Exam series dates by board
Most exam boards run the same exam series every year: Cambridge in May/June and October/November, Pearson Edexcel International in January, May/June and October or November, and the IB in May and November. Exact paper dates change, so always confirm on the official timetable for your administrative zone or board before you plan revision.
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| Curriculum | Series | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| O Level | May/June | Exams run from late April to June; results are released in mid-August.The main series for most schools and private candidates in Pakistan and the Gulf. |
| October/November | Exams run in October and November; results are released in mid-January.Often used for resits or for students who want to spread subjects over two series. | |
| A Level | Cambridge May/June | Exams run from late April to June; results are released in mid-August. |
| Cambridge October/November | Exams run in October and November; results are released in mid-January. | |
| Pearson Edexcel International A Level | Exams are offered in January, May/June and October/November series.Not every unit is available in every series; check Pearson's timetable for your subjects. | |
| UK A Levels (AQA, OCR, Pearson Edexcel) | Exams run in May and June; results are released in mid-August. | |
| IGCSE | Cambridge May/June | Exams run from late April to June; results are released in mid-August. |
| Cambridge October/November | Exams run in October and November; results are released in mid-January. | |
| Pearson Edexcel International GCSE | Exams are offered in May/June for all subjects and in November for a smaller set of subjects.Check Pearson's timetable to confirm which subjects run in November. | |
| GCSE | May/June | Exams run in May and June; results are released in late August.The main series for all GCSE subjects. |
| November resits | GCSE English Language and Mathematics can be resat in November.Resits are mainly for students aged 16 or over; other subjects are resat the following summer. | |
| IB | May session | Exams run from late April to May; results are released in early July.Taken by most schools, including those in the Gulf, Pakistan, the UK and North America. |
| November session | Exams run in November; results are released in mid-December (16 December for the 2024 and 2025 sessions).Mainly used by schools in the southern hemisphere and for some retakes. | |
| Matric (SSC) | Annual exams | Held once a year, usually in spring; results are announced in the summer.Exact dates are set by each board and vary between FBISE, the Punjab BISEs, BSEK and others. |
| Supplementary exams | Held later in the year for students improving marks or clearing failed papers.Some boards call this the second annual exam; check your board's notice for eligibility. | |
| FSc / Intermediate (HSSC) | Annual exams | Held once a year, usually in spring to early summer; results follow in the summer or early autumn.Part I (1st year) and Part II (2nd year) exams are scheduled by each board; dates vary. |
| Supplementary exams | Held later in the year for improving marks or clearing failed papers.Some boards call this the second annual exam; check your board's notice for eligibility. | |
| AP | May exams | AP exams are held over two weeks in early to mid-May; scores are released in early July.Late-testing dates may be available in limited cases; the College Board publishes the full schedule. |
| Ontario high school | Semester assessments | Courses run by semester or full year; marks come from ongoing work and final evaluations set by the school.There is no single provincial exam for Grade 12 course marks. |
| Provincial assessments | The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT), usually written in Grade 10, and the Grade 9 EQAO mathematics assessment.Passing the OSSLT, or an approved alternative, is a graduation requirement. | |
| HSC | HSC written exams | Held from mid-October to early November in Year 12; results are released in mid-December.Some courses also have practical, oral or performance exams earlier in Term 3. |
| School-based assessment | Assessment tasks run through Year 12 and contribute to each course's HSC mark. | |
| VCE | End-of-year exams | VCE written exams are held from late October to mid-November; results are released in mid-December.The General Achievement Test (GAT) and some performance or oral exams take place earlier. |
| School-Assessed Coursework | SACs run through Units 3 and 4 and contribute to each study score. | |
| University subjects | Semester exams | Exams and assessment dates are set by each university, usually at the end of each semester or term.Many courses also have mid-semester tests, problem sets and lab reports. |
Where is the O Level date sheet 2027 (the CAIE zone 4 timetable)?
Cambridge International publishes a separate timetable for each administrative zone, because papers are sat at different local times around the world. Pakistan is in Cambridge administrative zone 4, so students in Pakistan use the zone 4 timetable (often called the O Level or A Level “date sheet”) for the June and November series. Download the 2027 zone 4 timetable from Cambridge's timetables page once it is published, and check it against your Statement of Entry.
How much is the British Council O Level exam fee for 2027?
The British Council in Pakistan publishes its exam fees for private candidates in the registration guide for each series, and the amounts change from series to series, so we do not reproduce them here. Check the current guide when registration opens. Our guide to registering as a private candidate in Pakistan walks through the steps, documents and deadlines.
When are results released?
Cambridge releases June-series results in August and November-series results in January; the IB releases May-session results in early July and November-session results in mid-December. Exact dates and times are published by each board; see the table above and the official links below. Our guide to Cambridge exam and results dates for 2026–2027 sets out every confirmed date for students in Pakistan and the Gulf.
Official timetables
Results dates: common questions
When are Cambridge November 2026 results released?
Cambridge International releases November 2026 results for AS & A Level on 7 January 2027 and for IGCSE and O Level on 14 January 2027, at 06:00 GMT/UTC+1, according to its results page. Schools and the British Council pass results on to their candidates, and private candidates in Pakistan check them online through Cambridge's candidate results service.
Which Cambridge timetable zone are Pakistan and the Gulf in?
Pakistan is in Cambridge administrative zone 4, together with the UAE and Oman, while Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain are in zone 3, according to Cambridge's administrative zone lookup tool. Each zone has its own timetable, so students must use the timetable for their zone and confirm it against their Statement of Entry.
When are Pearson Edexcel International results in 2027?
Pearson's 2026–2027 key dates give students their results on 21 January 2027 for the October 2026 International A Level and November 2026 International GCSE series, 4 March 2027 for January 2027 International A Level, 12 August 2027 for June 2027 International A Level and 19 August 2027 for June 2027 International GCSE.
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