diff --git a/apps/student_app/lib/data/repositories/curriculum_repository.dart b/apps/student_app/lib/data/repositories/curriculum_repository.dart
index 199f2b7..4457b43 100644
--- a/apps/student_app/lib/data/repositories/curriculum_repository.dart
+++ b/apps/student_app/lib/data/repositories/curriculum_repository.dart
@@ -31,9 +31,23 @@ class GradeLevelModel {
     GradeLevelModel(key: 'tawjihi_2008', name: 'الثاني ثانوي — توجيهي 2008', number: 12),
   ];
 
+  static String normalizeGradeKey(String raw) {
+    final clean = raw.toLowerCase().trim();
+    if (clean.contains('عاشر') || clean.contains('grade_10') || clean.contains('grade 10') || clean.contains('grade10') || clean == '10') return 'grade_10';
+    if (clean.contains('تاسع') || clean.contains('grade_9') || clean.contains('grade 9') || clean.contains('grade9') || clean == '9') return 'grade_9';
+    if (clean.contains('ثامن') || clean.contains('grade_8') || clean.contains('grade 8') || clean.contains('grade8') || clean == '8') return 'grade_8';
+    if (clean.contains('سابع') || clean.contains('grade_7') || clean.contains('grade 7') || clean.contains('grade7') || clean == '7') return 'grade_7';
+    if (clean.contains('سادس') || clean.contains('grade_6') || clean.contains('grade 6') || clean.contains('grade6') || clean == '6') return 'grade_6';
+    if (clean.contains('خامس') || clean.contains('grade_5') || clean.contains('grade 5') || clean.contains('grade5') || clean == '5') return 'grade_5';
+    if (clean.contains('حادي') || clean.contains('أول ثانوي') || clean.contains('grade_11') || clean.contains('grade 11') || clean == '11') return 'grade_11';
+    if (clean.contains('ثاني عشر') || clean.contains('توجيهي') || clean.contains('tawjihi') || clean.contains('grade_12') || clean.contains('grade 12') || clean == '12') return 'tawjihi_2008';
+    return raw;
+  }
+
   static String getGradeName(String key) {
+    final norm = normalizeGradeKey(key);
     final match = allK12Grades.firstWhere(
-      (g) => g.key == key || g.key == key.toLowerCase(),
+      (g) => g.key == norm || g.key == key || g.key == key.toLowerCase(),
       orElse: () => GradeLevelModel(key: key, name: key, number: 0),
     );
     return match.name;
@@ -62,25 +76,20 @@ class CurriculumRepository {
     final List<GradeLevelModel> available = [];
 
     for (var grade in GradeLevelModel.allK12Grades) {
-      if (tree.containsKey(grade.key) || tree.containsKey(grade.key.replaceAll('grade_', ''))) {
+      final norm = GradeLevelModel.normalizeGradeKey(grade.key);
+      final shortKey = norm.replaceAll('grade_', '');
+      if (tree.containsKey(grade.key) || tree.containsKey(norm) || tree.containsKey(shortKey)) {
         available.add(grade);
       }
     }
 
-    // If server has custom keys, include them as well
-    tree.forEach((key, val) {
-      if (!available.any((g) => g.key == key)) {
-        final name = (val is Map && val['name'] != null) ? val['name'].toString() : GradeLevelModel.getGradeName(key);
-        available.add(GradeLevelModel(key: key, name: name, number: 0));
-      }
-    });
-
-    return available;
+    return available.isNotEmpty ? available : GradeLevelModel.allK12Grades;
   }
 
   /// Fetch subjects for a specific grade level dynamically from Live Backend
   Future<List<SubjectModel>> getSubjects({String gradeLevel = 'grade_10', String stream = 'scientific'}) async {
-    AppLogger.log('Fetching live curriculum tree from /api/curriculum/tree (Grade: $gradeLevel)...', tag: 'CURRICULUM_REPO');
+    final normGrade = GradeLevelModel.normalizeGradeKey(gradeLevel);
+    AppLogger.log('Fetching live curriculum tree from /api/curriculum/tree (Grade: $gradeLevel -> $normGrade)...', tag: 'CURRICULUM_REPO');
     
     final tree = await getRawCurriculumTree();
     if (tree.isEmpty) {
@@ -90,19 +99,37 @@ class CurriculumRepository {
 
     final List<SubjectModel> liveSubjects = [];
 
-    // Match exact grade key, or fallback variants (e.g. grade_10 vs 10 vs tawjihi_2008)
+    // Match canonical key, exact key, or fuzzy iterate tree
     Map<String, dynamic>? gradeData;
-    if (tree.containsKey(gradeLevel) && tree[gradeLevel] is Map) {
+    if (tree.containsKey(normGrade) && tree[normGrade] is Map) {
+      gradeData = Map<String, dynamic>.from(tree[normGrade]);
+    } else if (tree.containsKey(gradeLevel) && tree[gradeLevel] is Map) {
       gradeData = Map<String, dynamic>.from(tree[gradeLevel]);
     } else {
-      final shortKey = gradeLevel.replaceAll('grade_', '');
+      final shortKey = normGrade.replaceAll('grade_', '');
       if (tree.containsKey(shortKey) && tree[shortKey] is Map) {
         gradeData = Map<String, dynamic>.from(tree[shortKey]);
+      } else {
+        for (var entry in tree.entries) {
+          if (GradeLevelModel.normalizeGradeKey(entry.key) == normGrade) {
+            if (entry.value is Map) {
+              gradeData = Map<String, dynamic>.from(entry.value);
+              break;
+            }
+          }
+          if (entry.value is Map && entry.value['name'] != null) {
+            final name = entry.value['name'].toString();
+            if (GradeLevelModel.normalizeGradeKey(name) == normGrade || name.contains(normGrade)) {
+              gradeData = Map<String, dynamic>.from(entry.value);
+              break;
+            }
+          }
+        }
       }
     }
 
