The UAE has announced major changes to educational streams for students in public and private schools in the country.
The changes will impact the subjects studied by pupils in the country and impact the options for students planning to pursue education at university level.
The Ministry of Education (MoE) announced the update to the educational streams (general and advanced) for Cycle 3 students in public schools and private schools that follow the Ministry’s curriculum, starting from the academic year 2025–2026.
UAE education changes
This latest update follows the conclusion of in-depth field surveys of subject matter specialists in the educational field and parents, highlighting student trends from recent years.
The update was announced during a media briefing at MoE’s headquarters in Abu Dhabi in the presence of Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of Education and Mohammed Al-Qasim, Undersecretary of MoE, other Ministry officials.
MoE explained that it has redesigned the educational streams to align with students’ future aspirations, support their higher education journeys, and enhance their ability to keep pace with the evolving labour market.
The UAE Ministry ensured that curriculum alignment was a key component of the updates, with foundational scientific subjects taught to students in the general stream to help refine their skills and hone their talents.
Meanwhile, the advanced stream will focus on more in-depth scientific subjects to prepare students for science-related university majors.
MoE confirmed that these updates will not affect the academic plans of current Grade 11 and Grade 12 students.
Furthermore, it was announced that Grade 12 students in the general stream may replace physics with one of the alternative subjects outlined in the Ministry’s recently issued guidance manual.
MoE also emphasised the importance of Grade 8 students choosing their stream in line with their university aspirations, as it has set a mechanism and conditions for registration in the advanced stream.
According to the new structure, the advanced stream will prepare students for university studies in fields such as:
- Sciences
- Engineering
- Medicine
- Pharmacy
Meanwhile, the general stream will guide students towards specialisations such as:
- Humanities and literature
- Business administration
- Law
- Arts
- Social sciences
- Police sciences
The Ministry also revealed that these updates were introduced following consultations and coordination with several higher education institutions (HEIs) across the UAE with the aim of ensuring a seamless transition for students from general education to university and ultimately to the labour market.
As part of this effort, the MoE has issued a set of guidelines and directives within the academic framework for the education sector in the UAE.
These are designed to support educators in providing students with a more comprehensive understanding of how to build their academic plans and choose pathways that match their career ambitions.
The updates also ensure that the educational streams are in line with the admission criteria of HEIs.
Additionally, a detailed guide has been published for students and parents, explaining the updates while emphasising the important role of school counsellors in offering guidance and support throughout the students’ academic journey in the UAE.
