How to choose IGCSE subjects: a guide for families in the UAE
In short
Cambridge says students commonly take five to eight IGCSEs and Pearson six to ten; keep English and maths, pick sciences that lead to A Level, then follow interest.
- In Dubai, non-Arab students study Arabic four lessons a week up to Year 10.
- Pearson says its Single Award science is not expected to lead directly to A Level sciences.
- Cambridge’s A Level Maths assumes the Extended content of IGCSE Mathematics 0580.
IGCSE options are chosen in Year 9, for two years of study in Years 10 and 11. A student in Year 9 in 2026-27 sits the exams in June 2028. The choice looks small on the form, but it decides which A Levels stay open, which tier a student can reach, and how much of the week is already taken by subjects the UAE requires. This guide sets out what the boards, KHDA and UCAS say, so the options evening starts with the facts.
How many IGCSE subjects?
No board sets a minimum or a maximum. What they describe is the usual load:
- Cambridge says full-time students commonly take five to eight subjects, and at least five in English-medium schools.
- Pearson says students typically take six to ten International GCSEs, each about 120 guided teaching hours over the two years.
- UCAS, writing about UK GCSEs, says most students take nine or ten; more than ten "can be counterproductive", and fewer than eight leaves little room to choose later.
More is not better: each extra subject takes teaching and revision time from the others.
For the UAE's Grade 12 equivalency certificate, a KHDA document of 2018 asks UK-curriculum students for at least five GCSE or IGCSE subjects at grades A to E, with Arabic not counting, plus one A Level or two AS Levels. It is an older document, so check the current rule with the school.
What the UAE adds to the timetable
Some of the week is set before options are chosen. KHDA's mandatory-subject rules for Dubai's private schools, in force from 2025-26, give lessons a week in 40-minute units:
| Subject | Who takes it | Lessons a week | Until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arabic (first language) | Arab students | 4 from Grade 7 | Year 13 |
| Arabic (additional language) | Non-Arab students | 4 | Year 10, then optional |
| Islamic Education | Muslim students | 2 from Grade 4 | Year 13 |
| Moral, Social and Cultural Studies | Non-Arab students | 1 | Year 10, then optional |
| UAE Social Studies | Arab students | 1 | Year 10, then optional |
KHDA counts Year 10 as Grade 9, so for non-Arab students Arabic becomes optional in Year 11, the second IGCSE year. KHDA also says an IGCSE Arabic course a school offers does not replace the Ministry's Arabic for equivalency. In Sharjah, SPEA's site publishes no table of its own; the UAE's government portal says private schools must offer Islamic education, social studies and Arabic for non-Arabic speakers. Ask the school how many option blocks are left.
English and maths first
UCAS says most UK courses expect English and maths at GCSE or an equivalent, whatever the degree. Cambridge says most universities set no IGCSE grades beyond a C or above in English Language, Mathematics and, for some courses, the sciences.
English. Cambridge offers First Language English (0500, or 0990 graded 9 to 1) for students who speak English at home and at school, and English as a Second Language (0510 and 0511, or 0993 and 0991) for students who study in English but whose first language is another. Since June 2024 the second-language papers have no tiers. Cambridge says a grade C or above in English as a Second Language is accepted by a number of UK universities as evidence of English, so check each course. Pearson Edexcel offers English Language A and English Language B, which it says meet different needs: A has a non-fiction paper plus either a poetry and prose paper or coursework, and B is one three-hour exam.
Maths. Cambridge Mathematics 0580 has Core papers, graded C to G, and Extended papers, graded A* to E. Cambridge's A Level Mathematics assumes the Extended content, and its A Level Economics recommends Extended maths too. Pearson Edexcel Mathematics A has Foundation, graded 5 to 1, and Higher, graded 9 to 4 with a 3 allowed. Strong mathematicians can add Cambridge Additional Mathematics 0606 or Pearson's Further Pure Mathematics.
Sciences: separate, double or single award
This is the choice that most affects A Levels. Each board offers the sciences three ways:
| Board | Separate sciences | Double award | Single award |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge | Biology 0610, Chemistry 0620, Physics 0625 | Co-ordinated Sciences 0654 (two grades) | Combined Science 0653 (one grade) |
| Pearson Edexcel | Biology 4BI1, Chemistry 4CH1, Physics 4PH1 | Science (Double Award) 4SD0 | Science (Single Award) 4SS0 |
| OxfordAQA | Biology 9201, Chemistry 9202, Physics 9203 | Combined Science 9204 | Not offered |
Where they lead, in the boards' own words:
- Cambridge says each separate science at A* to C prepares students for AS and A Level in that science, and Co-ordinated Sciences for AS and A Level Sciences. Combined Science prepares for "a wide range" of AS and A Level courses, without naming the sciences. Cambridge's A Level Physics, Chemistry and Biology each recommend a course in that science or in Co-ordinated Sciences first.
