Online School for Pakistani Families in the Gulf: A Practical Guide

By Alfred Ouko, Founder · October 2026 · 9 min read

Many Pakistani families in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain already know the British route well, because O Level and A Level are long established in Pakistan. Others follow the Pakistani national curriculum through schools affiliated to the Federal Board. When families look at online school, their questions are usually about equivalence: will the results count back home, and what does IBCC need? This guide covers those questions carefully and points to the official bodies.

Two familiar routes

The first route is the Pakistani national curriculum, with SSC and HSSC exams, offered in the Gulf through schools affiliated to the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, FBISE, fbise.edu.pk. The second is the British route: Cambridge O Level or IGCSE, then AS and A Level, or the Pearson Edexcel equivalents. Smartious teaches the British route live on Gulf time, along with IB and American programmes. We do not teach the FBISE curriculum.

IGCSE or O Level?

In Pakistan, Cambridge O Level is the familiar name; internationally, IGCSE is more common. Both are taken at about 16 and lead to AS and A Level. For a student in the Gulf, the practical difference is which syllabuses and exam series the local centre offers to private candidates. Students sit Cambridge and Pearson Edexcel exams as private candidates at authorised centres such as the British Council in their country.

IBCC equivalence

If your child may study in Pakistan, their British curriculum results will usually need an equivalence certificate from the Inter Board Committee of Chairmen, IBCC, ibcc.edu.pk. IBCC converts O Level or IGCSE and A Level grades into Pakistani marks using its published tables, and issues separate equivalence for each level. IBCC sets subject requirements, and these have differed for students who sat exams abroad and those who sat them in Pakistan, including rules on Urdu, Islamiyat and Pakistan Studies. Read the current rules on the IBCC website before choosing subjects, because subject choices made at 14 decide what is possible at 18.

University entry in Pakistan

Pakistani universities, and professional admissions such as medicine and engineering, set their own requirements on top of IBCC equivalence, often including entrance tests. Check each university and the relevant admission authority for current rules, including required A Level subjects and minimum grades, and how they treat predicted grades and results gained as a private candidate.

Universities in the Gulf and abroad

If your child may stay in the Gulf, check the country’s equivalency rules for British qualifications, such as those of the UAE Ministry of Education or the Saudi Ministry of Education. For universities in the UK and elsewhere, A Levels are the main entry qualification. Planning for more than one destination is common, and the British route keeps those options open if subjects are chosen carefully.

Languages and faith

Many families want their children to keep Urdu and, for some, to study Islamiyat. Cambridge offers Urdu and Islamiyat syllabuses at O Level, and some Gulf countries have their own Arabic and Islamic studies requirements for certain students. If these matter for equivalence or for your family, raise them at the placement stage so we can plan subjects and timetables accordingly.

Timetables and fees

Lessons run on Gulf time: Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain share East Africa Time with our teachers, and the UAE and Oman are one hour ahead. Fees start from USD 423 a month for Primary, payable termly, and vary by curriculum and level. One-to-one tuition is USD 15 an hour. Fees are non-refundable once the assessment is done, the timetable has been created and lessons have started. In riyals, USD 423 is about SAR 1,586 at the pegged SAR 3.75 rate, and in dirhams about AED 1,553 at AED 3.6725 (approximate, October 2026).

A planning checklist

List the countries and universities your child may apply to. Note their requirements, including IBCC rules for Pakistan and ministry equivalency in the Gulf. Choose O Level or IGCSE subjects that satisfy all of them, with English and mathematics as a minimum and the sciences if medicine or engineering are possible. Register for exams on time. Keep every certificate and statement of results; IBCC has stated that statements of results are accepted only for a limited period before original certificates are needed. Review the plan each year.

Exam day in the Gulf

Private candidates sit exams at the centre’s venue, which may be some distance from home. Arrive early with your child’s passport or residence ID and statement of entry, and check the rules on calculators, stationery and water. In the May/June series, plan for summer heat and traffic.

The British route is familiar ground for many Pakistani families; the key is planning subjects with IBCC and Gulf equivalency rules in mind. Check the official requirements early and keep every document. To plan your child’s route, message admissions on WhatsApp at +254 745 021 212.

Frequently asked questions

Do you teach O Level?

We teach Cambridge IGCSE and Pearson Edexcel International GCSE, leading to AS and A Level. Ask us about specific O Level syllabuses.

Will my child need IBCC equivalence?

Usually, for study in Pakistan. Check current rules on ibcc.edu.pk, including subject requirements for students who sat exams abroad.

Do you teach the FBISE curriculum?

No. Families wanting FBISE usually choose an affiliated school.

What are fees in SAR?

From USD 423 a month for Primary, about SAR 1,586 (approximate, October 2026), payable termly.

Next steps

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