British-Pakistani teen breaks six academic records, earns Oxford admission

LONDON: Mahnoor Cheema, an 18-year-old British-Pakistani student, has made academic history by completing 24 A-Level subjects with top distinctions — breaking four new world records. 

Combined with her earlier GCSE achievements, she now holds six global academic records, the highest number ever attained by a secondary school student, and has secured admission to the University of Oxford to study Medicine.

Mahnoor set a world record for the most individual A-Level subjects taken and passed with distinction, 24 subjects plus an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), all undertaken through one exam board without repeating components to boost totals.

Her second A-Level record is for the highest number of A* and A grades, earning 19 top grades.

The third is a combined record: 11 A* grades in A-Levels added to her previous 34 A* grades in GCSEs/O Levels, making a total of 45 A* grades, the most awarded to any student in secondary education worldwide.

Her fourth combined record is for the highest total of individual subjects passed with distinction: 58 in total, comprising 24 A-Levels and 34 GCSEs.

In 2023, at the age of 16, Mahnoor passed 34 GCSE subjects, including a record 17 with A* grades in Year 10 and 34 A* grades overall. These accomplishments set her fifth and sixth world records.

Speaking exclusively to Geo News from her home in Langley, West London, Mahnoor described receiving her Oxford offer as “a childhood dream fulfilled.”

“I am over the moon. I’ll be joining Oxford in October and I’m very excited to start the next chapter of my life. It’s been a joy doing these subjects, but I’m glad to be moving on to pursue the career I’ve always dreamt of. I really appreciate the position of privilege I am in, all thanks to my parents’ endless sacrifices,” she said.

Born to Lahore natives Barrister Usman Cheema and Tayyaba Cheema, Mahnoor moved to the UK with her parents in 2006 when they pursued higher education at Lincoln’s Inn and SOAS. She attended Langley Grammar School in West London after private schooling in Lahore, later joining Henrietta Barnett School in central London before switching to homeschooling for her final year.

Following her GCSE success, Mahnoor met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif at Stanhope House, where she was praised for making Pakistan proud. The Sharif brothers gifted her a MacBook, which she still uses, including for her Oxford interviews.

“By showcasing her brilliance and earning top distinctions, Mahnoor has sent a message of hope and excellence to the youth, especially young females of Pakistan. She is the daughter of the nation,” said Nawaz Sharif.

Mahnoor also holds an AMusTCL diploma in music, equivalent to an undergraduate degree, achieved at 16, along with gold medals in Acting and Public Speaking from LAMDA. She completed her EPQ in just 10 days with a perfect 100% score.

A member of Mensa, the world’s oldest high IQ society, Mahnoor’s academic discipline and creative pursuits underline her extraordinary range of talents.