs, EEs and other external components to the best of our abilities."

Talwalkar plans to study Product Design at the University of Leeds. "I'm interested in both STEM and the Arts, and Product Design is a perfect integration of both fields," she said.

Sisters top the class together

Sisters Jennifer Sabatini (45 points) and Jacqueline Sabatini (42 points) topped their graduating class at Bateen World Academy.

"For me, success came down to holding myself accountable every day. Maintaining high standards and studying countless hours isn't easy, so I approached the year with grit and determination, using every opportunity to learn and improve," Jennifer said.

She thanked her teachers for their guidance and feedback throughout the journey, adding that good grades also come down to staying organised and taking every assignment seriously.

"I kept on top of deadlines and treated every assessment as an opportunity for growth. Most importantly, I focused on truly understanding the content rather than memorising mark schemes, that knowledge stays with you far beyond the exam itself."

Jennifer plans to study Cell and Molecular Biology at Khalifa University.

Jacqueline always knew her final year would be one of the most demanding academically. "Because of this, I focused on staying organised from the very beginning. I completed most of my coursework during the break before my final year, which allowed me to stay ahead. I also consistently revised, often covering content before it was taught in class, so I could reinforce my understanding during lessons," she said.

Both sisters will continue their higher education at Khalifa University, where Jennifer intends to major in Cell and Molecular Biology and Jacqueline plans to specialize in Biomedical Engineering.