How Pakistani Expat Students in Dubai & Riyadh Can Prepare for IGCSE/A Level Results Day

Results day is stressful enough without also being several time zones away from the exam board’s home country and, often, from extended family who’ve been through it before. If you’re a Pakistani expat family in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh or Jeddah, here’s a straightforward checklist for the days before and after results are released.

Before results day

• Confirm how your child will receive results — through the school portal, CAIE Direct, or the school office — and check the exact release time in your local time zone, not Pakistan’s or the UK’s.
• Note the deadlines for remarks (Enquiries About Results) and retakes early. These windows are short and close quickly once results are out.
• If your child is applying to university in Pakistan, start gathering what IBCC equivalence will need alongside the results — it’s one less thing to do under time pressure.

On the day

• Read the grade against the school’s own predicted grade and grade boundaries for that exam series, not last year’s boundaries — they shift.
• If a subject is close to a grade boundary, a remark is usually worth requesting before deciding on a retake — it’s cheaper and faster.
• If a retake is the right call, check the next available exam series for your board (Cambridge, Edexcel or AQA) and register within the window your school or exam centre sets. Our private candidate registration guide covers the Pakistan-side deadlines if you’re registering through the British Council.

In the following weeks

• Start the IBCC equivalence process early if university applications in Pakistan are on the table — processing times are longer than most families expect.
• For Gulf-based students applying to universities in the UAE, Saudi Arabia or further afield, check whether the institution needs an equivalence certificate or accepts the Cambridge/Edexcel certificate directly.
• If a subject grade will affect A Level subject choices or university offers, get that conversation started with the school as soon as possible — waiting rarely helps.

Frequently asked questions

Can Learners Academy help with a remark or retake decision?

Yes — we offer a free 1:1 guidance call to talk through whether a remark, retake, or neither makes sense for a specific grade and subject.

Do you support students preparing for a retake?

Yes, live online across Pakistan, the Gulf and the UK, taught by subject specialists who know the CAIE and Edexcel mark schemes. See our Dubai & UAE and Saudi Arabia pages for timings and pricing.

We’re not currently enrolled — can we still book the guidance call?

Yes, the guidance call is open to any family with questions about results, remarks or retakes, whether or not you’re already studying with us.

Book a free guidance call

Message us on WhatsApp at +92 323 9149918 or contact us here to book a free 1:1 guidance call before deciding on remarks or retakes.