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EMSAT Exam: Current Status, Subjects and What Replaced It

The EMSAT exam is no longer a requirement for Grade 12 students applying to UAE universities: on 3 November 2024 the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research announced the immediate cancellation of EmSAT for Grade 12 admission, and each university now sets its own entry criteria. Some universities still list EmSAT scores as one accepted option alongside IELTS, TOEFL and SAT.

This page explains what EmSAT was, exactly what changed and when, what universities ask for instead, and what the old subjects, scores and fees looked like for anyone holding an older result. We checked the official announcements and university admission pages in October 2026.

Current status (Oct 2026)
Cancelled as a Grade 12 university entry requirement, announced 3 November 2024 (MoE and MOHESR)
Before that
Optional for university admission from September 2023 (MoE, February 2023)
Who sets entry rules now
Each university, by programme
Still accepted by some
Khalifa University 2025-2026 catalogue lists EmSAT English 1400 and Math 1250 as options
Last published fee
AED 309 for four core Grade 12 subjects, AED 105 per extra or repeat test (The National, Feb 2023)
Launched
2017, replacing CEPA at government universities

What is the EMSAT exam?

The Emirates Standardized Test (EmSAT) is a national, computer-based test system launched by the UAE Ministry of Education in 2017. According to the ministry's launch announcement, it covered grades 1, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12, and at Grade 12 it replaced CEPA as the admission test for government universities. Private universities could accept the EmSAT English result as an alternative to IELTS or TOEFL.

For Grade 12 students the core EmSAT subjects were English, Arabic, Mathematics and Physics, with optional tests in Biology, Chemistry and Computer Science. Scores were reported on a scale, and universities set their own minimum scores for each programme.

Current status of the EMSAT exam in the UAE (October 2026)

There have been two official changes. Read them in order:

  1. 2 February 2023: the Ministry of Education announced that EmSAT would no longer be mandatory for university admission from the start of the 2023-2024 academic year. Universities could keep using EmSAT with their own minimum scores or accept other tests such as A levels and the IB (The National).
  2. 3 November 2024: the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research announced the immediate cancellation of EmSAT for Grade 12 students as an entry requirement for higher education (WAM, Gulf News, Aletihad). Universities were given more flexibility to set criteria by specialisation.

As of 15 October 2026 we found no later federal announcement reintroducing EmSAT for university admission or naming a single national replacement test.

We could not open the official EmSAT portal (emsat.moe.gov.ae) when checking in October 2026, so we cannot confirm whether the ministry still schedules sittings for other purposes. If an employer, scholarship or programme asks you for an EmSAT score, ask them to confirm in writing that the test is still offered and how to book it.

What replaced EMSAT for university admission?

No single test replaced it. Under the November 2024 decision, as reported by Gulf News and Aletihad:

  • Each university sets its own entry requirements for each programme.
  • For medicine and engineering, grades in the relevant science subjects carry more weight than the overall Grade 12 percentage.
  • Students who miss the English or subject requirement can be admitted into remedial or bridging courses.
  • For private school certificate equivalency, most curricula are unaffected. Students on the American curriculum still need alternatives such as the SAT (Mathematics) and TOEFL (English). Private schools must provide records from the last three years of study.

In practice, most universities now ask for your school grades plus an English test such as IELTS or TOEFL, and some add their own placement or entrance tests. Khaleej Times reported in November 2024 that RIT Dubai uses its own placement tests in Physics, Math and English alongside IELTS or TOEFL, and that Gulf Medical University uses Grade 12 marks, its own admission test and science-subject requirements.

Universities that still list EMSAT scores

Some institutions kept EmSAT as one accepted option. Always read the current year's admissions page, because these lists change.

UniversityHow EmSAT appearsOther accepted optionsSource checked
Khalifa University, Abu DhabiEmSAT English 1400; EmSAT Math 1250; EmSAT Physics, Chemistry or Biology 1000IELTS 6.0, TOEFL iBT 79; SAT Math 625, AP, A level, IB2025-2026 undergraduate catalogue
American University of SharjahEmSAT English Achieve 1725 listed for the Chancellor's ScholarshipIELTS 7.0 or TOEFL iBT 94Scholarships page, fall 2026 cycle
UAE University, Al AinNot listed on the international admissions pageIELTS Academic 5.5, TOEFL iBT 70, 90% in MOE Grade 12 EnglishInternational admissions page, October 2026
If you already hold an EmSAT score, check whether your target university still accepts it and how old a score may be. If it does not, IELTS Academic or TOEFL iBT are the safest English tests to plan for. See English and IELTS courses in Dubai.

