UAE A Level and BTEC Results 2023

The big day Year 13 students have been waiting for is here. As results come in, WhichSchoolAdvisor.com will share and celebrate the A Level and BTEC results from schools across the UAE. 

With concerns being raised about the implementation of tougher grade boundaries and likely falls in the award of top grades in a return to pre-Covid levels, have UAE-based students been able to achieve the grades they need for university or other further education entry this year?  Find out in our ongoing updates of A Level and BTEC exam results throughout the day...

Note: This article will be updated as we receive results from schools across the UAE. Please bookmark this page and return to view updates as they are published.

Use these links to check the summary tables for A Level and BTEC below. 

Data released in the UK by the Joint Council for Qualifications indicates that there has been a drop in the number of students getting a place at their first choice university, which UCAS Chief Executive Clare Marchant said  “is what we expected as we return to the normal grading”.

As predicted, the results show the biggest ever drop in the top grades, with 27.2% of A Level entries graded A*-A, a 25% drop on the 36.4% that were awarded the top grades in 2022, although still 7% higher than grades awarded before the pandemic in 2019, when the top scores were awarded to 25.4% of exam entries.

The number of placements offered are down 3% on last year but significantly up 15% on 2019, the last time grading arrangements were the same.  12% of students have been placed at their insurance choice; this compares to 14% in 2019 and 11% in 2022.  A further 9% have not been placed at their first or insurance choice and are now in Clearing, which compares to 12% in 2019, and 7% in 2022.

In total, 51,210 international students have been accepted to a UK university, compared to 52,440 last year (-2.3%).  

First results for the UAE were received from Safa Community School. 

With their largest cohort yet of 25 students who entered a total of 59 A Level examinations, this year's results showed a significant improvement on the previous two years, despite warnings that grades would be lower this year. 16.9% of grades were awarded at A* (compared with 13.2% last year and 12.8% in 2021).  Check the details of all grades in the table below.

Safa Community School also shared it BTEC results, where a total of 10 students submitted 13 entries. 46.2% of entries were awarded the highest grade of Distinction*, whilst whilst 23.1% were awarded Distinction. Again these results were significantly higher than last year where the percentages were 33.3% each.

Dubai College was the second school to share its results. Traditionally the top performing UAE school with its selective entry requirements, this year's cohort of 133 students attained exceptional results, with 73.4% of entries awarded at A*-A, the second highest in the school’s history, whilst the A*-B result of 92.5% is the highest in the school's history.  The cohort of 133 students is also usually among the highest. Nine of students gained a full house of A* grades. Of these, seven students achieved this grade in four A Level subjects. Twelve students will be taking up places at Cambridge or Oxford universities, whilst a further 13 will be attending Ivy League universities in the US. Results details in the results table below.

Hot on the heels of Dubai College, non-selective Dubai English Speaking College, which traditionally has the largest cohort of A Level students, (240 this year) released their results. Students were entered for a total of 791 examinations, of which 14.2% were graded A*. 42.07% were awarded A*-A. DESC students will continue their further education at universities include Oxford, LSE, Kings College, Imperial, Nottingham, Bath, Lancaster, and Liverpool. WhichSchoolAdvisor.com also understands that one student has been  accepted at the prestigious Stanford University in the USA.   Full results details below.

In addition to their A Level results, DESC also shared their students' BTEC results this year. A cohort of 55 students submitted 78 BTEC entries. 63% of entries were awarded Distinction*, 23 achieved Distinction, whilst 13% were awarded Merit and one received a Pass award. 

At Innoventures' only UK curriculum school, Raffles International School, staff, students and parents celebrated the results of the cohort of 35 students who were entered for 169 examinations. 13% of entries were awarded A*, whilst 26% were awarded A*-A, 69% A*-C, and 95% A*-E.

According to proud Principal, Steven Giles, "These include an increase in the number of A* results by 3% and an increase in the number of A*-C grades by 22%!! Our very top students achieved 4- A* A* A* A* grades. This has made one of the happiest schools in the UAE, even happier!! "

Innoventure's IB curriculum Dubai International Academy Emirates Hills shared its BTEC results which form the basis of the International Baccalaureate Career-related programme.  A cohort of 16 students participated in the BTEC programme and 44% of the 32 entries were awarded the top Distinction* grade.  The highest grades for a single student were double Distinction*.

The largest school group, GEMS Education announced that more than 1,688 pupils (an increase of 27% against 2022)  from a total of 20 GEMS schools in the UAE and Qatar completed in excess of 5,000 A-level exams this year, with 8% of awards at A*, 26.2% of grades at A*-A in 2023, down from 32.4% last year, but similar to 2019. 49.6% of grades were A*-B in 2023, down from 55.2% last year but similar to 2019. One in 7 students achieved at least one A* grade. 

