Country of Origin: United Kingdom
Updated:
6th Jan 2020

To its advocates the A' Level is the gold standard for post-16 education. To its detractors, it demands too much focus, too early.
There is no doubt as a qualification it delivers the goods when it comes to university entrance. The exam is widely accepted and widely respected at tertiary institutions around the world.
Students normally sit three A' Levels, but some sit four, and others as few as two. This would still deliver the points required for some UK universities - and pretty much every UAE institution which often accept lower level GCSEs and AS Levels.
A Level students tend to choose subjects of a similar type, usually split between humanities (English, History, Economics...) or sciences (Maths, Physics, Chemistry...). Languages tend to sit fairly easily within both camps.
Largely as a result of this specialisation, over the last five years the International Baccalaureate has begun to nip at the A' Levels heels. You can read more of IB versus A level in articles across the site, but the key to which one to choose lies with the student: Does he or she want to specialise, or does he/she enjoy and perform equally well at science, art, languages, and social science?
IB students take six subjects, three at higher level and three at standard level. These subjects are studied for two years and are examined at the end of that two year period.
What's new
New AS and A levels have been taught from September 2015. The first results for the new AS levels came in 2016, and for the A levels will come this year (2017). Further subjects will be introduced over the following two years.
The new A' and AS levels move the qualifications closer in many ways to the original A' Level examination, and is part of a process to allow greater differentiation between the most able students.
The main features of the new qualifications are:
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Assessment is mainly by exam, with other types of assessment used only where they are needed to test essential skills.
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AS and A levels will be assessed at the end of the course. AS assessments will typically take place after 1 year’s study and A levels after 2. The courses will no longer be divided into modules and there will be no exams in January.
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AS and A levels will be "decoupled" – this means that AS results will no longer count towards an A level, in the way they do now. Under the old system AS Levels were studied in Year 12 with exams taken in May-June. They were worth 50% of your overall A Level qualification.
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NOTE: This is NOT the case for the international A' Level where the AS Level will continue to count towards the A' Level.
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In many countries, including the UK, both UK and International A Levels are offered - although more rarely within the same school. Those with higher numbers of students from the UK tend to offer the UK A' Level. Those whose demographic is more international tend to offer International A' Levels.
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AS levels can be designed by exam boards to be taught alongside the first year of UK A levels - meaning AS Levels can be gained during the course of studying the A Level exam. An AS Level is an examination in its own right, and therefore still has value of its own.
Timetable for the new A' Levels
New AS and A level to be taught from: |
First AS results will be issued in: |
First A level results will be issued in: |
Subjects |
September 2015 |
Summer 2016 |
Summer 2017 |
art and design biology business chemistry computer science economics English language English language and literature English literature history physics psychology sociology |
September 2016 |
Summer 2017 |
Summer 2018 |
ancient languages (classical Greek, Latin) dance drama and theatre geography modern foreign languages (French, German, Spanish) music physical education religious studies |
September 2017 |
Summer 2018 |
Summer 2019 |
accounting ancient history archaeology classical civilisation design and technology electronics environmental science film studies further mathematics geology government and politics history of art law mathematics media studies music technology philosophy statistics |
106 UAE Schools offering A Level
School name |
Community |
City |
ABC Private School |
Al Shamkha |
Abu Dhabi |
Ajman Academy |
Muwaihat |
Ajman |
Ajyal International School MBZ |
Mohammed Bin Zayed City |
Abu Dhabi |
Al Ain British Academy |
Al Sarooj |
Al Ain |
Al Ain Juniors School |
Falaj Hazzaa |
Al Ain |
Al Basma British School |
Old Al Bahya |
Abu Dhabi |
Al Dhafra Private School, Al Ain |
Manaseer |
Al Ain |
Al Diyafah High School |
Al Qusais |
Dubai |
Al Nahda National School for Boys |
Al Mushrif |
Abu Dhabi |
Al Nahda National School for Girls |
Al Mushrif |
Abu Dhabi |
Al Najah Private School |
Mohammed Bin Zayed City |
Abu Dhabi |
Al Salam Community School |
Al Twar |
Dubai |
Al Shohub School |
