Where to register in Jeddah
- British Council Saudi Arabia registers private candidates for Cambridge and Pearson Edexcel exams through its online school-exams registration system. See its private candidates page; its offices are in Riyadh, Jeddah and Al-Khobar.
- Schools that are exam centres. In November 2026, Cambridge's Find a Cambridge school directory listed these Jeddah centres as accepting private candidates: Cedar International School, Jeddah International Academy, Madar Al Faisaliah, NASA International School, Pakistan International School Jeddah (English Section), Pakistan International School Azizyah, Royat Al Ebtikar International Schools, Sara International School, Sri Lankan International School, Stellar and Waad Academy.
- A centre listed as accepting private candidates may still not offer every subject or series, so contact it before you plan. Pearson centres are not obliged to accept private candidates at all.
Cambridge's rule everywhere: you arrange everything with your centre (entries, fees, results), not with Cambridge (Cambridge guidance).
Deadlines
| Exam board | Series | Entry deadline for centres |
|---|---|---|
| Cambridge | June 2027 | February 2027 (the June 2026 deadline was 21 February; late entries cost more) |
| Pearson Edexcel International GCSE / A Level | June 2027 | 21 March 2027 (double fees after this) |
| Pearson Edexcel International A Level | January 2027 | 16 October 2026 (closed) |
These are the boards' deadlines for centres. Centres, including the British Council, usually set their own deadlines earlier, so contact your centre one to two months before (Pearson deadlines).
Fees
The British Council in Saudi Arabia does not publish its private-candidate fees online. In general, the centre pays the exam board and passes that fee on to you, and may add a supervision or administration fee. Ask each centre for the full cost per subject before you register.
Which subjects can you take?
- Syllabuses or options with coursework are usually not available to private candidates, because a centre can't authenticate work done elsewhere.
- In the sciences, choose between the practical test (for example IGCSE Physics Paper 5) and the written Alternative to Practical (Paper 6). Many private candidates take Paper 6; ask your centre which it can run.
- Speaking components, for example in English as a Second Language, depend on the centre: check before you enter.
- Choose Core or Extended carefully: Core papers cap the grade at C.
Exam day and results
- Take ID to every exam, such as your passport or Iqama.
- The British Council sends a confirmation letter with your venue about three weeks before the exams.
- Saudi Arabia is in Cambridge administrative Zone 3: use the Zone 3 timetable. See the June 2027 timetable.
- Results and certificates come through your centre. For Saudi universities, see certificate equivalency.
Common mistakes
- Missing the centre's deadline, which is earlier than the board's.
- Entering the wrong option, such as Core instead of Extended, or Paper 5 instead of Paper 6.
- Using another zone's timetable.
- A name on the entry that doesn't match your passport or Iqama: it prints on the certificate.
- Entering the same syllabus at two centres in the same series, which isn't allowed.
Preparing without a school
Private candidates need structure: the full syllabus, past papers and someone to mark them. Astra Academy teaches IGCSE, O Level and A Level Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Accounting, Business and Economics in person in Al-Rehab, Jeddah, and can help you choose your options. See IGCSE subjects in Saudi Arabia.