Highlights provided by GEMS Education include the achievement of students at GEMS Wellington Academy Al Khail, where 21 per cent of the school’s 138 A-level entries were awarded the top A* grade.  GEMS Jumeirah College saw its 155 students, who were entered for 415 examinations, were awarded 42% of its A-level entries at A* to A grades and 77% A* to B. JC recorded the highest achievement across the GEMS group.

Please check the A Level  and BTEC tables for details of all GEMS schools' individual results.

Nord Anglia International School Dubai, which offers both the IB Diploma Programme and A Levels, shared its first cohort of A Level students' results.  A cohort of 43 students were entered for 143 examinations. 3% of entries were graded A*, whilst 17% were awarded A*-A. 75% entries achieved A*-C and the overall pass rate at A*-E was 99%.

Taaleem, the second largest group, operates three British curriculum schools - Dubai British School Emirates Hills, Dubai British School Jumeirah Park and Jebel Ali School.

At DBS Emirates Hills, 54 students were entered for a total of 189 examinations. 9% of entries were awarded the top A* grade, whilst 31% received A*-A, 89% A*-C, and 100% A*-E grades.  The school also released its BTEC results, where a cohort of 20 students submitted 31 BTEC entries. A remarkable 90% were awarded Distinction* whilst 7% achieved Distinction and 3% were awarded a Pass.  Students from DBS EH have secured placements at top UK universities including St. Andrews, London School of Economics and Durham University. 

Sister school, DBS Jumeirah Park, had a cohort of 46 students this year. 37% of the 139 entries were awarded A*-A grades, whilst 65% were awarded A*-B.  At BTEC, there were 33 entries of which 45% were awarded Distinction* and 31% Distinction.  Top scoring students have been offered places at the University of Southampton, Embry Riddle, USA, Bird College (University of Southampton, Embry Riddle, USA,  Bird College UK (Dance and Musical Theatre), and the Royal College of Surgeons.

The third Taaleem school, Jebel Ali School, which joined the group a year ago and this year had its first cohort of A Level students graduate from the school, has also shared the results of its 15 students. With 42 exam entries, 7% of results achieved the top A* grade, whilst 24% were awarded A*-A and 71% achieved A*-C. The overall pass rate at A*-E was 98% with the highest scorer achieving A, A, B, B. The school is delighted that so many students had achieved their first choice universities. 

Among the strongest schools academically in Abu Dhabi, Brighton College Abu Dhabi released its results to WhichSchoolAdvisor.com. This year's cohort of 71 students were entered for 226 examinations, and recorded 20% of awards at A*, 45% at A*-A, 83% and A*-C and 99% at A to E. The highest achieving student received a remarkable 4 A* and 1A award. 

BCAD graduates hold over 100 offers from Russell Group Universities including Exeter, Manchester, UCL, Leeds, Durham and King’s College, London, as well as offers from internationally known institutions including Berkley, Dartmouth, UCLA, Purdue, University of Toronto, University of Geneva and Rome University of the Arts. This year also saw the largest cohort of seventeen pupils applying for Medicine and related fields of study.  Detailed results here.

Sister school Brighton College Al Ain also shared the results of its cohort of 12 students who entered a total of 34 examinations. 11.8% of entries were awarded A*, whilst 32.4% received A*-A grades, 88.2% were awarded A*-C grades and 100% received A*-E.  The top award to one individual student was 3 A* grades. BCAA also had one BTEC entry which was awarded the top Distinction* grade. Half of this year’s cohort, who applied to universities in the UK, have received at least one offer to study at a Russell Group university and admissions, five Brighton College Al Ain students have secured offers to study Medicine in Europe and the UAE.

The third Brighton College, in Dubai, also reported the results of its first ever A Level cohort. A small group of 14 students were entered for 31 exams.  Their efforts were rewarded with 74% of entries awarded A*-B grades and a 100% overall pass rate. According to the school, on average students achieved almost two whole grades higher than their expected progress upon joining the College (the 'Value Added' measure of performance). 

One of the longest established UK curriculum schools in Dubai, The English College, shared the achievements of its cohort of 94 students.  With 279 exam entries, 7% of entries were awarded A*, whilst 33% were awarded A*-A, 65%  A*-B, 90%  A*-C  and 99% A*- E.   The College also released its BTEC results, with a cohort of 15 students having submitted 34 BTEC entries. 21% of entries were awarded Distinction*, whilst 53% received Distinction and 26% were awarded Merit.  Top university destinations include Imperial College London, London School of Economics and Political Science, The University of Manchester, University of Bristol, and University of Amsterdam. 

A further school sharing the results of its first A Level cohort of 20 students who were entered for a total of 52 examinations is Repton School Abu Dhabi.  33% of exam entries were awarded A*-A grades and 78% of exam entries awarded A*-C grades. Top universities to which graduates will be going include McGill University (Canada), University of New South Wales (Australia), University of Bristol (UK) and University of Manchester (UK). 

