The Level of Exam Anxiety Among Academically Outstanding Students from Their Own Perspective: A Field Study in Higher Education

Background/purpose. Exam anxiety can affect performance and well-being, especially among academically outstanding undergraduates. This study estimated the level of exam anxiety in two UAE universities (Ajman and Fujairah) and examined differences by gender, academic year, major, and institution. Methods. A cross-sectional descriptive–analytical survey was conducted with 140 outstanding students from the Colleges of Arts and Engineering (second- and fourth-year). A validated 42-item exam-anxiety scale was administered. Assumptions for parametric testing were checked (Shapiro–Wilk for normality; Levene’s test for homogeneity). Group differences were analyzed using independent-samples t-tests. Results. The overall level of exam anxiety was moderate (mean per item = 2.28). The psychological pressure of the exam dimension ranked highest, followed by psychological conflict, fear of facing the exam, and psychological/physiological symptoms. Females scored higher than males; second-year students scored higher than fourth-year students; and engineering students scored higher than arts students (all ps < .001). No significant differences were found between the universities of Ajman and Fujairah. Conclusion. Findings provide a clear baseline profile of exam anxiety among high-achieving undergraduates in this context. Targeted supports for females, second-year cohorts, and engineering majors are recommended, and the scale appears suitable for ongoing monitoring in similar settings.