While most Grade 6 students are focused on school homework and exams, 11-year-old Muhammad Maaz Khan has taken on a test usually attempted by students preparing for university.
The Indian expat, a student at Abu Dhabi Indian School – Muroor, scored an impressive 1410 out of 1600 in the SAT, earning recognition from Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY). He scored 710 in Mathematics and 700 in Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, placing him in the 93rd percentile among 12th-grade test-takers over the past three years.
Maaz said he approached the SAT as a personal challenge rather than a competition with older students. He compared the experience to playing chess, treating each question as a strategic move and relying on logic, elimination and time management when faced with difficult questions.
Gold 101.3 FM – UAE’s No. 1 Radio Station brings listeners inspiring stories and the latest updates from across the UAE.
Maaz’s academic achievements extend beyond the SAT. He won a gold medal in GIMP – Level 1 at the Artificial Intelligence National Championship (AINC) 2025, is a Gold Scholar in the ASSET exams and has received academic topper certificates from his school. He has also authored Different Minds, published by Bri Books.
His school places him in its gifted and talented category, while he is currently exploring advanced topics including calculus and computer science. His maths and physics tutor, Malini Suresh, said Maaz has developed skills well beyond his grade level and also takes online college-level courses independently.
Abu Dhabi Indian School principal Dr Rishikesh Padegaonkar congratulated Maaz and his parents, describing his Grade 6 SAT performance as a notable achievement reflecting his curiosity, commitment and consistent effort.
Outside academics, Maaz enjoys chess, cycling and online video games, while his parents, Irfan and Sofiya Khan, say they have always encouraged his curiosity without putting pressure on him. The Mumbai-born parents have lived in the UAE for 22 years, and Maaz was born and raised in the country.
Maaz advises other young students to follow their curiosity rather than compare themselves with others. For the SAT, he recommends understanding concepts, practising regularly, reviewing mistakes and managing time — while remembering that one test does not define a student.
He hopes to use the CTY programme to explore mathematics, physics and computer science further, with ambitions of pursuing a career in science, technology and artificial intelligence.
Maaz also expressed gratitude to Allah, his parents, teachers, school management, tutor and extended family, as well as the UAE leadership for supporting young learners.
His achievement adds to a growing list of young UAE-based students earning international academic recognition. Last year, 8-year-old Shaurya Yashesh Thakkar from GEMS Modern Academy in Dubai received Grand Honors recognition from CTY, while 12-year-old Arjun Abhinav Patwardhan of GIIS Abu Dhabi scored 1290 in the SAT, including 750 in Mathematics, to earn the Grand Honors Award.
