Pearson Edexcel examination start times

Middle East & South Asia

This document applies to examinations in:

• International Advanced Level (IAL)

• International GCSE
• International GCSE (R-paper) –see Appendix A of this document for further details
• GCSE
• GCE A Level

Essential information
This document details the start times for exams, in the local time of each time zone.

The exam start times will vary by an hour between the winter and summer exam series.

Timings for each series are set out in the tables below, with a separate table for each of
the November, January, May/June and October exam series.

To allow some flexibility, centres can start examinations by up to 30 minutes earlier or

later than the published time below without the need to contact us. For examinations
started 30 minutes early, students must still stay under centre supervision until at least
one hour after the start time listed below.

Permission must be requested in advance if a centre wishes to vary the start time of
exams in excess of 30 minutes. This request must be emailed to
uk.special.requirements@pearson.com with the message title, ‘Request for variation to
exam start time’.

Document last updated – March 2022

November exams - Time zones GMT +4 / +6
The designation AM or PM relates to the session the exam is assigned on the Pearson
Edexcel Examination Timetables, which can be found at
http://qualifications.pearson.com/en/support/support-topics/exams/exam-
timetables.html#tab-Internationalcentres

Time zones Local start time for examinations

GCSE (AM) GCSE (PM)

GMT + 4
e.g. 13.00 17.30
UAE; Mauritius
GMT +5
e.g.
Pakistan; 14.00 18.30
Maldives;

GMT +5.5
e.g.
14.30 19.00
India;
Sri Lanka
GMT + 6
e.g. 15.00 19.30
Bangladesh

Document last updated – March 2022

January exams - Time zones GMT +4 / +6
The designation AM or PM relates to the session the exam is assigned on the Pearson
Edexcel Examination Timetables, which can be found at
http://qualifications.pearson.com/en/support/support-topics/exams/exam-
timetables.html#tab-Internationalcentres

Time zones Local start time for examinations

IAL (AM) IAL (PM) International International

GCSE (AM) GCSE (PM)
International International
GCSE R-paper GCSE R-
(AM) paper (PM)

GMT +4
e.g.
10.00 13.00 13.00 17.30
UAE;
Mauritius
GMT +5
e.g.
Pakistan; 11.00 14.00 14.00 18.30
Maldives;

GMT +5.5
e.g.
11.30 14.30 14.30 19.00
India;
Sri Lanka
GMT +6
e.g. 12.00 15.00 15.00 19.30
Bangladesh

Document last updated – March 2022

May/June examinations - Time zones GMT +4 / +6
The designation AM or PM relates to the session the exam is assigned on the Pearson
Edexcel Examination Timetables, which can be found at
http://qualifications.pearson.com/en/support/support-topics/exams/exam-
timetables.html#tab-Internationalcentres

Time zones Local start times for examinations

GCE A level
GCE A level
IAL (AM) IAL (PM) (PM)
(AM)
International International GCSE (PM)
GCSE (AM)
GCSE R-paper GCSE R-paper
(AM) (PM) International
International
GCSE (PM)
GCSE (AM)
GMT +4
e.g.
9.00 12.00 12.00 16.30
UAE;
Mauritius
GMT +5
e.g.
10.00 13.00 13.00 17.30
Pakistan;
Maldives
GMT +5.5
e.g.
10.30 13.30 13.30 18.00
India;
Sri Lanka
GMT +6
e.g. 11.00 14.00 14.00 18.30
Bangladesh

Document last updated – March 2022

October examinations - Time zones GMT +4 / +6
The designation AM or PM relates to the session the exam is assigned on the Pearson
Edexcel Examination Timetables, which can be found at
http://qualifications.pearson.com/en/support/support-topics/exams/exam-
timetables.html#tab-Internationalcentres

Time zones Local start times for examinations

IAL (AM) IAL (PM)

GMT +4
e.g. 9.00 12.00
UAE; Mauritius
GMT +5
e.g.
10.00 13.00
Pakistan;
Maldives
GMT +5.5
e.g.
10.30 13.30
India;
Sri Lanka
GMT +6
e.g. 11.00 14.00
Bangladesh

Document last updated – March 2022

Appendix A - International GCSE exam papers

For the majority of International GCSE subjects we have two versions of the exam
paper for use around the world. This allows more candidates across the world to sit
the exams earlier in the day rather than late into the evening. Where two papers
exist for an exam, one of them is referred to as the R (regional) paper, and the
exam start timings for these papers are detailed in the tables above. Customers
whose centres are based in specified countries will use the R-paper entry codes
when entering their candidates, where applicable (for example, 4BI1 R).

The R-paper versions are used in the following countries:

Australia, Azerbaijan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia,

Japan, Korea, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Oman,
Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Vietnam.

There are some subjects for which only one version of the exam is available, and
therefore no R-paper exists:

Arabic; Art & Design; Bangla; Bangladesh Studies; Computer Science; Greek;
Islamic Studies; Pakistan Studies; Religious Studies; Science (Single Award);
Sinhala; Swahili; Tamil.

For these subjects the exam start times must be slightly later in the day, as
detailed in the tables above.

Document last updated – March 2022