Khalifa City A |
Abu Dhabi |
Amity International School Abu Dhabi |
Al Bahya |
Abu Dhabi |
Arab Unity School |
Al Mizhar |
Dubai |
Arcadia School |
Jumeirah Village Triangle |
Dubai |
Aspen Heights British School |
Al Bahya |
Abu Dhabi |
Belvedere British School |
Mohammed Bin Zayed City |
Abu Dhabi |
Brighton College Abu Dhabi |
Bloom Gardens & Khalifa City |
Abu Dhabi |
Brighton College Al Ain |
Gafat Al Nayyar |
Al Ain |
Brighton College Dubai |
Al Barsha South |
Dubai |
British School Al Khubairat, Abu Dhabi |
Al Khubairat |
Abu Dhabi |
Cambridge International School Dubai |
Al Twar |
Dubai |
Capital School |
Al Nahda |
Dubai |
Cedar School Dubai |
Al Warqa |
Dubai |
Citizens School |
City Walk |
Dubai |
Cranleigh Abu Dhabi |
Saadiyat Island |
Abu Dhabi |
Diyafah International School MBZ |
Mohammed Bin Zayed City |
Abu Dhabi |
Dubai British School Emirates Hills |
Emirates Hills |
Dubai |
Dubai British School Jumeira |
Al Safa |
Dubai |
Dubai British School Jumeirah Park |
Jumeirah Park |
Dubai |
Dubai British School Mira |
Mira |
Dubai |
Dubai Carmel School |
Al Qusais |
Dubai |
Dubai College |
Al Sufouh |
Dubai |
Dubai English Speaking College |
Dubai Academic City |
Dubai |
Dubai Gem Private School |
Oud Metha |
Dubai |
Dubai Scholars Private School |
Al Qusais |
Dubai |
Durham School Dubai |
Dubai Investments Park |
Dubai |
English Language Private School |
Oud Metha |
Dubai |
Fujairah Private Academy |
Fujairah |
Fujairah |
GEMS Al Barsha National School |
Al Barsha |
Dubai |
GEMS Cambridge International Private School Sharjah |
Muweilah |
Sharjah |
GEMS Cambridge International School Abu Dhabi |
Baniyas East |
Abu Dhabi |
GEMS FirstPoint School |
The Villa |
Dubai |
GEMS Founders School Dubai |
Al Barsha South |
Dubai |
GEMS Founders School, Masdar City |
Masdar City |
Abu Dhabi |
GEMS Metropole School Al Waha |
Al Waha |
Dubai |
GEMS Metropole School Motor City |
Motor City |
Dubai |
GEMS New Millennium School |
Dubai Hills Estate |
Dubai |
GEMS Our Own English High School Al Ain |
Al Manaseer |
Abu Dhabi |
GEMS Wellington Academy Al Khail |
Dubai Hills Estate |
Dubai |
GEMS Wellington Academy, Dubai Silicon Oasis |
Dubai Silicon Oasis |
Dubai |
GEMS Westminster School Ras Al Khaimah |
Seih Al Uraibi |
Ras al-Khaimah |
GEMS Westminster School Sharjah |
Al Moweilah |
Sharjah |
Global English School |
Manaseer |
Al Ain |
Gordonstoun School Abu Dhabi |
Jubail Island |
Abu Dhabi |
Grammar School Dubai |
Garhoud |
Dubai |
Horizon International School |
Umm Sheif |
Dubai |
International School of Creative Science, Muwaileh |
Muweileh |
Sharjah |
Islamia English School |
Al Dhafrah |
Abu Dhabi |
Jebel Ali School |
Damac Hills (Akoya) |
Dubai |
Jumeirah College |
Al Safa |
Dubai |
Kent College Dubai |
Nad al Sheba |
Dubai |
Kings' School Al Barsha |
Al Barsha |
Dubai |
Kings' School Nad Al Sheba |
Nad al Sheba |
Dubai |
Mamoura British Academy Abu Dhabi |
Al Nahyan |
Abu Dhabi |
Merryland International School |
Mussafah |
Abu Dhabi |
Minerva's Virtual Academy |
Dubai Academic City |
Dubai |
Nord Anglia International School Abu Dhabi |
Al Reem Island |
Abu Dhabi |
Nord Anglia International School Dubai |
Al Barsha |
Dubai |
Pace British School |
Muweilah |
Sharjah |
Pristine Private School |
Al Nahda |
Dubai |
Providence English Private School |
Muweilah |
Sharjah |
Raffles International School |
Umm Suqeim |
Dubai |
RAK Academy |
Dafan Al Khor |
Ras al-Khaimah |
Reach British School |
Baniyas East |
Abu Dhabi |
Regent International School |
The Greens |
Dubai |
Repton (Fry Campus), Junior & Senior School, Abu Dhabi |
Al Reem Island |
Abu Dhabi |
Repton School Al Barsha |
Al Barsha South |
Dubai |
Repton School Dubai |
Nad al Sheba |
Dubai |
Rosary School, Muweilah, Sharjah |
Muweilah |
Sharjah |
Royal Grammar School Guildford in Dubai |
Tilal Al Ghaf |
Dubai |
SABIS International School Yas Island |
Yas East |
Abu Dhabi |
SABIS International School, Ruwais |
Ruwais |
Abu Dhabi |
Safa Community School |
Motor City |
Dubai |
Scholars International Academy, Sharjah |
Al Gharayen |
Sharjah |
Sharjah English School |
University City |
Sharjah |
South View School |
Remraam |
Dubai |
St Mary's High School Ras Al Khaimah |
Khalifa bin Zayed City |
Ras al-Khaimah |
St. Mary's Catholic High School |
Oud Metha |
Dubai |
St. Mary's Catholic High School Fujairah |
Sakamkam |
Fujairah |
Star International School Al Qusais |
Al Qusais |
Dubai |
Star International School Mirdif |
Mirdif |
Dubai |
Sunmarke School |
Jumeirah Village Triangle |
Dubai |
The Arbor School |
Al Furjan |
Dubai |
The Bloomington Academy Ajman |
Al Bustan |
Ajman |
The Cambridge High School Abu Dhabi |
Mussafah |
Abu Dhabi |
The English College Dubai |
Umm Suqeim |
Dubai |
The International School of Choueifat Abu Dhabi |
Al Mushrif |
Abu Dhabi |
The International School of Choueifat Khalifa City |
Khalifa City A |
Abu Dhabi |
The School of Research Science |
Al Warqa |
Dubai |
The Westminster School Dubai |
Al Qusais |
Dubai |
The Winchester School |
Jebel Ali |
Dubai |
Victoria English School |
Al Azra |
Sharjah |
Wesgreen International School |
Muweilah |
Sharjah |
Yasmina British Academy |
Al Raha Gardens |
Abu Dhabi |