Meanwhile, sister school Repton Dubai informed WhichSchoolAdvisor.com;  "Repton Dubai only had a small cohort take part in A Level this year as the majority did the IB. As such, we won't be sharing their results."

Aldar Academies' Al Ain British Academy shared its results again with WhichSchoolAdvisor.com this year. Although the academy did not reveal the size of the student cohort or examination entries, it did confirm that there was a 100% pass rate. 50% of awards were at A*-A, whilst 68% of entries achieved A*-B grades, 86% A*-C grades and 100% A* to E.  No information was provided in regard to Mamoura British Academy or Yasmina British Academy (the largest, and longest established, of the Aldar-operated UK curriculum all-through schools in the capital).

Cranleigh Abu Dhabi, which is also under the ownership of Aldar Academies, did share its results. With a cohort of 54 students (compared to only 13 in 2019, before the pandemic), 44% of exam entries were awarded A*-A (compared with 37%), whilst 70% of entries were awarded A*-B (63% in 2019) and 90% of entries received A*-C grades (94% in 2019).  The overall pass rate from A*-E was 100%.

Long established not-for-profit British School of Al Khubairat, Abu Dhabi  shared their results in full with WhichSchoolAdvisor.com.  This year's cohort of 142 students was entered for 352 examinations. Almost one in five entries were awarded the top A* result, whilst 45% of entries received A*-A grades, 88% achieved A*-C and there was a 100% pass rate at A*-E. 

BISAK also had a cohort of 15 students, with the same number of BTEC entries. 93% of entries achieved Distinction*, whilst the remaining 7% were awarded Distinction.

Sunmarke School revealed its results for the seventh cohort of A Level students to graduate from the school. Although the student number, exam entries and overall pass rate were not provided, the school did tell us that 9% of entries were awarded A*, whilst 35% achieved A*-A, 68% of entries received A*-B and 87% of entries were awarded A-C.  BTEC results included 61% of grades at Distinction* or Distinction.

Results released by Kings School Al Barsha were limited, but WhichSchoolAdvisor.com was informed that 33% of exam entries achieved A*-A grades.  Top grades were A*A*A* and A*A A A. Students are expected to go on to top universities in the UK, USA, Canada, Europe and the UAE.  

JESS Arabian Ranches was one of the IB Diploma schools that provided details of its students BTEC successes.  A cohort of 14 students submitted entries for the BTEC Level 3 qualifications. 11 of the 14 students received three Distinction* awards.

Sharjah English School - one of the few remaining not-for-profit schools in the UAE and with one of the smaller A Level cohorts - is celebrating substantially improved results compared with 2019. This year, 44 students sat a total of 126 examinations. 11% of exam entries were awarded A* (5.2% in 2019), whilst 39% received A*-A grades (24%) and 88% of entries received A*-C grades.  Students achieved a 100% pass rate at A*-E. 

Another much-loved school, similar in cohort size to Sharjah English School, Al Salam Community School - also shared its results.  With a cohort of 42 students who together sat a total of 100 exams, 10% of entries were awarded A*, whilst 27% achieved A*-A, 75% A*-C, and 96% were awarded an overall pass grade.  Seven students at Al Salam also were entered for a total of 14 BTEC subjects.  29% of entries were graded Distinction, whilst the same percentage were awarded Merit and 36% received a Pass. The highest achiever received two Distinction and one Merit grade. 

Although the majority of National Curriculum for England schools in the UAE shared the results with students on Thursday, 17th August, a number of schools that offer the Cambridge International Examination Board for A Levels received their students' results a week earlier on 9th-10th August.

At GEMS Education, among the many success stories recorded from a total of 926 candidates from nine of GEMS’ 13 British curriculum schools taking A-levels this year, were from Wesgreen International School in Sharjah.  
 
The school, rated one of the most improved in the UAE during the recent school inspections, showed an increase of 29 top-rated A* results, with 52 per cent of papers rated between A* and B grades.

Cambridge International School (CIS), another of GEMS’ high performing British curriculum schools, entered 203 candidates for the Cambridge A-levels, taking 491 subjects, of which just under a third resulted in either an A* or A grade and  a 5 per cent rise in CIS students receiving an A* to B grade, despite warning of lower grades being awarded this year. Updated results including results from other exam boards can be found here.
 
GEMS Metropole School Motor City also reported its IGCSE results, with a total cohort of 88 students who entered 232 examinations. 4% of results were at A*, whilst 19% of entries were awarded A*-A, and 41% achieved A-B grades. Seven students were awarded the highest A* grades for their efforts. 

2023 UAE A Level Results by School 

2023 UAE BTEC Results by School

2022 UAE A Levels Results by School

2022 UAE BTEC Results by School