The 99 students in the Class of 2026, the school’s largest graduating class in its history, are now studying subjects from medicine and engineering to business and international affairs.
Twelve graduates have chosen to stay in Qatar, at the Education City campuses of Georgetown University, Northwestern University, Carnegie Mellon University and Virginia Commonwealth University, and at Hamad Bin Khalifa University. Others have moved to the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, Greece and Malta to begin their degrees.
In the United Kingdom, six graduates are now studying at Russell Group universities: two each at the University of Manchester and the University of Leeds, and one each at Durham University and Queen Mary University of London.
Behind each of these destinations are years of steady work, careful subject choices, and many drafts of personal statements. Business and economics is the most popular field of study this year, chosen by 17 graduates, followed by engineering and computing with 11.
Highlights from where the Class of 2026 is studying now include:
- Graduates now studying at three universities in the QS World Top 100: the University of Manchester (35th), the University of Leeds (86th) and Durham University (94th)
- One graduate is now training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, where the British Army trains its officers
- Three graduates are studying medicine at Queen Mary University of London’s Malta campus, the University of Thessaly in Greece, and UMCH in Hamburg, Germany
- One graduate now studying at Manhattan University in New York on an athletic scholarship
- Two graduates studying business in Madrid, at IE University and Universidad Europea
Every one of these choices was made from a wide field. Earlier this year, the Class of 2026 received offers from universities in 26 countries before deciding where to study.
Credit also goes to the school’s teachers, IB and American Diploma coordinators, and examinations staff for their work with this year’s graduates. In particular, the school would like to recognize Dr. Olena Jackson, High School Counselor, and Mr. Michael Elston, Middle & High School Principal. Through the University and College Counseling Program, every student works one-on-one with a counselor on university research, course choices, personal statements, applications, and interview preparation, so that each graduate can follow the path that suits them.
Dr Olena Jackson, High School Counselor at ACS Doha, added:
“What I’m proudest of is how individual these choices are. One graduate is now training at Sandhurst, another is studying medicine in Greece, another is studying engineering in the Netherlands, and twelve have chosen to stay right here in Qatar. We start university conversations early and keep them personal, because the right university looks different for every student. Seeing them settle into the places they chose is the best reward for that work.”
ACS Doha offers two pathways to graduation: the IB Diploma Program and the American High School Diploma. This year the school recorded 29 IB Diploma recipients, the highest number in its history. At the same time, more than 40 members of the Class of 2026 graduated with an American High School Diploma or through a blended pathway. Graduates from all two routes are now studying at competitive universities around the world.
The cohort’s diversity makes the result even more remarkable. The 99 graduates of the Class of 2026 represent 32 nationalities, and they are now studying in 18 countries.
Dr Robert Jackson, Head of School, added:
“We are immensely proud of the Class of 2026. Our graduates are now studying everything from medicine in Malta to engineering in the Netherlands, and business in Madrid, and that range speaks to each student’s individual ambitions and the strength of the education they received at ACS Doha. As they settle into this next chapter, we are confident they will carry with them the curiosity, character and steadfastness which defined their time with us.”
ACS Doha opened its doors in 2011, and the Class of 2026 is the school’s 11th and largest graduating class to go on to universities and higher education institutions around the world. The Class of 2026’s university destinations reflect ACS Doha’s commitment to developing effective learners, confident individuals, and caring contributors. Whether they followed the IB Diploma, the American High School Diploma, or a blended pathway, graduates leave with the qualifications and confidence to succeed at universities worldwide. ACS Doha looks forward to following their progress as members of the school’s growing global alum community.