UAE pupils have world at their feet after scoring top marks in IB exams

Joyful learners open up on plans to study at top universities after International Baccalaureate success

Left to right, Ronak Mathrani, Caelyn Serrao and Siddhi Iyer secured excellent IB results at Gems Modern Academy in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

Star pupils in the UAE are gearing up for a university challenge across the globe after earning top marks in International Baccalaureate exams.

High-achieving teenagers will be extending their education journey in prestigious seats of learning such as London School of Economics and Boston University as they take the next step on ambitious career ladders.

The majority of schools will issue IB results on Saturday, but some gave learners a chance to celebrate early by revealing grades on Friday.

Pupils are awarded scores between one and seven points in each of their six subjects, with three additional bonus points for core subject areas.

Boston bound

Siddhi Iyer celebrates exam success with her mother. Pawan Singh / The National

Siddhi Iyer, an 18-year-old Indian pupil at Gems Modern Academy in Dubai, scored 43 out of 45 points.

“I was with my parents collecting the results and everybody was anxious when the results came out. It was indescribable experience...I was over the moon,” said Ms Iyer.

“I'm going to Boston University in the US to pursue a degree in Business and Economics.

"This score really meant a lot to me, because although I had an unconditional offer, it’s still a reward for my hard work and dedication.

Results day joy - in pictures

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  Teachers congratulate their students on a job well done at Bateen World Academy. Victor Besa / The National

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  Jana Farhat gets her IB results accompanied by her best friend, Tiana Kamel. Victor Besa / The National

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  Shakhenba Waikhom gets his IB results. Victor Besa / The National

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  Talin Taweelih and her parents after she received her IB results at Bateen World Academy in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

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  Giovanni Salasnich, left, and Shakhenba Waikhom get their IB results. Victor Besa / The National

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  Matthan Maxim Coelho with Principal Neal Dilk. Victor Besa / The National

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  Caelyn Serrao, right, celebrates her IB results at the Gems Modern Academy in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

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  Siddhi Padmanabhan Iyer celebrates with her mother at the Gems Modern Academy in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

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  Pupils receive their IB results at the Gems Modern Academy in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

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  Ronak Mathrani receives his IB results at the Gems Modern Academy in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

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  Siddhi Padmanabhan celebrates her IB results at the Gems Modern Academy in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

“All the sleepless nights and all these efforts really paid off.

“With these scores I could apply for a scholarship and at the same time since I'm going to the US it does give me credit so I can skip courses when I go to university. That's the main advantage.”

By skipping courses, the pupil would be able to graduate sooner than peers.

The pupil achieved perfect scores in business, economics, English and computer science.

A future in film

Hind Tukan shares the good news after securing her place at New York University Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

Hind Tukan, an 18-year-old Jordanian pupil at Bateen World Academy in Abu Dhabi, achieved perfect marks in business, English, design technology, theatre art and French to make for an impressive overall mark.

She scored 43 out of 45 points and aims to pursue a degree in filmmaking at New York University Abu Dhabi in September.

“Honestly, I was very shocked with my results. It was a rough two years for all of us and I think that I'm really glad to say that all the hard work we put in paid off," said Ms Tukan.

“I was crying when I opened the envelope, but it was a really pleasant sight.

“I opened my results along with my mother, who is my biggest supporter.

“I got a conditional acceptance from New York University Abu Dhabi and I hope to study film directing at NYUAD, which is one of the top universities in the region for this major.”

Anxious wait is over

Aness Aouissat, 17, an Algerian-German pupil at Abu Dhabi's Bateen World Academy, was delighted to secure 43 points out of 45.

“I'm very happy with my performance. This is exactly what I've been working for," he said.

Aness said he had many options of study available to him in the UK, Canada and in the Emirates.

Matthan Maxim Coelho, a 17-year-old Portuguese pupil at Bateen World Academy, scored 42 out of 45.

“I can actually go to my one of my dream universities, the London School of Economics," he said.

The pupil will be pursuing a bachelor's in accounting and finance.

Switch pays off

Caelyn Serrao cherishes a happy results day at Gems Modern Academy in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

Caelyn Serrao, a 17-year-old Indian pupil at Gems Modern Academy, moved from the Indian curriculum to IB two years ago and won 43 out of 45 points in the exams.

“It was a big change for me, because of the different styles of teaching and learning," said Caelyn.

"It was definitely difficult for me because the Indian curriculum is very different from IB. Our school provided a bridge period and that really helped me because we had a lot of activities that got me used to the IB.

“Obviously, I struggled in the first few months but my teachers were very supportive. I had extra classes for me, especially in the subjects I struggled with.”

The pupil has secured admission at the University of Edinburgh, where she will be pursuing a degree in architecture.

Ronak Mathrani, a 17-year-old Indian pupil at Gems Modern Academy scored 43 out of 45 points, and said he would be heading to the states to study computer engineering.

He said the high grades meant he would be able to graduate earlier and skip some courses.

Rashid Abbas, an Emirati pupil at Dubai International Academy Emirates Hills, achieved a near-perfect 44 points and is going to join the UAE military services.

Mr Abbas said: “I am very blessed with these grades. It’s been of course tough and challenging but at the end it has been a rewarding journey with ups and downs."

Jana Roy, a pupil at DIA Emirates Hills scored a full 45 points and said: “I honestly was not expecting the grades that I received nor did I put too much emphasis on getting the perfect score.

"I simply showed up each day and did the best I could do and the results simply followed."

How have pupils across UAE schools performed?

Neal Dilk, principal at Bateen World Academy, said the school’s average score had improved from 33 in 2023 to 34.3 in 2024. Six pupils out of a cohort of 35 at the school achieved a score of 40 and above.

“We're quite happy that the scores went up. We're very proud of our students. This year is a strong, hard working cohort.

"We've got some very strong results this year and we're very happy with the pupils and their achievements.”

He said the school had worked on pupils’ writing skills and on teacher’s professional development.

Pupils at schools run by school developer, Innoventures Education, have also secured admissions in top-ranked global universities such as Columbia University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, Imperial College and London School of Economics.

Pupils at Innoventures Education schools achieved a 99.6% pass rate.

Poonam Bhojani, chief executive of Innoventures Education, said: "Our students have once again performed remarkably well in the 2023-2024 academic year.

"This is a testament to the dedication and hard work of the students and the schools’ dedicated faculty as well as the positive support of the parents.

"We are truly proud of all our students, who have shown incredible talent and resilience to excel at such a competitive global examination.”