EMSAT exam subjects and score scale (for older results)

If you are reading an older EmSAT report, these were the Grade 12 tests:

TestTypeTypical use
EmSAT EnglishCoreEnglish proficiency for admission, alternative to IELTS/TOEFL at some universities
EmSAT ArabicCoreArabic proficiency, programme-specific
EmSAT MathematicsCorePlacement into science, engineering and business programmes
EmSAT PhysicsCoreEngineering and science programmes
EmSAT Biology, Chemistry, Computer ScienceOptionalMedicine, health sciences and computing programmes

Score thresholds were never national: each university set its own. Khalifa University's 2025-2026 figures above (English 1400, Math 1250, sciences 1000) show the kind of levels that were used.

EMSAT exam price, registration and dates

Price: the last fee we could verify was reported by The National in February 2023: AED 309 for registration in the four core Grade 12 subjects, plus AED 105 for each repeated subject or extra test in Biology, Chemistry or Computer Science (The National, Feb 2023). Emiratis and sons of Emirati women were exempt from core registration fees.

Registration and login: registration was handled through the Ministry of Education's EmSAT portal. Because the Grade 12 requirement was cancelled in November 2024, we have not found 2025 or 2026 Grade 12 test dates, and we could not confirm current registration status on the portal.

Dates: searches for "EMSAT exam dates 2026" usually surface old timetables. We found no official 2026 Grade 12 EmSAT timetable.

EMSAT practice and preparation: is it still worth it?

For most students in 2026, preparing for EmSAT is not the best use of time unless a specific university or scholarship you are targeting names it. A better plan:

  • English: prepare for IELTS Academic or TOEFL iBT, which UAE University, Khalifa University and AUS all list.
  • Maths: if you apply to engineering or science, check whether the university wants SAT Math, A level or IB maths grades, or its own placement test.
  • Medicine: focus on science-subject grades, which the November 2024 decision said would carry more weight. Some medical colleges run their own admission tests. See medical universities in UAE.

The Ministry of Education used to publish EmSAT sample papers on its portal. If you need EmSAT English sample practice for an institution that still accepts it, ask that institution which practice materials it recommends.

What Grade 12 students should do now

  1. Shortlist programmes and open each university's current admissions page for your curriculum (MOE, British, American, IB, CBSE).
  2. Note the minimum school average and required subjects. For example, UAE University asks for 90% for medicine, engineering and science colleges and 85% for business, law and humanities.
  3. Note which English tests are accepted and the score. Book IELTS or TOEFL early if needed.
  4. Check if the programme has its own entrance test or interview (Khalifa University, for example, runs entrance tests and a video interview).
  5. If you are on the American curriculum in a private school, plan for the SAT and TOEFL, which the ministry named as equivalency alternatives.
  6. For scholarships, check whether the award uses a specific test score. See UAE scholarships.

Questions and answers

Is EMSAT still required for university admission in the UAE?

No. The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research cancelled EmSAT as a Grade 12 entry requirement on 3 November 2024, with immediate effect. Each university now sets its own criteria.

Do any universities still accept EMSAT scores?

Some do as one option. Khalifa University's 2025-2026 catalogue lists EmSAT English 1400 and Math 1250, and AUS lists EmSAT English Achieve 1725 for its Chancellor's Scholarship.

What is the EMSAT exam price?

The last verified fee, reported in February 2023, was AED 309 for the four core Grade 12 subjects and AED 105 for each extra or repeated test (The National, Feb 2023). We found no current official fee for 2026.

What are the EMSAT exam dates for 2026?

We found no official 2026 Grade 12 EmSAT timetable after the November 2024 cancellation. Check directly with the Ministry of Education if an institution asks you for a new score.

Which test should I take instead of EMSAT English?

IELTS Academic or TOEFL iBT are accepted by most UAE universities. Check the minimum band or score on each university's admissions page.

What were the EMSAT exam subjects?

Grade 12 core subjects were English, Arabic, Mathematics and Physics, with optional Biology, Chemistry and Computer Science tests.

Sources

Last checked: 15 October 2026