Ministry of Education Releases Schedule for First Semester Final Exams

The UAE's Ministry of Education has set the exam schedule for first semester finals, affecting students from grades 3 to 12 across government and private schools following the ministry's curriculum. The tests run from November 20 to December 4, 2025, marking a critical period for over 100,000 students in the Emirates.

Grade 12 students face the most intensive schedule. They start with Physics on Thursday, November 20, followed by Chemistry the next day. Mathematics comes on Monday, November 24, then English on Tuesday and Arabic on Wednesday. Islamic Studies follows on Thursday, November 27, with Biology on Friday, November 28. The final exam covers Social Studies on Thursday, December 4.

The ministry has made digital tools mandatory for most students. Anyone in grade 6 and above must bring their personal laptops for electronic testing. This represents a significant shift toward digital assessment methods that many education systems worldwide have adopted since the pandemic.

Calculator policies vary by grade level. Students can use calculators starting from grade 8, but the ministry specifies which types are allowed based on their academic track. The rules distinguish between general, advanced, elite, and applied learning paths.

For Chemistry exams, the ministry takes different approaches depending on the student's track. Schools must print and distribute periodic tables to students in general and advanced tracks during the test. But elite track students access digital periodic tables through the Swift Assess media browser instead.

Teachers face strict restrictions during these centralized exams. They cannot read questions aloud to students, with one exception: grade 3 tests allow teachers to read questions but not explain answers. This policy aims to maintain fairness across all testing locations.

Private school students registered in grade 12 must take all their exams at government schools. This creates a unified testing environment under joint supervision between private institutions and the ministry's school operations coordinators.

The English exam for grade 12 covers both writing and reading components, reflecting the ministry's focus on comprehensive language skills. The ministry stressed that students and parents must follow all instructions and deadlines to ensure smooth testing and optimal results.

These exams affect students across four different academic tracks: general, advanced, elite, and applied programs. Each track has specific requirements and tools, but all students face the same testing timeline and digital requirements.