UAE: In significant education reform, UAE authorities have announced the immediate discontinuation of the Emirates Standardized Test (EmSAT) for university admissions, effective from Sunday.
The EmSAT, previously mandatory for Emirati grade 12 students in both public and private schools, as well as for non-Emirati students in private institutions affiliated with the Ministry of Education curriculum, will no longer be required. Instead, a revised set of admission criteria will be adopted, although specific details of the new system have yet to be released.
The UAE’s Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research confirmed the policy shift, noting that it aims to “facilitate a seamless transition to higher education” by allowing universities greater flexibility in setting their own entry requirements.
Following the approval of the Education, Human Development and Community Development Council
The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research have announced the immediate cancellation of the EmSAT exam for 12th-grade students and the… pic.twitter.com/FKOwZ5kJv2
— UAEGOV (@UAEmediaoffice) November 3, 2024
According to a statement from the UAE Government Media Office, the change was approved by the Education, Human Development, and Community Development Council and reflects a broader commitment to enhancing student access to higher education.
In 2023, initial steps towards this transition allowed universities to establish their own criteria for students from public schools. While some institutions chose to continue using EmSAT, they were given the autonomy to set minimum score requirements and consider alternatives such as ministry-approved final exams, A-levels, or the International Baccalaureate.
This latest move removes EmSAT entirely from the admissions landscape, positioning UAE universities to determine their own criteria without a mandated standardized exam.
What Was EmSAT?
Introduced in the 2017-18 academic year, EmSAT was a computer-based standardized test aimed at assessing students’ skills in subjects including English, Arabic, Mathematics, and Physics, independently of the school curriculum.
Since its inception, more than one million EmSAT exams have been conducted across UAE schools, playing a crucial role in the country’s higher education admissions until this recent policy change.
The government’s decision to remove EmSAT reflects a growing emphasis on creating a flexible education system that supports student diversity and enables universities to better align admissions standards with their individual programs and academic objectives.