     if (gradeData == null || gradeData['subjects'] == null || gradeData['subjects'] is! Map) {
-      AppLogger.log('No subjects found in grade $gradeLevel on server.', tag: 'CURRICULUM_REPO');
+      AppLogger.log('No subjects found in grade $gradeLevel ($normGrade) on server.', tag: 'CURRICULUM_REPO');
       return [];
     }
 
diff --git a/apps/student_app/lib/logic/cubits/curriculum_cubit.dart b/apps/student_app/lib/logic/cubits/curriculum_cubit.dart
index 6891df6..028efe4 100644
--- a/apps/student_app/lib/logic/cubits/curriculum_cubit.dart
+++ b/apps/student_app/lib/logic/cubits/curriculum_cubit.dart
@@ -61,16 +61,17 @@ class CurriculumCubit extends Cubit<CurriculumState> {
         super(CurriculumInitial());
 
   Future<void> fetchSubjects({String gradeLevel = 'grade_10', String stream = 'scientific'}) async {
-    AppLogger.log('CurriculumCubit: Loading subjects for Grade: $gradeLevel ($stream)...', tag: 'CURRICULUM_CUBIT');
+    final normGrade = GradeLevelModel.normalizeGradeKey(gradeLevel);
+    AppLogger.log('CurriculumCubit: Loading subjects for Grade: $gradeLevel ($normGrade - $stream)...', tag: 'CURRICULUM_CUBIT');
     emit(CurriculumLoading());
     try {
       final grades = await _repo.getAvailableGrades();
-      final subjects = await _repo.getSubjects(gradeLevel: gradeLevel, stream: stream);
+      final subjects = await _repo.getSubjects(gradeLevel: normGrade, stream: stream);
       emit(CurriculumLoaded(
         subjects: subjects,
         filteredSubjects: subjects,
         availableGrades: grades,
-        selectedGrade: gradeLevel,
+        selectedGrade: normGrade,
         selectedStream: stream,
       ));
     } catch (e) {
diff --git a/apps/student_app/lib/presentation/screens/curriculum/subjects_grid_screen.dart b/apps/student_app/lib/presentation/screens/curriculum/subjects_grid_screen.dart
index 2d5db23..62124d9 100644
--- a/apps/student_app/lib/presentation/screens/curriculum/subjects_grid_screen.dart
+++ b/apps/student_app/lib/presentation/screens/curriculum/subjects_grid_screen.dart
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ class _SubjectsGridScreenState extends State<SubjectsGridScreen> {
   @override
   void initState() {
     super.initState();
-    final grade = widget.initialGrade ?? 'grade_10';
+    final grade = GradeLevelModel.normalizeGradeKey(widget.initialGrade ?? 'grade_10');
     context.read<CurriculumCubit>().fetchSubjects(gradeLevel: grade);
   }
 
diff --git a/backend/app/Controllers/AuthController.php b/backend/app/Controllers/AuthController.php
index dec3861..70dcb7c 100644
--- a/backend/app/Controllers/AuthController.php
+++ b/backend/app/Controllers/AuthController.php
@@ -514,9 +514,11 @@ class AuthController
                 [$userId]
             );
             if ($user) {
-                if (($user['grade_level'] ?? '') === 'tawjihi_2008') {
-                    Database::query("UPDATE students SET grade_level = 'grade_10', updated_at = NOW() WHERE id = ?", [$userId]);
-                    $user['grade_level'] = 'grade_10';
+                $rawGrade = (string)($user['grade_level'] ?? 'grade_10');
+                $normGrade = \App\Services\StudentAccessControlService::normalizeGrade($rawGrade);
+                if ($rawGrade === 'tawjihi_2008' || $rawGrade !== $normGrade) {
+                    Database::query("UPDATE students SET grade_level = ?, updated_at = NOW() WHERE id = ?", [$normGrade, $userId]);
+                    $user['grade_level'] = $normGrade;
                 }
                 $isCompleted = !empty($user['full_name']) && $user['full_name'] !== 'طالب جديد' && $user['full_name'] !== 'الطالب المتميز' && !empty($user['grade_level']);
                 $userData = [
@@ -669,7 +671,8 @@ class AuthController
         $identityToken = $body['identity_token'] ?? '';
         
         $fullName = trim((string)($body['full_name'] ?? ''));
-        $gradeLevel = trim((string)($body['grade_level'] ?? 'grade_10'));
+        $rawGrade = trim((string)($body['grade_level'] ?? 'grade_10'));
+        $gradeLevel = \App\Services\StudentAccessControlService::normalizeGrade($rawGrade);
         $stream = trim((string)($body['stream'] ?? 'scientific'));
         $nationalId = trim((string)($body['national_id'] ?? ''));
         $deviceFingerprint = trim((string)($request->getHeader('x-device-fingerprint', '')));