IGCSE Requirements for Jordanian Universities (2026): Subjects, Percentages & Pathways

You can absolutely get into a Jordanian university with IGCSE and A-Levels — thousands of students do it every year. But the requirements are specific, they differ by major, and the students who get burned are almost always the ones who discovered a rule after choosing their subjects. Here's the complete requirements picture for 2026: the subjects, the percentages each major demands, and how to plan your IGCSE choices backwards from the degree you want.

The baseline: what every Jordanian university needs from you

Jordanian universities don't read IGCSE certificates directly — they admit on a Tawjihi-equivalent percentage issued by the Ministry of Higher Education. To qualify for that equivalency, the standard package is:

Each grade converts to a number (roughly A* ≈ 98–100, A ≈ 95, B ≈ 85, C ≈ 75, D ≈ 65, E ≈ 55) and your equivalency is the average of the 8. The full conversion mechanics — including the calculator — are in our Tawjihi equivalency guide, or jump straight to the free equivalency calculator.

Minimum percentages by major

Jordan sets minimum admission averages by field. The competitive majors are exactly the ones you'd guess:

Choose subjects backwards from the major

The average gets you eligible — the subject mix gets you admitted. Faculties expect the A-Levels (and often the supporting IGCSEs) to match the degree:

• Arabic: required for Arab students in the equivalency package — plan it into your 6 from the start rather than scrambling later.
• Tiers matter: sit sciences and Maths at the Extended tier — Core caps your grade at C (~75), which quietly caps your average too.
• No double-counting: the same subject generally can't count at both IGCSE and A-Level — your 8 must be 8 distinct entries.

The plan, if you're serious about a competitive major

1. Decide the target major early — by Year 10
   The subject table above becomes your IGCSE selection list. Changing direction after entries is expensive in time and JOD.
2. Build the 8-subject package deliberately
   6 IGCSEs including Arabic (if required for you), Maths and English; 2 A-Levels matched to the faculty. Verify the Ministry's current subject rules for your major.
3. Treat every subject as load-bearing
   The average forgives nothing: one C (~75) among seven A's pulls a 95+ average below the medicine bar. There are no throwaway subjects in an 8-subject average.
4. Track your projected average each term
   Run your grades through the equivalency calculator and compare against your major's bar — while there's still time to fix a weak subject or resit it as a private candidate.
5. Confirm official requirements twice
   Once when choosing subjects, and again in your final year — with the Ministry and the university's admissions office. Rules move; screenshots of last year's table don't count.

FAQ

Getting into a Jordanian university with IGCSE isn't harder than Tawjihi — it's just less forgiving of poor planning. Pick the major early, build the 8 subjects around it, protect the average like it's the admission itself (it is), and verify the official rules at every step. Do that, and the equivalency stops being an obstacle and becomes your competitive edge.