- Pearson lists A Level Biology, Chemistry and Physics among the routes from the Double Award, and says the Single Award is "not expected to lead directly" to A Level sciences.
- OxfordAQA says Combined Science gives the knowledge needed for Level 3 study.
A student cannot sit Cambridge Physics 0625 in the same series as Combined Science or Co-ordinated Sciences, nor an OxfordAQA separate science with its Combined Science. Our subject pages for IGCSE Physics, Chemistry and Biology set out every board's papers.
Core or Extended, Foundation or Higher
Some subjects come in two tiers, and the tier caps the grade. In Cambridge's tiered subjects a Core student cannot get above a C. The Extended range differs by subject: A* to E in Mathematics 0580, but A* to G in the sciences. A student does not need the same tier in every subject. Many Cambridge subjects have one set of papers for everyone, including First Language English, English as a Second Language, Geography, History, Computer Science and ICT. Pearson's sciences are untiered, while its Mathematics A has Foundation and Higher.
The school enters each student for a tier, and mock results are part of that decision. Our guides to the IGCSE year and IGCSE grades explain when it is set and what it caps.
The other options: interest, aptitude, next steps
Cambridge offers over 70 IGCSE subjects in any combination, Pearson 37 and OxfordAQA a range of its own, though each school offers only some. UCAS's advice for choosing options comes down to five words: enjoyment, aptitude, prospects, balance and independence. Choose what the student enjoys and does well in, check what later courses need and work back from it, keep a broad mix when undecided, and don't choose because a friend did. Pearson's guidance to schools says the same: breadth across the sciences, humanities, languages and creative subjects, lined up with the school's A Level options.
For prospects, UCAS says GCSE expectations are highest for courses such as medicine and veterinary science, and that each university sets its own. For commerce, Cambridge's Business has a new code, 0264, for exams from 2027; our pages on IGCSE Business, Economics and Accounting cover each board.
Cambridge ICE: seven subjects as one award
Cambridge's International Certificate of Education is a group award for students who pass at least seven IGCSEs across five groups: two different languages, one each from humanities, sciences, mathematics and the creative and professional group, and a seventh from any group. Arabic counts as a language, as First Language or Foreign Language, and Co-ordinated Sciences counts as two subjects. It is awarded with Distinction (A or better in five subjects and C or better in two), Merit (C or better in five and F or better in two) or Pass (G or better in seven). The school must enter the student for it, so ask whether yours does.
A checklist for the options form
- Ask which board and syllabus code each option is. The code is on every past paper.
- Ask which tier the school expects in maths and the sciences.
- Keep a science route that leads to A Level sciences open, if there is any chance of wanting them.
- Choose First Language or Second Language English with the school.
- Count the option blocks left after the subjects the UAE requires.
- Check the school's sixth-form entry requirements for the A Levels the student might want.
- If the student will need a UAE equivalency certificate, check its rule: at least five subjects, plus A Level or AS.
Once the subjects are chosen, our guide to IGCSE past papers shows where each board publishes them. Families still choosing a school can start with our lists of British curriculum schools in Dubai and in Sharjah.
Frequently asked questions
How many IGCSE subjects should I take?
Cambridge says students commonly take five to eight, and Pearson six to ten. No board sets a number, and more subjects mean less time for each. Ask the school how many option blocks it offers.
Are English and maths compulsory at IGCSE?
No board makes a subject compulsory, but UCAS says most UK university courses expect GCSE English and maths or an equivalent, so treat both as core.
Is Combined Science enough for A Level sciences?
It depends on the board. Cambridge's A Level sciences recommend a course in that science or Co-ordinated Sciences, and Combined Science 0653 does not name the sciences. Pearson says its Single Award is not expected to lead directly to A Level sciences, while its Double Award lists them. Ask the sixth form what it accepts.
Can a student take Core maths and Extended science?
Yes. Cambridge says students do not need to enter for the same tier in every subject.
Does IGCSE Arabic replace Ministry Arabic in Dubai?
No. KHDA says an Arabic course from the school's own curriculum, such as an IGCSE, does not replace the Ministry's Arabic under the UAE's equivalency rules.
What is Cambridge ICE?
A group award for seven or more Cambridge IGCSEs across five subject groups, including two languages, graded Distinction, Merit or Pass. The school must enter students for it.
Career Launcher UAE offers IGCSE and GCSE tuition in maths, the sciences, business, economics, accounting and English, in Dubai and Sharjah and online, for Cambridge, Pearson Edexcel and OxfordAQA. See our IGCSE and GCSE page for every subject and code.