Updated 29 October 2026

Year 9 options: how many GCSEs and IGCSEs to take

In Year 9 your child chooses the subjects they will study to GCSE or IGCSE in Years 10 and 11. Here is how it usually works at a British-curriculum school in the UAE, and the local rules to plan around.

Most students take 8 to 10 subjects: a fixed core of English, maths and usually science, plus options chosen in Year 9.

In the UAE, plan around two extra rules: schools must also offer Arabic and Islamic Education, and the Ministry's equivalency certificate needs five GCSE/IGCSE passes, not counting Arabic or Islamic Studies.

How options work

GCSEs and IGCSEs are usually taught over two years, in Years 10 and 11, with most exams at the end of Year 11. In Year 9 the school publishes an options booklet. Your child keeps the compulsory core and picks one subject from each of several 'option blocks'. The blocks are built around the timetable, which is why some combinations are not possible.

One real example

GEMS Founders School Al Barsha in Dubai published this structure for 2024 to 2026:

Part	Subjects
Compulsory IGCSEs	Maths (Foundation or Higher), English Language or English as a Second Language, English Literature
Compulsory, not IGCSE	Islamic Studies (Muslim students) or Prep (non-Muslim students), Moral, Social and Cultural Studies, Physical Activity and Wellbeing, Ministry Arabic in Year 10 for non-Arab students
Options	One subject from each of 5 option blocks, including one of three science routes
Science routes	Triple science (three IGCSEs), one or two single sciences, or BTEC Applied Science

That gives eight GCSE, IGCSE or BTEC subjects. Other schools differ, so use your own school's booklet.

How many subjects?

OxfordAQA says students in England usually take 8 to 10 subjects at GCSE. More is not automatically better: universities look closely at the grades, especially in English and maths, rather than the number. For example, UCL requires GCSE or equivalent passes in English Language and maths at grade 4 or C for all its undergraduate programmes (2026-27), and some programmes ask for higher grades or extra subjects.

If your child is aiming for a competitive university course, check that course's GCSE requirements before Year 9 options, not after. For what the grades mean, see GCSE and IGCSE grades explained.

UAE rules that affect options

Arabic and Islamic Education

UAE private schools must offer Islamic Education, social studies and Arabic as part of their core programme, whatever their curriculum. How this appears on the timetable varies: some schools offer an IGCSE in Arabic, others teach Ministry of Education Arabic that is not an IGCSE. At GEMS Founders School Al Barsha, IGCSE Arabic is optional for all students.

The equivalency certificate, five years ahead

If your child might go to university in the UAE, the Ministry of Education's equivalency certificate needs:

five approved GCSE/IGCSE subjects at grade E or 3 or above (Arabic and Islamic Studies do not count),
one A level or two AS levels at grade E or above, and
Arabic (for students of Arab nationality) and Islamic Studies (for Muslim students) taken in the last three years of school, which for a British-curriculum student means Years 11, 12 and 13.

The five passes are easy for most students to reach, but the Arabic and Islamic Studies rule can catch out families who drop a subject early. If your child chooses a BTEC route, the Ministry treats a BTEC Level 3 Diploma as a vocational certificate; GEMS Founders School Al Barsha asks families choosing BTEC Applied Science to read the equivalency rules first.

How to help your child choose

Start from enjoyment and strengths. Two years is a long time to study a subject your child dislikes.
Look one step ahead. Check which GCSE/IGCSE grades the sixth form needs for the A level subjects your child might want. See A levels explained.
Keep doors open. Unless your child is sure of their direction, a broad mix leaves more sixth-form and university choices open.
Ask about tiers. In maths and science, the tier your child is entered for caps the top grade (for example, Foundation GCSE maths stops at grade 5).
Use school data carefully. Many UAE British schools use CAT4, and GL Assessment says teachers can use its indicators to inform subject choices. Treat them as one input, not a verdict. See CAT4 scores explained.

Unsure whether your school offers GCSE or IGCSE in a subject? See IGCSE vs GCSE.

Questions parents ask

How many GCSEs or IGCSEs do students take?

OxfordAQA says students in England usually take 8 to 10 subjects at GCSE. British-curriculum schools in the UAE are similar but each sets its own number. GEMS Founders School Al Barsha in Dubai, for example, has three compulsory IGCSEs (maths, English Language or English as a Second Language, and English Literature) plus five option blocks.

How many GCSEs do you need for university?

Universities rarely ask for a set number. They look closely at English and maths: UCL requires at least a grade 4 or C in both for every undergraduate programme, and some courses ask for more. The UAE equivalency certificate, needed for UAE universities, asks for five GCSE/IGCSE passes at grade 3 or E or above, plus AS or A level passes.

When do Year 9 options happen?

Usually in the spring term of Year 9, for courses that start in Year 10 and finish with exams at the end of Year 11. GEMS Founders School Al Barsha, for example, opened its option forms in February with a March deadline. Your school will send its own options booklet and dates.

Is Arabic compulsory for IGCSE students in the UAE?

UAE private schools must offer Arabic and Islamic Education as core subjects, but that does not always mean an IGCSE in Arabic. At GEMS Founders School Al Barsha, for example, IGCSE Arabic is optional and non-Arab students take Ministry of Education Arabic in Year 10. For the equivalency certificate, the Ministry says Arab students must have taken Arabic, and Muslim students Islamic Studies, in their last three years of school.

Should my child take triple science or combined science?

Each sixth form sets its own entry rules for A level sciences. Check the entry grades in your school's sixth-form booklet before choosing, especially if your child is thinking about medicine, engineering or another science-heavy course.

Can my child change options after Year 9?

It depends on the school, the timetable and space in the new class, so ask early. GEMS Founders School Al Barsha, for example, notes that subjects are removed from the choices once full, so returning the options form on time matters.

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