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UAE announces Term 3 exam dates for thousands of school students
Exams are scheduled to run from June 24 and apply to students in Grades 5 through 12 in government and private schools
- PUBLISHED: Thu 4 Jun 2026, 11:14 AM UPDATED: Thu 4 Jun 2026, 4:15 PM
The UAE Ministry of Education has released the timetable for end-of-term examinations for the third and final semester of the 2025-2026 academic year, with tests set to run from June 24 to July 3, 2026.
The exams apply to students from grade 5 through grade 12 enrolled in government schools and private schools that follow the ministry's curriculum. The ministry extended its well-wishes to all students, saying: "We wish all students success."
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The Term 3 centralised exams are one of two nationally administered assessment windows this academic year. Centralised testing at the end of the second semester was cancelled this year and replaced with school-based summative assessments, meaning centralised examinations now take place only in the first and third semesters.
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The decision is part of broader reforms designed to enhance critical thinking and analytical skills while moving away from traditional high-pressure testing.
Students in grades 3 and 4 are exempt from the centralised examinations. The ministry confirmed they will instead be assessed through the School Summative Assessment (SSA) across all subjects. Students in grades 1 and 2 are assessed entirely through school-based evaluation, in line with the unique developmental characteristics of that early educational stage.
The revised assessment system is designed to improve the school calendar, diversify assessment tools, enhance teaching quality, promote student wellbeing, and adjust class weightings in line with updated educational policies.
July 3 marks the final day of the 2025-2026 academic year.
Emirati Journalist