The return of SAT exams is spurring demand for int’l schools: With SAT exams returning after a four-year break, parents are increasingly moving their children — especially those in grades 10 and 11 — to international schools that offer the test, education industry insiders told EnterpriseAM.

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SATs? The SAT — or the Scholastic Assessment Test — is an important part of the undergraduate admissions process to American universities for both prospective students inside and outside the US. SAT scores — which assess reading and writing, alongside math — are evaluated, along with coursework, GPA, letters of recommendation, and other components depending on the college.

SAT exams officially resumed in June, after the tests in Egypt were scrapped in September 2020 due to “persistent test security incidents,” according tononprofit organization College Board, which develops and administers them. Now the tests are back in a new digital format that is harder to hack, leak, or manipulate, a government source told us. The Education Ministry oversaw several trial runs before approving their return.

The US Embassy in Egypt announced in May that the exams would be returning after the Education Ministry reached an agreement with College Board. The development came amid ongoing efforts to reinstate the SAT as part of Egypt’s drive to internationalize its education system.

Testing in August has just wrapped up, with further testing periods planned for September and October to accommodate demand. The SAT’s return could help restore the reputation of the American diploma in Egypt, Omran Smart Language Schools Chairman Saber Omran told EnterpriseAM.

The SAT is now administered through the College Board’s Bluebook platform. It cannot be easily downloaded via regular PDF software, is user-friendly, and comes with stricter penalties for misconduct — including cancellation of scores and potential permanent bans from future exams if any test material is copied or shared via email.

The move has led to international schools’ admissions departments seeing an uptick of interest for student transfers, one of our education industry sources told us. The difficulty of the Thanaweya Amma system also contributed to the increase in transfers, chatshow education pundit Tamer Shawky told EnterpriseAM. But many parents have also decided to remain with Egypt’s EST program — seen as easier in terms of English language requirements and thus a better fit for students with above-average, but not fluent, English.

Alongside SATs, the British General Certificate of Education (GCE) has also become increasingly popular among Egyptian students due to its externally marked standardized exams and strong curricula, we were told.

The return of the American diploma will not eliminate the EST or ACT, a government source told EnterpriseAM, as students aiming for international education will be allowed to choose among them. The EST was introduced in 2020 to replace the SAT, serving around 60k students in American diploma programs to facilitate university admissions in Egypt. For students using the EST who wish to continue their studies abroad, certain obstacles need to be removed, Omran told EnterpriseAM.

Investors could be just as interested as students’ parents. The ministry’s decision to expand international certification options could make the market more attractive to a diverse set of investors amid rising demand for international education, one industry insider told EnterpriseAM. Restoring the SAT could help revive the reputation of the American diploma in Egypt, Omran told us.

Our sources agreed that Egypt’s pre-university education system is undergoing a comprehensive overhaul to boost its quality, international recognition, and investment appeal. The SAT’s return is likely to encourage investors to expand American diploma programs and unlock new investment after years of stagnation in the sector from both local and foreign players.

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